Battle of Als

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Als
partof=the Second Schleswig War
date=June 29 1864
place=Near Als island
result=Danish defeat
combatant1=flag|Denmark
combatant2=
commander1=
commander2=Herwarth von Bittenfeld|In 1864 the Prussians under General Herwarth von Bittenfeld secured Als after a night attack masterminded by the Chief of Staff (later Field Marshal) Leonhard Graf von Blumenthal, thus bringing the Second Schleswig War to a close. The Battle of Als (or Alsen) was fought on 29 June 1864 during the Second Schleswig War between Denmark and Prussia. The Battle of Als was the last major engagement of the war.

Als was occupied by 9,000 Danish troops including the garrison of Dybbøl which had retreated to Als.

In the night of 29 June 1864, 2500 Prussian soldiers started crossing the Alssund in small boats. The Danish modern armored warship "Rolf Krake" was in Augustenborg fjord, and sailed to the Alssund where it caused the Prussians severe difficulties and stopped the crossing. But after that the "Rolf Krake", obeying a misunderstood order, suddenly turned around and sailed away and the Prussian troops were able to continue the crossing. At 2 a.m. the Prussians landed on Kærhalvøen and Arnkil and under a heavy fire took the Danish entrenchments. This enabled them to build a pontoon bridge over the Alssund. Of the Danish army, Regiment No. 5 went north to Sønderborg, and Regiment No. 18 fought the Prussians near the village of Kjær. The Danes eventually retreated to Kegnæs, some surrendered, some were evacuated by ship. The Danish army lost nearly 3000 men (dead, wounded or captured) on Als. [http://www.milhist.dk/1864/1864/1864_dk.htm] .

Following Denmark's defeat to the Austro-Prussian army, Als became part of Prussia and later Germany until the referendum of 1920.

References

*George Bruce. Harbottle's Dictionary of Battles. (Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1981) (ISBN 0-442-22336-6).
*cite web|url=http://1864.dk/scripts/visobjekt.php3?id=1839|title=Kampen på Als den 29. juni 1864 dk icon
*http://www.milhist.dk/1864/1864/1864_dk.htm dk icon