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The Battle of Kolín on 18 June 1757 saw 44,000 Austrians under Count von Daun defeat 32,000 Prussians under Frederick the Great during the Seven Years' War. The Prussians lost the battle and nearly 14,000 men, the Austrians lost 8,000 men.
Frederick's main force turned toward the Austrians too early and attacked their defensive positions frontally instead of outflanking them. Austria's Croatian light infantry (Grenzer) played an important role in this; harassing the regular Prussian infantry under Generals von Manstein and Tresckow, they provoked them into a premature attack.
The disunited Prussian columns blundered into a series of uncoordinated attacks, each against superior numbers. By the afternoon, after about five hours of fighting, the Prussians were disoriented and Daun's troops were driving them back.
Prussian cuirassiers under Oberst von Seydlitz (promoted to major-general on that day) finally showed up. There were many charges and counter-charges on the Krzeczor Hill. The first Guard battalion under General von Tauentzien saved the Prussian army from a worse fate, covering the Prussian retreat.
