The battle was part of the Seven Years' War, specifically between Prussia and Austria over the control of Silesia.
One month earlier the Prussians had defeated an alliance of France, the Holy Roman Empire and Austria at Rossbach,
however the Austrians had used the time to slowly re-occupy Silesia and had taken Breslau (modern day Wrocław).
They started to settle down for winter quarters.
Frederick realized that he had to inflict a decisive defeat, or lose the province.
The Prussians numbered 39,000 men, partially victors from Rossbach and partially demoralized men who had been defeated at Breslau.
Frederick moved among his men, showing sympathy but also demanding professionalism and distributing extra food an liqor, all to crank up morale.
The Austrians numbered 50,000 - 55,000 men, confident after several recent victories over Prussian forces.
Both armies advanced on each other, the Austrians leaving well entrenched positions at Breslau behind that they might better have held.
The Prussian vanguard captured the town of Neumarkt before the Austrians could secure it and used it as a base during the night preceding the battle.
In the morning the Austrian army was waiting for the Prussians, deployed in a 6 kilometers wide line facing northwest.
This was to prevent being outflanked by the Prussians, because they knew that the latter were keen on doing that.
The wideness left left gaps in the formation and artillery cover was insufficient.
The Frederick knew the terrain well; the Prussian army had used it as a training ground in the years before.
He scouted the enemy position carefully and then decided on a plan of attack.
First he had his cavalry attack Borna and make threatening moves towards the Austrian right flank, while also acting as a screen for this left flank.
Meanwhile his infantry left its position opposite the Austrians and outflanked their left, while hidden from sight by low hills.
The well drilled Prussians marched in two columns in perfect order.
The Austrians were able to see some of the movements, but mistook them for a retreat.
In the early afternoon, when the maneuver was complete, the Prussians once more lined up in battle formation and attacked the Austrian line from the left side,
hitting their weakest troops.
The Austrian commander prince Charles realized what was going on and rushed his reserves, which had been moving right, back to his left,
while his infantry line tried to turn a quarter circle to face the Prussians again.
However because the line was so long and retreating troops caused confusion in the ranks, it took more than an hour to complete this maneuver.
That was enough time for the Prussians to drive the Austrians from the village of Leuthen and create a single front again.
The Austrians tried to save the day with a cavalry attack on their right, but this was countered by a charge of the Prussian cavalry,
which went on to cause havoc in the Austrian rear.
After little more than three hours, the Austrian army was defeated and fled.
The Austrians were pursued by Prussian volunteers, though many escaped in the darkness, as by then night had fallen.
The mopping up operation continued the next day.
The Prussians suffered 1,100 men killed and 5,200 wounded; the other side about 3,000 killed, 6,500 wounded and 12,000 taken prisoner.
The Austrians withdrew, leaving Silesia in the hands of Prussia.
The battle prevented Prussia from being defeated in the Seven Years' War.
War Matrix - Battle of Leuthen
First Industrial Revolution 1750 CE - 1830 CE, Battles and sieges