Rejecting a frontal attack as impractical, Frederick takes his army on a long march to attack the flank of the Austrian position. Seeing the intent of the Prussian move, the Austrian Field Marshal Maximilian von Browne rushes to secure his open eastern flank with a large force of cavalry and an infantry force that includes 40 companies of grenadiers.
Due to the terrain, General Winterfeldt's first line of infantry is left unsupported by artillery as it tries to attack through the swamps. To win time, Schonaich's cavalry launches an immediate attack on the Austrian horse, but is thrown back. The rest of Schonaich's command arrives and the rival horse engage in a long, inconclusive melee.
Under intense pressure, the Prussian first line disintegrates. The victorious Austrian infantry now counterattack toward Sterbohol. Just as things appear to be going badly for the Prussians, 22 battalions begin to exploit a gap that has appeared in the Austrian line to the north. At the same time, General Hans Joachim von Zieten, the famous hussar leader, appears on the Austrian flank ("Overthrow any enemy who appear!") and turns the cavalry battle to the Prussian's favor. The Austrian infantry attack, now threatened on both flanks, collapses. With its destruction, the Prussians begin to roll up the still northward-facing Austrian main body.
The Austrians rally to form a new line between Maleschitz and Hrdlorzez and, there, offer up the heaviest fighting of the battle, but by 3 p.m. the Austrian army is retreating into Prague. The battle is over.
