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Battle of Rathenow
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Battle of Rathenow
The Battle of Rathenow (German: Schlacht um Rathenow or Überfall von Rathenow) was the first engagement between the forces of Brandenburg-Prussia and Sweden in the Swedish-Brandenburg War (also called the Scanian War).
The battle took place on 15 June [O.S. 25 June] 1675 and ended with the capture of the town of Rathenow, the front of which had been occupied by Sweden, by the Brandenburg troops.
The Swedes, led by Colonel Wangelin, had about 500 men; the Brandenburg force, commanded by Field Marshal Georg von Derfflinger and General von Götze had some 1,500–2,000 men in the battle.
In 1674, Brandenburg entered the Franco-Dutch War against France and dispatched an army to Alsace. As a result, France persuaded Sweden to attack the undefended Electorate of Brandenburg. In late 1674, Swedish troops advanced from Swedish Pomerania well into the Electorate, thanks to the absence of any significant contingents of Brandenburg troops. Meanwhile, the main Brandenburg Army was fighting the French in the Rhineland. So the Swedes, who had entered the war on the French side and were under the command of Field Marshal Wrangel, were able to penetrate far into the state and occupy the city of Brandenburg without meeting any real resistance. The town of Rathenow was also occupied by Swedish troops, because Wrangel wanted to launch a crossing of the River Elbe at Havelberg from Rathenow and join forces with Hanoverian troops. His objective was the capture of the important Brandenburg fortress of Magdeburg. To that end the Swedish advance party under Colonel Wangelin occupied Rathenow (and Havelberg), initially to secure the Havel crossings and then push forward to Magdeburg.
On the other hand, the Elector of Brandenburg, Frederick William, wanted to halt the advance of the Swedes, attack the rear of the Swedish troops, and unite with those units of his own forces manning the fortress of Magdeburg.
The town of Rathenow was located on the eastern bank of the River Havel, protected to the west by a wide area of marsh between the main branches of the Havel, and was also surrounded by a moat. Of its medieval fortifications, only elements had survived, but these still offered adequate protection against an army not set on a long siege. So the gates were fortified and equipped with drawbridges.
The Brandenburg plan was to assault the town through its western gate, known as the Havel Gate (Haveltor). Their troops advanced under Field Marshal Georg von Derfflinger just before 2 clock over the Havel bridge. Derfflinger, who had been in Swedish service for a long time during the Thirty Years' War, rode at the head of the army accompanied by only a few dragoons and persuaded the guard to lower the drawbridge by speaking to them in fluent Swedish and asserting that: "he was a Swedish lieutenant of Bulow's Regiment from the garrison at Brandenburg and was on the run from the Brandenburg troops". This enabled the dragoons to break into the town. According to other reports, Derfflinger had ridden up to the gate alone, and only after it had been opened, did his dragoons rush to help in order to infiltrate into the town in a coup de main.
Meanwhile, the Elector had Major General von Götze and 600 musketeers advance along the mill embankment to the Mill Gate (Mühlentor). Here fighting broke out, the Swedes proving able to hold their ground for the time being, aided by the town's fortifications. Another unit that attempted to enter the south side of the town from the Havel in boats, was also initially repulsed. Not until the second attack did the Brandenburgers succeed in entering the town. The assault on the Mill Gate also prevailed and General von Götze succeeded in capturing it. After vigorous fighting, the Swedish garrison was defeated and their commander, Swedish Colonel Wangelin, surrendered.
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Battle of Rathenow
The Battle of Rathenow (German: Schlacht um Rathenow or Überfall von Rathenow) was the first engagement between the forces of Brandenburg-Prussia and Sweden in the Swedish-Brandenburg War (also called the Scanian War).
The battle took place on 15 June [O.S. 25 June] 1675 and ended with the capture of the town of Rathenow, the front of which had been occupied by Sweden, by the Brandenburg troops.
The Swedes, led by Colonel Wangelin, had about 500 men; the Brandenburg force, commanded by Field Marshal Georg von Derfflinger and General von Götze had some 1,500–2,000 men in the battle.
In 1674, Brandenburg entered the Franco-Dutch War against France and dispatched an army to Alsace. As a result, France persuaded Sweden to attack the undefended Electorate of Brandenburg. In late 1674, Swedish troops advanced from Swedish Pomerania well into the Electorate, thanks to the absence of any significant contingents of Brandenburg troops. Meanwhile, the main Brandenburg Army was fighting the French in the Rhineland. So the Swedes, who had entered the war on the French side and were under the command of Field Marshal Wrangel, were able to penetrate far into the state and occupy the city of Brandenburg without meeting any real resistance. The town of Rathenow was also occupied by Swedish troops, because Wrangel wanted to launch a crossing of the River Elbe at Havelberg from Rathenow and join forces with Hanoverian troops. His objective was the capture of the important Brandenburg fortress of Magdeburg. To that end the Swedish advance party under Colonel Wangelin occupied Rathenow (and Havelberg), initially to secure the Havel crossings and then push forward to Magdeburg.
On the other hand, the Elector of Brandenburg, Frederick William, wanted to halt the advance of the Swedes, attack the rear of the Swedish troops, and unite with those units of his own forces manning the fortress of Magdeburg.
The town of Rathenow was located on the eastern bank of the River Havel, protected to the west by a wide area of marsh between the main branches of the Havel, and was also surrounded by a moat. Of its medieval fortifications, only elements had survived, but these still offered adequate protection against an army not set on a long siege. So the gates were fortified and equipped with drawbridges.
The Brandenburg plan was to assault the town through its western gate, known as the Havel Gate (Haveltor). Their troops advanced under Field Marshal Georg von Derfflinger just before 2 clock over the Havel bridge. Derfflinger, who had been in Swedish service for a long time during the Thirty Years' War, rode at the head of the army accompanied by only a few dragoons and persuaded the guard to lower the drawbridge by speaking to them in fluent Swedish and asserting that: "he was a Swedish lieutenant of Bulow's Regiment from the garrison at Brandenburg and was on the run from the Brandenburg troops". This enabled the dragoons to break into the town. According to other reports, Derfflinger had ridden up to the gate alone, and only after it had been opened, did his dragoons rush to help in order to infiltrate into the town in a coup de main.
Meanwhile, the Elector had Major General von Götze and 600 musketeers advance along the mill embankment to the Mill Gate (Mühlentor). Here fighting broke out, the Swedes proving able to hold their ground for the time being, aided by the town's fortifications. Another unit that attempted to enter the south side of the town from the Havel in boats, was also initially repulsed. Not until the second attack did the Brandenburgers succeed in entering the town. The assault on the Mill Gate also prevailed and General von Götze succeeded in capturing it. After vigorous fighting, the Swedish garrison was defeated and their commander, Swedish Colonel Wangelin, surrendered.