Battle of Fredericia
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Fredericia was fought between soldiers of Schleswig-Holstein
and Denmark
on July 6, 1849 at Fredericia
in Denmark. The battle was a part of the First Schleswig War, which was a conflict between Schleswig-Holstein, supported by several German states, and Denmark. Denmark won the battle.
was invaded by 61 000 Schleswig-Holsteinian and German troops, and Danish troops located there withdrew to northern Jutland. As they withdrew, Denmark left 7 000 men to garrison their fortified town of Fredericia, along with a reserve on the island of Funen
. Prittwitz, a Prussian commander, ordered the Schleswig-Holsteinian army to besige the town, and the siege began on May 9 under the commander of General Eduard von Bonin
, whilst the Danish garrison was led by Colonel Lunding.
s, which would bombard the town and cover them from a Danish sally
. Trying to prevent the construction of the third redoubt, the garrison sallied on May 13, but the third redoubt was completed by May 15. From May 16 to 20, Fredericia was shelled. Most of the population was moved to Funen, and four of the most densely built areas of the town were destroyed by fire. Unable to see into the town, and judging by the fact that the fires were put out quickly, Bonin believed that the damage was not significant.
The Schleswig-Holsteins had not completely cut off the town, and the garrison was able to be relieved several times by troops based in Funen, so Bonin decided to cut off access between the two Danish areas. As a result, he ordered two more redoubts to be constructed, of which one was completed, near the beach between Funen and Fredericia. On May 30, Danish troops launched another sally, damaging what had been constructed so far, and spiking 9 cannons. The Schleswig-Holsteins were not able to completely cut off the town, but the threat that that could still happen prompted Lunding to urge his superiors to launch an attack soon.
Danish commanders agreed that a major attack would be made north of the town, with General Olaf Rye
's 5th Brigade tasked with taking the strongest redoubt, the Treldeskansen; whilst diversionary landings by two fleets
each of 22 ships (each had 1 steamer, 4 gunboats, 5 transports and 12 sailing ships) would be launched north and south of Fredericia to draw away enemy troops. The battle was ordered to begin on July 5, but a delay in one of the brigades receiving their orders led to the battle being postponed until the next day. The Schleswig-Holsteins had expected an attack to occur on July 5, and its army had been waiting in earthworks all of that day. As the Danish troops deployed for the attack in the first hour of July 6, the Schleswig-Holsteinian troops were sleeping in their camps. A dense fog shrouded the Danish soldiers as they moved, and straw placed over the streets and the noise of the wind reduced the sound they were making as they traversed through Fredericia, resulting in their deployment not being detected.
Meanwhile, Olaf Rye
had ordered 2 of his 5 battalions to bypass the Treldeskansen (the fifth redoubt) so that they could block Schleswig-Holsteinian reinforcements from reaching it, whilst the other 3 attacked the redoubt, supported by the batteries 'Marcussen' and 'Meincke'. Rye, wanting to move forward to observe the assault better, rode on a horse towards the redoubt. Riding unescorted, his horse was killed, and he went by foot to the 'Marcussen' battery where he got another one. Riding north of the Treldeskansen with a company from the 4th Reserve Battalion, his new horse was shot. Around 03:00, he was shot in the thigh and in the lower abdomen, and died from his wounds a short time after.
The fighting at the Treldeskansen had turned into a stalemate, but the reinforcement of the Danish troops with the 8th Battalion from Moltke's Brigade and the half-battery 'Tillisch' led to the capture of the redoubt, along with 300 prisoners, by 04:00. Major Stuckradt, commander of the Schleswig-Holsteinian 1st Brigade, which was located on Bonin's left flank, initially decided to withdraw his forces to Egeskov via Rands Fjord, but after being informed that Danish gunboats were guarding the fjord
he ordered that his formation move towards Bredstrup.
With the 6th Battalion from the west, the 8th Battalion from the north, and a company of the 7th Battalion from the second redoubt, the Schleswig-Holsteins counter-attacked, causing the Danish 2nd Lette (Light) Battalion and 2nd Jaegerkorps to retreat, and the attempt to destroy captured Schleswig-Holsteinian equipment stopped. Bonin ordered his last reserve, the 8th Battalion, to press the attack. The Danish Schleppegrells Brigade counter-attacked against the battalion. The first Danish attack against the battalion was repulsed, and whilst they were preparing to launch another one, the sun rose and allowed Bonin to see that the Schleswig-Holsteinian 1st Brigade was retreating. This caused him to order a general retreat to Stoutrup, and the Danish troops began to pursue.
