Rossbach, battle of (1757). Following the defeats of Kolin on 18 June 1757 and Gross-Jägersdorf on 30 July during the Seven Years War, Prussia was invaded by Austrian, French, Russian, and Swedish armies heading for Berlin. Frederick ‘the Great’ decided to deal first with the Franco-imperial army, commanded by Soubise, and met them near Leipzig in Saxony. On 5 November, the Franco-imperial army attempted to envelop Frederick's left flank by marching around it in five giant columns totalling 40, 000 troops. Frederick observed their approach, and, concealed by the dominating position of the Janus hill, turned his entire army to face them and simultaneously launched a massive cavalry counter-thrust led by the redoubtable Seydlitz, that brushed aside the Allied horse and went on to scythe into the unprepared Franco-imperial infantry. This was followed by an echeloned attack by the Prussian foot. In one and a half hours the Allies lost 8, 000 to Frederick's few hundred.
French military prestige was shattered, and the scale of the defeat prompted a rethinking of French military doctrine which ultimately led to the work of Guibert. The victory enabled Frederick to turn about and deal with the fresh threat posed by the Austrians in Silesia, where he defeated them at Leuthen.
— Toby McLeod
