Battle of Breitenfeld (1631)

battle_name=Battle of Breitenfeld

Battle

The battle began around noon with a two hour exchange of artillery fire. This exchange was ended when Count Pappenheim led a charge of the cavalry on Tilly's left. These cuirassiers advanced seven times, but each time was turned back by the Swedes. The Swedes used the tactic of mixing men armed with muskets with their cavalry, who were able to defeat the light cavalry pistol tactics used by the Imperial forces. Swedish reserve cavalry was also able to extend the Swedish line and countercharge with sabers against the Imperial cavalry. Following the defeat of his seventh assault, Pappenheim and his cavalry quit the field. Pappenheim's heavy cavalry, called the Black Cuirassiers, retreated to Halle.

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During this time, Tilly's infantry remained stationary, but the cavalry on his right charged the Saxon cavalry and routed it towards Eilenburg. Seeing an opportunity, Tilly sent the majority of his infantry against the remaining Saxon forces and they fled the field, stopping only briefly to loot the Swedish camp.

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Tilly thus defeated forty percent of his enemy and was poised to deliver a devastating flank attack on the remaining Protestants. As Tilly was ordering his infantry to roll up the Swedish line, however, Gustavus Adolphus was able to reorder his second line into an array at a right angle to the front. This deprived Tilly of the opportunity for an attack on the Protestant flank.

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Following this, a charge by the Swedish cavalry was able to drive off the rest of the Imperial cavalry. With this help, the Protestant infantry was able to gain the upper hand. Soon under fire from both the excellent Swedish guns and captured Imperial guns, the Imperial infantry was forced to retire from the field.

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