Battle at Vejle
Austrian troops deployed in Vejle's market, probably for field service
| date | March 8, 1864 |
|---|---|
| place | Vejle |
| output | Victory of the Austrians, conquest of Vejle and enclosure of Fredericia fortress |
| Parties to the conflict | |
|---|---|
| Commander | |
| Troop strength | |
| 4000 | 7000 |
| losses | |
|
92 |
200 |
Missunde - Königshügel - Danewerk - Schlei - Oeversee - Jutland - Vejle - Jasmund - Düppeler Schanzen - Fredericia - Helgoland - Alsen - Lundby - North Frisian Islands
Fredericia fortress was enclosed in the battle at Vejle .
course
At 6 o'clock in the morning, the Austrian II Corps, led by Ludwig von Gablenz von Kolding, marched towards Vejle . The 1st Division (Brigade Nostiz and Gondrecourt ) he led himself, the 2nd Division (Brigade Tomas and Dormus) were under the leadership of Erwin von Neipperg . Since the Danes had dammed the water in the Kolding Au, the second division did not reach Vejle during the day. At 11 o'clock the enemy was encountered and a cavalry battle developed in that the Austrian Windisch-Graetz Dragoons were initially thrown back in a battle with Danish Dragoons. At 1 p.m. the 1st Division reached the southern forests of the city, today Parks: Pedersholm, Sønderskoven, Mølholm and gathered there. On the northern side of the town, the road to Horsens leads through a gorge, which is bordered on both sides by hills. The 1st, 11th and 7th Infantry Regiments of the 4th Danish Division plus two batteries of field artillery were entrenched on these ridges. Since the stream was also dammed, only a narrow line could be passed along the main road in the gorge, but it was completely swept by the artillery. Nevertheless, the attack was dared. The 1st Battalion of the "Hessen" Infantry Regiment now descended from Petersholm, down the opposite side of the forest hill. The Danish battery on the opposite ridge tried to prevent the advance with devastating shrapnel fire . Nonetheless, the battalion reached the city's barricades without hesitation. A lively street battle ensued. At 4 p.m. the city was taken. The 2nd Battalion and the Jäger Battalion reinforced the attackers, and the infantry regiment "King of the Belgians" , which had not been in combat, occupied the market square. Ludwig von Gablenz was convinced of the success, but soon came to the conclusion that the city could only be held permanently if the northern mountain ranges of the city were also cleared of the enemy. As soon as the Gondrecourt Brigade (Martini Regiment and the King of Prussia Regiment) arrived, the attack on the dominant northern mountain ranges began. Two Austrian batteries with 8 pounders began fire on the enemy positions at 4:30 p.m. The 9th and 18th Jäger Battalions received orders to advance in a northerly direction and to occupy the right flank of the enemy at Sophienlund. For reasons that were difficult to understand, the Danes did not occupy this section. That they are now trying to make up for what they have missed came too late. This maneuver decided the battle and the 9th Jäger Battalion rose after a short battle.
“The enemy could no longer stand up and hurriedly began to give heel money. He had suffered heavy losses, although the Austrians, who numbered only 4,000 men, were almost half the size and in an extraordinarily favorable position, which he might have considered impracticable. "
At 5:30 p.m. the attack on the entire front was ordered. Here now the defenders took advantage of their advantageous position. The slope offered them a free field of fire and secured in the rifle lines they could put their rifles on the parapet, which resulted in many losses for the Austrians. Still, they kept charging forward. As luck would have it, the same formations faced each other here as at the Battle of Oeversee . However, the fight was not so costly. The defeated Danes withdrew towards Horsens. A vigorous pursuit was not possible because on the one hand it was getting dark and on the other hand the Austrian troops were exhausted. After all, you set out at 3 a.m. on the morning of the day and, before you approached, you had also had a long battle behind you, rushing to high positions.
Importance of the battle
This battle was significant regardless of its size and scope: the city lies on the Vejle Fjord and is part of the so-called triangle Fredericia - Kolding -Vejle and thus divided the Danish armed forces into two parts: one half (five regiments) now stood in front of the southeast the Fredericia Fortress. The other half (three regiments of infantry and three regiments of cavalry) were now scattered across Jutland. This cleared the way for the conquest of Fredericia fortress and, on the other hand, the capture of Jutland. In order to be certain of this, Gablenz set off from Vejle on expeditions to Horsens , Skanderborg , Silkeborg and Aarhus over the next few days . Nowhere was anything to be seen of the missing enemy. Eventually it was learned with difficulty that the Danish general in Skanderborg had split up his troops. So it remained in Vejle as a base for further operations against the fortress.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Issue 16, pp. 252-254 from 1864
literature
- Frank Jung: 1864. The war for Schleswig-Holstein. Ellert & Richter Verlag for Schleswig-Holsteinischer Zeitungsverlag , Hamburg 2014, ISBN 978-3-8319-0566-9 .
- Oliver Bruhns: Schleswig city stories. In: Reimer Witt, Oliver Bruhns: 1200 years of Schleswig. ed. from the Lions Club Schleswig, 2006.
- Theodor Fontane: The Schleswig-Holstein War in 1864, Berlin 1866
Coordinates: 55 ° 43 '6.4 " N , 9 ° 33" 32.6 " E