Battle of Trangen

Last updated

Battle of Trangen
Part of the Dano-Swedish War of 1808-1809
Trangen 1808.jpg
Surrounded Swedish forces, by Andreas Bloch
Date25 April 1808
Location
Trangen, Flisa, Norway
60°36′37″N11°58′34″E / 60.6102°N 11.9762°E / 60.6102; 11.9762
Result Dano-Norwegian victory
Belligerents
Naval Ensign of Sweden.svg Sweden Royal Standard of Denmark (1731-1819).svg Denmark–Norway
Commanders and leaders
Naval Ensign of Sweden.svg Carl Pontus Gahn  (POW) Royal Standard of Denmark (1731-1819).svg Bernhard Ditlef von Staffeldt
Strength
531 [1] 1,050 [1]
Casualties and losses
25 killed
57 wounded
433 captured [1]
15 killed
52 wounded
2 captured [1]

The Battle of Trangen took place on 25 April 1808 at Trangen in Flisa, Hedemarkens Amt, between Swedish and Norwegian troops, as a part of the Dano-Swedish War of 1808-1809. The invading Swedish troops, led by Colonel Carl Pontus Gahn, were surrounded and forced to surrender by the Norwegian troops under the command of Bernhard Ditlef von Staffeldt. [2] Gahn and around 450 of his troops were captured. [3]

Contents

Background

After the Swedish setback at Skabukilen on 13 April, [4] they were victorious at Lier on 18 April, when they drove the Norwegians back to Kongsvinger Fortress. General Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt, now headquartered at Lier, hoped to take the strategically important fortress through a pincer movement with the help of Gahn's "Flying Corps". [5] The plan was that Gahn should advance with his troops across the border from Midtskog and on to Åsnes, and from there march south along the river Glomma to Kongsvinger.

The Swedish advance

On the evening of 24 April Gahn crossed the Swedish-Norwegian border with the 2nd battalion of the Dalarna Regiment, and moved westwards, along the southern side of Flisa River. [6] He chose to march at night to surprise the Norwegian outposts. At dawn, the battalion was near the Flisa River, where it faced the first Norwegian outposts, who immediately fired warning shots and sent out a report about the Swedish advance. [4]

The Norwegian defenders

The defending troops, commanded by Colonel Bernhard Ditlef von Staffeldt, had begun establishing a defense in the area in early April 1808. Staffeldt's brigade consisted of a grenadier battalion of the 2nd Trondheim Infantry Regiment (2. Throndhjemske Infanteriregiments grenaderbataljon) commanded by Major Johan Georg Ræder, the Southern Norwegian Ski Battalion (Den søndenfjeldske Skiløberbataljon) commanded by Major Frederik Wilhelm Stabell, the Lærdal Light Infantry Company (Lærdalske lette infanterikompani) commanded by Captain Wilhelm Jürgensen, and some troops from Oppland Dragoon Regiment (Oplandske Dragonregiment). [4]

Staffeldt, unsure the Swedish plans, hesitated to give the order to attack. He found it highly unusual that the Swedes marched into Trangen, a narrow pass between the cliffs of Kjelsås and Buttenås, without sending troops forward along the main road on the north side of the river, and therefore feared that it was a trap. He nevertheless sent 270 men under the command of Captain Elias Nægler to the defensive position at Trangen, which had been prepared with roadblocks of trees, and where it was likely that the Swedish troops would pass. [7]

Captain Nicolay Peter Drejer on the stump during the battle Battle of Trangen.JPG
Captain Nicolay Peter Drejer on the stump during the battle

Battle

When the vanguard of Colonel Gahn's column later in the day reached Captain Nægler's companies in the Trangen pass they immediately attacked, and the attack was so heavy that Nægler had to call for reinforcements. But after about an hour of fighting it still looked as if the Swedish troops were about to break through the Norwegian defensive lines at the Trangen pass. While this was going on, Colonel Staffeldt brought the main force eastward from Sønsterud towards Nyen which was the sharpshooter division's main position, to block the crossing north of the river Flisa. When the Colonel and his staff arrived at Nyen, they could see the Swedish units advancing westwards towards Trangen on the south side of the river. [7] Staffeldt then decided to send patrols further east, in the direction of the border to check if more Swedish troops were on their way. Major Stabell and Ræder tried to persuade him to immediately attack the Swedes from the rear, claiming that if he did not do this, the battle would be lost. [6] But it was not until reconnaissance showed that no more Swedish troops were on the way, that Staffeldt was persuaded to attack. [8]