De Meza followed the retreating Schleswig-Holsteins with the Danish advance guard towards Egum and Stallerup, and blocked the withdrawal of the 1st Brigade, capturing 750 prisoners as a result. The left wing of the Schleswig-Holsteinian army was heavily battered, and the area between the town and Rands Fjord was now free from Schleswig-Holsteinian troops. Meanwhile, the Schleppegrells Brigade, supported by 2 companies from the 6th Reserve Battalion, captured the first and second redoubts. In an effort to cover the retreat, the Schleswig-Holsteinian right wing attempted to fight the Danish troops at Stoutrup with two battalions, but they were forced to withdraw from the settlement by the Danish 3rd Jaegerkorps of the 3rd Battalion. To the east of Stoutrup, the Schleswig-Holsteinian artillery park was located, with 100 wagons, a couple of guns and thousands of cannonballs and grenades captured. By 09:00, the main fighting had ended.
on July 24 and 25 1850.
Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the sixteen states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Schleswig...
and Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
on July 6, 1849 at Fredericia
Fredericia
Fredericia is a town located in Fredericia municipality in the eastern part of the Jutland peninsula in Denmark, in a sub-region known locally as Trekanten, or The Triangle...
in Denmark. The battle was a part of the First Schleswig War, which was a conflict between Schleswig-Holstein, supported by several German states, and Denmark. Denmark won the battle.
Background
In 1849, Danish southern JutlandJutland
Jutland , historically also called Cimbria, is the name of the peninsula that juts out in Northern Europe toward the rest of Scandinavia, forming the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish–German...
was invaded by 61 000 Schleswig-Holsteinian and German troops, and Danish troops located there withdrew to northern Jutland. As they withdrew, Denmark left 7 000 men to garrison their fortified town of Fredericia, along with a reserve on the island of Funen
Funen
Funen , with a size of 2,984 km² , is the third-largest island of Denmark following Zealand and Vendsyssel-Thy, and the 163rd largest island of the world. Funen is located in the central part of the country and has a population of 454,358 inhabitants . The main city is Odense, connected to the...
. Prittwitz, a Prussian commander, ordered the Schleswig-Holsteinian army to besige the town, and the siege began on May 9 under the commander of General Eduard von Bonin
Eduard von Bonin
Eduard von Bonin was a Prussian general who served as Prussian Minister of War from 1852–54 and 1858-59.-Life:...
, whilst the Danish garrison was led by Colonel Lunding.
Prelude
The Schleswig-Holsteins constructed 4 redoubtRedoubt
A redoubt is a fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort, usually relying on earthworks, though others are constructed of stone or brick. It is meant to protect soldiers outside the main defensive line and can be a permanent structure or a...
s, which would bombard the town and cover them from a Danish sally
Sally
-Military:*Sally , an attack by the defenders of a town or fortress under siege against a besieging force*Sally, the Allied reporting name during World War II for the Imperial Japanese Armys Mitsubishi Ki-21 bomber-Names:...
. Trying to prevent the construction of the third redoubt, the garrison sallied on May 13, but the third redoubt was completed by May 15. From May 16 to 20, Fredericia was shelled. Most of the population was moved to Funen, and four of the most densely built areas of the town were destroyed by fire. Unable to see into the town, and judging by the fact that the fires were put out quickly, Bonin believed that the damage was not significant.
The Schleswig-Holsteins had not completely cut off the town, and the garrison was able to be relieved several times by troops based in Funen, so Bonin decided to cut off access between the two Danish areas. As a result, he ordered two more redoubts to be constructed, of which one was completed, near the beach between Funen and Fredericia. On May 30, Danish troops launched another sally, damaging what had been constructed so far, and spiking 9 cannons. The Schleswig-Holsteins were not able to completely cut off the town, but the threat that that could still happen prompted Lunding to urge his superiors to launch an attack soon.
Danish commanders agreed that a major attack would be made north of the town, with General Olaf Rye
Olaf Rye
Olaf Rye was a Norwegian-Danish military officer. He served as a major-general and played a decisive role in the 1849 Battle of Fredericia which broke the Schleswig-Holstein siege of the town. He died during this battle and is considered a Danish war hero...
's 5th Brigade tasked with taking the strongest redoubt, the Treldeskansen; whilst diversionary landings by two fleets
Naval fleet
A fleet, or naval fleet, is a large formation of warships, and the largest formation in any navy. A fleet at sea is the direct equivalent of an army on land....
each of 22 ships (each had 1 steamer, 4 gunboats, 5 transports and 12 sailing ships) would be launched north and south of Fredericia to draw away enemy troops. The battle was ordered to begin on July 5, but a delay in one of the brigades receiving their orders led to the battle being postponed until the next day. The Schleswig-Holsteins had expected an attack to occur on July 5, and its army had been waiting in earthworks all of that day. As the Danish troops deployed for the attack in the first hour of July 6, the Schleswig-Holsteinian troops were sleeping in their camps. A dense fog shrouded the Danish soldiers as they moved, and straw placed over the streets and the noise of the wind reduced the sound they were making as they traversed through Fredericia, resulting in their deployment not being detected.
