Battle of Dessau
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- Date:
- April 25, 1626
- Participants:
- Holy Roman Empire
- Context:
- Thirty Years’ War
Battle of Dessau, (25 April 1626). Following the catastrophic defeat it suffered at Stadtlohn, the German Protestant cause in the Thirty Years’ War seemed lost. There was new hope when Christian IV of Denmark entered the war in 1625, but the next year a Protestant army was bested at Dessau by imperial forces.
The Protestant general Ernst von Mansfeld led an army into Magdeburg, aiming to break the imperial line west of the Elbe River. In command of the forces there was Albrecht von Wallenstein, a minor, but wealthy, Moravian noble who had risen to command the imperial armies. Mansfeld attacked at Dessau, the most important crossing between Magdeburg and Saxony.
Wallenstein had been able to secure a bridgehead by entrenching four infantry companies on the eastern side. Mansfeld arrived in force on 12 April, but despite having superior numbers he was unable to overcome the imperial fortifications. Deciding to take the position by siege, he dug trenches and brought up his guns. He made no headway and by 24 April substantial imperial reinforcements had arrived. Wallenstein occupied a wood on the Protestant right to outflank them.
Mansfeld was now completely outnumbered, but at 6:00 AM on 25 April he ordered an all-out attack. Fighting went on for five hours until Wallenstein, through weight of numbers, was able to force Mansfeld back. Mansfeld ordered his guns and baggage to pull back and carried on fighting to cover their escape. At noon fresh reserves of imperial cavalry and infantry charged from the woods and a counterattack was launched from the bridgehead. The Protestants were forced to retreat. Dessau was the first of many setbacks for Christian IV’s overall strategy, and in 1629 he pulled out of the war.
Losses: Imperial, 1,000 of 14,000; Protestant, 3,000 captured and 1,000-2,000 dead of 7,000.