The attack was carried out by 500 men under the command of Major Ræder, consisting of a ski company, sharpshooters and grenadiers who crossed the frozen river and attacked the Swedish rearguard at Gammelseter. [7] From Gammelseter the advancing Norwegians quickly drove the Swedish rearguard consisting of 40 men against the main force, and Gahn realized that there was a large force attacking the column from the rear, threatening to encircle them. He therefore chose to stop his attacks against the defensive position at Trangen and turn the whole battalion around to face the attackers. He ordered the forces about to break through Captain Nægler's lines to fall back in order to regroup with the rest of the battalion. [8] On a hill between Trangen and Gammelseter the two armies met, and the Swedish forces managed to drive the Norwegians back. Twice Major Ræder and his officers managed to turn the wavering Norwegians, [7] and it was during this phase of the battle that the Norwegian Captain Nicolay Peter Drejer distinguished himself when he climbed up on a pine stump and commanded his troops while shooting at the Swedes. [7] He was able to fire almost continuously against the enemy since two grenadiers helped him reload his weapons, and the heroic act helped to increase the morale among the Norwegian soldiers. But on the stump, Captain Drejer was an easy target for the Swedish soldiers and after being shot 7 times, he collapsed, badly wounded. [9] Gahn's troops, after repeated attempts, managed to drive the Norwegian troops back, but they failed to break through, and thus had no opportunity to retreat along the same path that they had arrived.

From Trangen, Captain Nægler could hear the sound of the heavy fighting east of them, and he choose to take his grenadiers and march quickly in the direction the Swedes had retreated. Nægler's force quickly encountered and attacked Gahn's rear guard, something that worsened the situation for the Swedes since Gahn now had to form a front against the two sides. [6] Deep snow on both sides of the road also weakened Gahn's ability to maneuver considerably. When Norwegian ski troops also began their attack on the Swedish flanks the Swedes where almost completely encircled. Colonel Gahn tried to ask for negotiations, but was not heard through all the commotion. [7] The encircled Swedish troops surrendered when most of their ammunition was spent, and the whole force was captured (with the exception of a few soldiers who escaped through the woods). When the outcome of the battle at Trangen was clear, Staffeldt sent troops under the command of Captain Nægler towards Midtskog in Sweden. [10] There the remaining Swedish troops, a detachment led by Major Söderhjelm, [6] were captured. [4]

Minnestein oer kampene ved Trangen 1808.JPG
Minnestotte over falne fra Trangen.JPG
Memorials of the fighting at Trangen at the battlefield (left) and at Åsnes Church

Aftermath

After the battle, the captured officers, including Colonel Carl Pontus Gahn, were taken to Bjørneby where the Norwegian field hospital was located. This field hospital was also quickly filled up by several wounded Swedish and Norwegian soldiers. [6] The remaining Swedish prisoners who were not wounded were marched to Åsnes church, [6] before they later were sent on to Drammen and Lier in Buskeruds Amt. [6] The severely injured Captain Nicolay Peter Drejer was brought to Sønsterud Farm in Gjesåsen after the battle. There he died four days later from the injuries. [9]

Colonel Gahn's thrust against Kongsvinger Fortress came to be the last offensive maneuver the Swedes carried out south in Hedmark until they withdrew back to Sweden in late May. So, although the battle of Trangen posed no decisive factor for the war itself, the battle would stabilize the situation in the front north and south-west of Kongsvinger. Gahn's surrender had removed the threat of a Swedish pincer movement against Kongsvinger from the north, as well as the Norwegian victory now allowed Colonel von Staffeldt to concentrate his forces against General Armfeldt's forces south-east of the fortress.

Legacy

The battle of Trangen has been a source of legendary stories, and a national symbol in Norway. [5] In retrospect, and especially during the Norwegian romantic nationalism in the late 19th century, emphasis was placed on Nicolay Peter Drejer's courageous efforts and he was given much of the credit for the victory at Trangen. [11] The stump Captain Drejer used during the battle was later named after him (Norwegian: Drejerstubben), and the remains of the stump is still visible today.

A memorial of the battle is raised at the site, [3] and a memorial of the fallen Swedish and Norwegian soldiers is raised at Åsnes Church.

In connection with the 200th anniversary of the battle in 2008, a re-enactment was held. The event was attended by King Harald V, who also visited Sønsterud Farm and the room where Captain Drejer had died, which had been restored for the anniversary. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Lund</span> 1676 battle of the Scanian War

The Battle of Lund, part of the Scanian War, was fought on December 4, 1676, in an area north of the city of Lund in Scania in southern Sweden, between the invading Danish army and the army of Charles XI of Sweden. The Danish had an army of about 13,000 under the personal command of 31-year-old King Christian V of Denmark, aided by General Carl von Arensdorff. The Swedish army, which numbered about 8,000, was commanded by Field Marshal Simon Grundel-Helmfelt and the 21-year-old Swedish king Charles XI. It is one of the bloodiest battles in percent of casualties on both sides ever fought in Scandinavia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swedish–Norwegian War</span> War fought between Sweden and Norway