Battle
The battle began at 01:00 on July 6, with Bonin's view of the battle obscured by darkness. The third and fourth Schleswig-Holsteinian redoubts, as well as a nearby mortar battery, were attacked by General De Meza's 'Avantgarden' formation. The fourth redoubt was taken, as well as the battery, and Danish engineers worked to destroy what had been captured. The third redoubt, defended by a part of the 4th Jaegerkorps under the command of Major Schmidt, was able to repulse the Danish attack.Meanwhile, Olaf Rye
Olaf Rye
Olaf Rye was a Norwegian-Danish military officer. He served as a major-general and played a decisive role in the 1849 Battle of Fredericia which broke the Schleswig-Holstein siege of the town. He died during this battle and is considered a Danish war hero...
had ordered 2 of his 5 battalions to bypass the Treldeskansen (the fifth redoubt) so that they could block Schleswig-Holsteinian reinforcements from reaching it, whilst the other 3 attacked the redoubt, supported by the batteries 'Marcussen' and 'Meincke'. Rye, wanting to move forward to observe the assault better, rode on a horse towards the redoubt. Riding unescorted, his horse was killed, and he went by foot to the 'Marcussen' battery where he got another one. Riding north of the Treldeskansen with a company from the 4th Reserve Battalion, his new horse was shot. Around 03:00, he was shot in the thigh and in the lower abdomen, and died from his wounds a short time after.
The fighting at the Treldeskansen had turned into a stalemate, but the reinforcement of the Danish troops with the 8th Battalion from Moltke's Brigade and the half-battery 'Tillisch' led to the capture of the redoubt, along with 300 prisoners, by 04:00. Major Stuckradt, commander of the Schleswig-Holsteinian 1st Brigade, which was located on Bonin's left flank, initially decided to withdraw his forces to Egeskov via Rands Fjord, but after being informed that Danish gunboats were guarding the fjord
Fjord
Geologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.-Formation:A fjord is formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. Glacial melting is accompanied by rebound of Earth's crust as the ice...
he ordered that his formation move towards Bredstrup.
With the 6th Battalion from the west, the 8th Battalion from the north, and a company of the 7th Battalion from the second redoubt, the Schleswig-Holsteins counter-attacked, causing the Danish 2nd Lette (Light) Battalion and 2nd Jaegerkorps to retreat, and the attempt to destroy captured Schleswig-Holsteinian equipment stopped. Bonin ordered his last reserve, the 8th Battalion, to press the attack. The Danish Schleppegrells Brigade counter-attacked against the battalion. The first Danish attack against the battalion was repulsed, and whilst they were preparing to launch another one, the sun rose and allowed Bonin to see that the Schleswig-Holsteinian 1st Brigade was retreating. This caused him to order a general retreat to Stoutrup, and the Danish troops began to pursue.
De Meza followed the retreating Schleswig-Holsteins with the Danish advance guard towards Egum and Stallerup, and blocked the withdrawal of the 1st Brigade, capturing 750 prisoners as a result. The left wing of the Schleswig-Holsteinian army was heavily battered, and the area between the town and Rands Fjord was now free from Schleswig-Holsteinian troops. Meanwhile, the Schleppegrells Brigade, supported by 2 companies from the 6th Reserve Battalion, captured the first and second redoubts. In an effort to cover the retreat, the Schleswig-Holsteinian right wing attempted to fight the Danish troops at Stoutrup with two battalions, but they were forced to withdraw from the settlement by the Danish 3rd Jaegerkorps of the 3rd Battalion. To the east of Stoutrup, the Schleswig-Holsteinian artillery park was located, with 100 wagons, a couple of guns and thousands of cannonballs and grenades captured. By 09:00, the main fighting had ended.
Aftermath
The Danes stopped their pursuit at a ravine west of Fredericia. They had sustained 1 892 dead, wounded, and unwounded captured soldiers; whilst Schleswig-Holstein had suffered 2 995. Despite being outnumbered over 2:1 and sustaining about 500 more dead and wounded, Denmark achieved a victory over Schleswig-Holstein. As a result of the battle, a cease-fire was implemented between the combatants in the First Schleswig War, and all German troops had left Denmark by August 25. The fighting between Denmark, and German troops, would resume about a year later, when 27 000 Germans and 37 000 Danish troops engaged in the battle of IstedBattle of Isted
The Battle of Isted took place on July 25, 1850, near the village of Idstedt, today Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. The battle was part of the First Schleswig War....
on July 24 and 25 1850.