Battle of Kay

The Battle of Kay (Schlacht bei Kay) or Battle of Paltzig was a battle fought on July 23, 1759 during the Seven Years' War. It occurred near Kay (Kije) in the Neumark, now part of Poland.

General Carl Heinrich von Wedel, the commander of the Prussian army of 28,000 men, unwisely attacked a larger Russian army of 47,000 men commanded by Count Pyotr Saltykov, and was defeated. The Prussians lost 8,300 men; the Russians lost less than 5,000 men. After the battle King Frederick II of Prussia determined to force the Russians into a decisive engagement in order to prevent them joining up with the main Austrian army, but was defeated at Kunersdorf by a combined Russian-Austrian army.

Figures are also given of 26,000 Prussians and 70,000 Russians, although that is unlikely, since Saltykov had 41,000 men at Kunersdorf three weeks later.