The Swedish–Norwegian War, also known as the Campaign against Norway, War with Sweden 1814, or the Norwegian War of Independence, was a war fought between Sweden and Norway in the summer of 1814. According to the Treaty of Kiel, Norway would enter a union with Sweden under Charles XIII of Sweden. The war resulted in Norway being forced into the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway, but with its own constitution and parliament. The war marked the last time Sweden participated in an armed conflict with another nation, and its conclusion signalled the beginning of the country's long period of military neutrality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Lier (1814)</span>

The Battle of Lier was fought on 2 August 1814 between Sweden and the newly independent Norway as part of the Swedish-Norwegian War of 1814. The battle was the first major action of the war, in which an outnumbered Swedish force attempted to storm the Norwegian entrenchment; the Norwegian victory served as an important part to boost morale among the Norwegian troops. This was the second time during the Napoleonic Wars that a battle had taken place at Lier, the first was in 1808.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Matrand</span>

The Battle of Matrand was a military battle on 5 August 1814 between Norwegian and Swedish forces as part of the Swedish-Norwegian War of 1814. The battle took place near the village of Matrand in Eidskog and at Skotterud. It was the bloodiest battle of the entire war, in which the Swedes lost more than 340 men, of which 270 were captured; the Norwegians lost around 50 men with 90 wounded and 36 captured.

Johan Christopher Ræder was a Norwegian military officer. He was of German and Danish descent, and partly served in the Danish army.

Johan Georg Ræder was a Norwegian military officer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Valkeala</span>

Battle of Valkeala took place in Gustav III's Russian War April 29, 1790 at Valkeala in Kymenlaakso in Southern Finland and ended with a Swedish victory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dano-Swedish War of 1808–1809</span> War

The Dano–Swedish War of 1808–1809 was a war between Denmark–Norway and Sweden due to Denmark–Norway's alliance with France and Sweden's alliance with the United Kingdom during the Napoleonic Wars. Neither Sweden nor Denmark-Norway had wanted war to begin with but once pushed into it through their respective alliances, Sweden made a bid to acquire Norway by way of invasion while Denmark-Norway made ill-fated attempts to reconquer territories lost to Sweden in the 17th century. Peace was concluded on grounds of status quo ante bellum on 10 December 1809.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Langnes</span>

The Battle of Langnes, or the Battle of Langnes Entrenchment, was fought between Norway and Sweden as a part of the Swedish-Norwegian War of 1814. The battle, even as it ended inconclusively, served as a tactical victory to the Norwegians since they now could avoid an unconditional surrender to the Swedish.

Bernhard Ditlef von Staffeldt was born on 23 October 1753 in Kenz, Swedish Pomerania, as the son of Lieutenant Bernt von Staffeldt, of Pomeranian nobility, and Catherine Eleonore von Platen. Both his parents died in 1755 while he was still a child; he was raised at his married sister's estate in Denmark and was taken into the court of Queen Sophia Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach in 1767.

The Battle of Rødenes was a series of skirmishes that took place in late April and early May 1808 from Lund in Hemnes to Ørje as a result of the Swedish invasion of Norway during the Dano-Swedish War of 1808-1809.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicolay Peter Drejer</span> Norwegian military officer

Nicolay Peter Dreyer was a Norwegian military officer with the rank of captain. He was born in Fosnes. He became a legend during the Battle of Trangen on 25 April 1808, leading his infantry regiment first from a roof, then from a tree stump with the height of a man. The stump was later named after him, a series of myths developed after his death, and he became a national symbol in 1814 and in 1905.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Kjølberg Bridge</span> 1814 battle

The Battle of Kjølberg Bridge was fought 14 August 1814, during the Swedish–Norwegian war of 1814. The Swedish army had problems repairing the bridge due to constant fire from the Norwegian side of the river. It was then a small Swedish force of 75 men, consisting of jägers from the Bohuslän and Life Grenadier Regiments, passed over the river at a hidden point. Once over they waited for reinforcements but none came; but instead the order of attacking the vastly larger Norwegian force. The Colonel response to the attack order have been famous "It is unreasonable to attack with only 75 men when you face a whole regiment." "But such an order isn't given to me twice. March!" During cheers the Swedes rushed up the hill toward the mansion that was occupied with 600 men. The attack was surprising and decisive. As more Swedish troops crossed, the Norwegians quickly left the stand. This was the last battle fought during the Swedish–Norwegian War. The Convention of Moss, providing a cease fire agreement, was signed that same day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jämtland Campaigns of 1808–1809</span>

