Battle of Halmstad facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Halmstad |
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| Part of the Scanian War | |||||||
 Battle of Halmstad by Johann Philip Lemke |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Swedish Empire |
 Denmark–Norway |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Charles XI Simon Grundel-Helmfelt |
Jakob Duncan |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 6,000 men | 3,500–4,000 men | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
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200: 144 wounded |
3,000: 2,000 captured |
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The Battle of Halmstad, also called the Battle at Fyllebro, happened on August 17, 1676. It took place near the town of Halmstad in Sweden. This battle was the last major fight in the Halland region between Denmark and Sweden during the Scanian War.
Why the Battle Happened
Danish Advance in Scania
In June 1676, King Christian V of Denmark landed his army near Helsingborg in Scania. In less than a month, his forces took control of almost the entire province. The Swedish army had to retreat north to Växjö.
Danish Plans for Halmstad
In early August, a Danish general named Jakob Duncan was sent north. He had about 4,000 Danish soldiers with him. Their goal was to capture the important town of Halmstad. If they succeeded, they planned to move further north. They hoped to meet up with a Norwegian army led by General Ulrik Frederick Gyldenløve. This Norwegian army was threatening to attack Gothenburg.
Swedish Response to the Threat
On August 10, King Charles XI of Sweden learned about General Duncan's movements. The Swedish King quickly decided to stop Duncan. On August 11, King Charles XI and his army marched west to intercept the Danish forces.
Duncan's Retreat and the Bridges
On August 12, Duncan began to surround Halmstad. However, King Christian V soon warned him about the approaching Swedish army. Christian V ordered Duncan to pull back to the town of Laholm. Before the Danes reached Laholm, the Swedes had destroyed the bridge over the River Lagan. This made it hard for the Danes to retreat further south.
The Danish army rested overnight. The next day, they headed for the Fyllebro bridge. Duncan had previously destroyed this bridge himself to prevent the Swedes from crossing. Now, he ordered his soldiers to repair it.
The Trap is Set
Early on August 17, the Swedish army took control of the road between Halmstad and Laholm. This move cut off Duncan's escape route to the south. Duncan thought he was only dealing with small groups of Swedish scouts. He did not see any Swedish foot soldiers. His own scouts had met the Swedish cavalry but had not noticed the main Swedish army.
The Battle at Fyllebro
First Contact
As Duncan's troops crossed the River Fylleån, General Rutger von Ascheberg and 600 Swedish soldiers moved forward. They quickly met a small Danish unit heading north. After a short chase, Ascheberg found himself facing Duncan and his main forces.
Danish Position
The Fyllebro bridge was too small for Duncan's men to retreat quickly. Unaware of the danger, Duncan arranged his troops on the south bank of the river. Their backs were against the stream, which was a bad position. Duncan sent his infantry (foot soldiers) and dragoons (mounted soldiers) forward. They had artillery (cannons) to support them against the Swedish infantry, which was just arriving.
Swedish Attack
The Swedish army moved swiftly. There were about 7,000 Swedes against 3,500 to 4,000 Danes. By noon on August 17, Duncan's army was trapped.
The battle began with a volley from the few Swedish cannons. Then, King Charles XI and his Household cavalry charged down the hills. They attacked the Danish left side. Soon, the Swedes also charged on their own left side and in the middle. After only 15 minutes, the Danish left side was broken and scattered.
In the center, the Danish infantry fought bravely. A Danish cavalry unit tried a powerful counter-attack to break through the Swedish lines. However, only one small group made it through.
Duncan's Surrender
At this point, Duncan realized his mistake. He ordered his remaining troops to retreat back across the bridge. But the Swedish cavalry on the right side found a shallow place to cross the creek. They started moving fresh cavalry groups across.
Understanding that the battle was lost, Duncan surrendered. The fighting probably lasted for a little more than an hour. Some Swedish reports even claimed it was over in just 15 minutes. It was a very quick and intense battle.
Losses in the Battle
The Danish army suffered heavy losses. About 1,000 Danish soldiers died, and 2,000 were captured. Of those captured, 469 men chose to join the Swedish army instead. Danish records show many wounded soldiers were taken to the army hospital in Helsingborg.
The Swedes had far fewer losses. Only 185 Swedish soldiers were lost. This included 3 officers and 38 common soldiers who died. Danish records also confirm that about 150 Swedes were captured and taken to Helsingborg.
Aftermath of the Battle
Danish Plans Disrupted
The defeat at Halmstad was a big setback for the Danes. Their plan to move north and join the Norwegian army failed. The day after the battle, the Danish King Christian V left his camp. He marched towards Halmstad. On September 5, he reached Halmstad and tried to capture the town, but he failed. Three weeks later, he returned to Scania to prepare for winter.
Charles XI's First Victory
The Battle of Fyllebro was a very important victory for the 20-year-old King Charles XI. It was his first major win. This victory greatly boosted the spirits of the King, his generals, and the entire Swedish army. However, the Swedish army was still too small to fight the Danes in Scania. So, they marched north to Varberg to wait for more soldiers to arrive.
See also
