Battle of Jasmund (1864)

Battle of Jasmund

The Sjælland (right) engaging with the paddlewheel steamer Loreley and the Corvette Nymphe. Painting by Alex Kircher.

Date	17 March 1864
Location	Rügen, Bay of Pomerania
Result	Tactical Danish victory

Belligerents

Prussia

Denmark

Commanders and leaders

Eduard Jachmann

C.E. van Dockum

Strength

1900-ton steam corvette Arcona
1100-ton steam corvette Nymphe
430-ton paddle-steamer Loreley
6 gunboats

84-gun battleship Skjold
2 frigates

Casualties and losses

Nymphe damaged
13 casualties, 7 dead

3 dead

The naval Battle of Jasmund (also known as the Battle of Rügen) took place between elements of the Danish and Prussian navies on 17 March 1864 east of the Jasmund peninsula on the Prussian island of Rügen. It was part of the Second Schleswig War. It was the first sea battle in which the Prussian Navy was engaged since its formation in 1848. The Prussian attempt to weaken the Danish blockade forces off the Prussian coast failed both as a result of materiel inferiority as well as navigation errors.

On 15 March 1864 Denmark announced its blockade of the Prussian coast. On 17 March elements of the Danish Baltic Sea squadron appeared off Rügen in order, especially, to blockade the harbour at Swinemünde.

On 14 March 1864, King William I ordered the commander of the Prussian naval squadron off Swinemünde, Captain Eduard von Jachmann, to drive off the Danish blockade forces, or at least determine whether the blockade threatened by Denmark on 15 March 1864 existed at all. In case of bad weather or heavy Danish supremacy, Jachmann was to avoid an engagement.

Breaking the blockade was actually impossible for strategic reasons. Even in the event of a major tactical defeat of the blockading forces, the sea route to the North Sea, and thus the world's oceans, would not have been opened, because the Danish Navy controlled the Øresund. In this respect, Prussia's naval situation in 1864 was similar to that of the German Empire in the First World War as a result of the British blockade of the North Sea.

At the outbreak of war the Danish fleet had 31 steamships with 387 cannon, of which 26 ships and 363 cannon were ready for action. In addition they had 10 sailing ships. A further 50 sail-powered gunboats were only intended for coastal defence. The Danish Navy had a strength of 3,757 men.

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