The Jämtland Campaigns of 1808–1809 were two Dano-Norwegian military campaigns into the Swedish province of Jämtland during the Dano-Swedish War of 1808-1809.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Mobekk</span>

The Battle of Mobekk was fought on 18 May 1808 between Swedish and Norwegian forces, during the Swedish invasion of Norway. After the Swedish victory at Lier, Bernhard Ditlef von Staffeldt ordered Johan Georg Ræder to attack the right flank of Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt's brigade, along the Skinnarbøl river. The Norwegians managed to force a few Swedish outposts across the river, but met fierce resistance at the main Swedish redoubt at Mobekk; Ræder conducted three fruitless assaults before retreating with his force, after five hours of fighting. The battle had no strategic effect as Armfelt retreated out of Norway in May and June, after misinterpreting the orders from the Swedish king Gustav IV Adolf advocating for him to act defensively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Bysjön</span> 1644 battle of the Torstenson War

The Battle of Bysjön was fought between Swedish and, for the most part, Norwegian troops on 22 December 1644. The battle took place on the ice of the frozen Lake Bysjön in the parish of Eda in Värmland, Sweden. The battle was part of the Torstenson War (1643-1645), known locally as the Hannibal Feud (Hannibalsfejden) between Sweden and Denmark-Norway. The Danish-Norwegian victory meant the invading army could potentially continue into Värmland and Dalsland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Rakkestad</span> 1814 battle in Norway

The Battle of Rakkestad was fought in the Swedish–Norwegian War of 1814, at the village of Rakkestad, Norway, between 2,000–3,000 Swedes force under Eberhard von Vegesack, and a slightly smaller Norwegian force, led by Frederik Wilhelm Stabell. The Swedish forces drove the Norwegians back from their fortified positions with a disciplined bayonet-attack and dealt them considerable losses. This battle crippled the morale of the Norwegian defenders, and especially their leader, King Christian Frederik, which contributed to a rapid end of the war, eight days later, with the Convention of Moss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Tistedalen</span>

The Battle of Tistedalen was a series of skirmishes in the Swedish–Norwegian War of 1814, at Tistedalen, Norway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Lier (1808)</span>

The Battle of Lier was fought on 18 April 1808, between Swedish and Norwegian forces, during a Swedish invasion of Norway. The Swedes crossed the border in several brigades, of which the General-in-chief, Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt, followed the first; he arrived at the strong Norwegian position at Lier and decided to attack it, to reach Kongsvinger Fortress. Before launching the main attack, the Swedes made diversionary attacks on the flanks, of which the left one was particularly successful; Bernt Peter Kreutz, the Norwegian commander, reacted by shifting over troops to his threatened flank, which enabled the Swedes to capture his exposed right. Meanwhile, the Norwegian redoubt covering the road was likewise captured, as the Swedish main army swiftly attacked. Kreutz decided to retreat by the evening, fearing he would be cut off from the Kongsvinger fortress. Armfelt did not follow up his victory, instead he remained at Lier until late May, when he received orders to withdraw; the Swedes retreated out of Norway in May–June, after a fruitless campaign.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Berby</span>

The Battle of Berby was fought on 12 September 1808, between Swedish and Norwegian forces, during the Dano-Swedish War of 1808–09. Ever since the Battle of Prestebakke, the western front had been relatively calm, until colonel Posse launched a reconnaissance towards the Norwegian positions around at Berby, under Andreas Samuel Krebs; the Swedes pushed the Norwegians in front of them, all the way to Berby itself, where the Norwegians made a sturdy hold. At that time, Posse requested a ceasefire, as his reconnaissance had essentially evolved into a larger encounter; krebs accepted and after half an hour, the Swedes went back across the border. The battle was the last significant engagement between Swedish and Norwegian forces, that year.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Philström & Westerlund (1911), pp. 182–190
  2. Mardal, Magnus A. "Trangen". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  3. 1 2 Evensen 2010 p. 335
  4. 1 2 3 4 Schnitler 1895, pp. 231–242
  5. 1 2 Ersland & Holm 2000, pp. 297–299
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Angell 1914, pp. 99–114
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Gransæther, Tore Kjelland. En kort fremstilling over slaget ved Trangen 25. april 1808 (in Norwegian). grenader.no. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
  8. 1 2 Rastad; Engh & Engen 2004, pp. 13–15
  9. 1 2 Bratberg, Terje. "Nicolay Peter Drejer". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 22 March 2011.
  10. Jensrud, Nils. Slaget ved Trangen (in Norwegian). forsvarsforening.no. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  11. Jenstad, Nils. Trangen (in Norwegian). grenader.no. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
  12. Slaget ved Trangen (in Norwegian). kongehuset.no. Retrieved 18 February 2017.

Bibliography