Battle of Fredericia
| Battle of Fredericia | |||||||
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| Part of the First Schleswig War | |||||||
 The fight for the Treldeskansen. |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Schleswig-Holstein
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 Denmark
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Gen. Eduard von Bonin | Col. Lunding | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 16 000 | 24 000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
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Dead: 5 officers, 198 men |
Dead: 33 officers, 479 men |
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Dead: 5 officers, 198 men
Wounded: 47 officers, 1087 men
Unwounded captured: 32 officers, 1626 men
Dead: 33 officers, 479 men
Wounded: 42 officers, 1302 men
Unwounded captured: 36 men
The Battle of Fredericia was fought between soldiers of Schleswig-Holstein and Denmark on 6 July 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.
In 1849, Danish southern Jutland 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 9 May under the commander of General Eduard von Bonin, whilst the Danish garrison was led by Colonel Lunding.
The Schleswig-Holsteins constructed 4 redoubts, 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 13 May but the third redoubt was completed by 15 May. From 16 to 20 May, 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 30 May, 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.
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Wikipedia