A strong gust of wind had blown the smoke of musket-fire and dust away, revealing an opening
between the Prussian lines through which they could charge the Austrians. The ten squadrons of the
regiment formed into two columns and beginning with a trot, then a gallop, they then charged at full
speed, first turning north to annihilate the first Austrian column, then turning south to annihilate the
second Austrian column. In the fighting that followed, the Bayreuth Dragoons destroyed 20 Austrian
and Saxon battalions, took 2,500 prisoners, and captured 67 regimental standards, losing only 6
officers and 28 men.
Up to the year 1769, the regiment was actually only under the name "Bayreuth Dragoons." It was
not until from 1769 to 1806 it was technically  "Ansbach-Bayreuth" as the lyrics later composed for
the March imply. The regiment was converted to cuirassiers after the Napoleonic Wars and was part
of the Prussian order of battle until 1918.
Thousands of Austrians began to surrender en mass, the last of
their forces having given out, and for them it was a total, crushing
defeat. Prinz Karl was forced to retreat in disarray, and the battle
was won. This great victory first earned Friedrich the title "the
Great".After the charge, the regiment was allowed to wear a
golden 67 on their cartridge cases and also received a diploma
issued from Friedrich the Great on June 4, 1745, naming all
officers who took part in the charge and praising the regiment, as
well as granting them their own regimental march, the
"Grenadier-Marsch," later known as the Hohenfriedberger
Marsch, which Friedrich composed himself.  
The Dragoner-Regiment Nr.5 Bayreuth Dragoner was a Prussian Dragoon regiment formed in 1717,
and supposedly raised from recruits in the Duchies of Ansbach and Bayreuth.
It formed with 44 officers and NCOs and 295 cavalry troopers. By 1718, the regiment had expanded
to four squadrons comprising 689. It was not until 1730 that the regiment reached its full size of 10
squadrons and 62 officers, 120 NCOS, standard bearers, 30 drummers and 1,320 cavalry.
The Story of a March: The Ansbach Dragoners and the Battle of Hohenfriedberg
On August 7,1731 the regiment was granted the title of
Bayreuth Dragoner and was redesignated Dragoner-
Regiment Nr.5 Bayreuth Dragoner. The Bayreuth
Dragoons achieved fame for their role in winning the
Battle of Hohenfriedberg in 1745 where Austrian
commander Prinz Karl von Lothringen was holding
against repeated Prussian attacks. The commander of
the Bayreuth Dragoons, Generalleutnant Gessler, saw
an opportunity to attack a large force of Austrian
infantry which was attacking the exhausted Prussians.
Auf, Ansbach-Dragoner,
auf, Ansbach-Bayreuth!
Schnall um deinen Säbel
und rüste dich zum Streit!
Prinz Karl ist erschienen
auf Friedbergs Höh'n,
sich das preußische Heer
mal anzusehen.
Drum, Kinder, seid lustig
und allesamt bereit:
Auf, Ansbach-Dragoner,
auf, Ansbach-Bayreuth!
Halt, Ansbach-Dragoner,
halt, Ansbach-Bayreuth!
Wisch ab deinen Säbel,
laß ab vom Streit!
Denn rings umher
auf Friedbergs Höhn
ist weit und breit
kein Feind mehr zu sehn.
Und ruft unser König,
zur Stell sind wir heut.
Auf, Ansbach-Dragoner,
auf, Ansbach-Bayreuth!
"Haben Sie keine Angst,
Herr Oberst von Schwerin!
Ein preußischer Dragoner
tut niemals nicht fliehn!
Und stünden sie auch noch
so dicht auf Friedbergs Höh',
wir reiten sie zusammen
wie Frühlingsschnee."
Ob Säbel, Kanon,
ob Kleingewehr uns dräut:
Auf, Ansbach-Dragoner,
auf, Ansbach-Bayreuth! :