The Schleswig-Holstein                                                       retreat from Bov.

Prussia and the German Federation decided to get the rebels to help, and under the command of the
Prussian General Wrangel 32,000 men with 74 guns attacked the Danish positions in the battle of Schleswig, on the Danish Easter Monday, April 23^rd  1848.
Despite a heavy defense the approx. 10,000 Danish troops with 32 cannons failed to keep the position, and they retreated to Als.
From Als General Hedemann and Colonel F.A. Schleppegrell launched an attack on Nybøl, May 28th 1848. This victory and the following victory on the Dybbøl June 5^th , caused excitement in the Danish population, but some reluctance among the great nations in the region.
Russia would not allow Prussia to pass the creek Kongeåen and hereby into the Danish kingdom.
The fighting faded out, and 26 August 26th ceasefire was concluded in Malmo.

General                    Wrangel

The Battle at Dybboel 1848

 The following year the Danish side terminated the Armistice and the war resumed.
 The Danish army consisted of 41,000 men, while Germans and Schleswig-Holstein were able to pattern more than 65000.
 Facing this power, the Danes decided to retreat northwards.  
 On the anniversary of the Battle of Schleswig and after the Danish army lost the Battle of Kolding, and the Prussian troops
 occupied the area up to The city Aarhus.

Street fights in Kolding.

 General Olaf Rye therefore withdrew his brigade out on the peninsula Mols and entrenched themselves on Helgenaes while
 the brigade of General de Meza remained on Als

General Olaf Rye

General de Meza

 In Fredericia a force of 19,000 men under the command of Colonel N.C. Lunding was besieged by rebellious 14,000
 Schleswig-Holstein. Lunding was authorized by the General Bülow to make a breakout from Fredericia. Rye sailed his troops
 from Helgenæs to Fyn and further on to Fredericia, while general de Meza was pulled from Als to Funen, and from there to
 Fredericia in small boats. 

Overgeneral Bülow

Oberst N.C. Lunding

 TheBattle of Fredericia started on 6 July 6^th 1849. Although the Danes were in the majority, the enemy troops had the advan-
 tage og fighting from fortified positions. It was a tough fight and the outcome was uncertain right up until sunset, when the
 battle was settled and the Schleswig-Holstein troops were on the run.
There were several hundred dead, mostly Danish, and among them General Rye.
This Battle of Fredericia, is one of the most famous battles in the history of Denmark.
 
 Now Russia intervened and threatened to break the relations with Prussia, why General Wrangel was ordered to vacate
 Jutland. The second June 2^nd  1850 a peace agreement was signed by Prussia and Denmark and 10 July 10^th 1850 also by*
 the German Federation and Denmark in Berlin.
 The Schleswig-Holstein forces continued the war alone, without support from the other German states, until they on July 25^th
 1850 suffered a decisive defeat in the largest battle in the history of Denmark. During the Battle at Isted Hede fought about
 36,000 Danish soldiers against 26,000 of Schleswig-Holstein rebel army. When the battle ended 12 hours later with 3,798 dead
 and wounded on the Danish, and 2,828 at the Schleswig-Holstein side. Among the fallen were among others General
 Schleppegrell and Colonel Læssøe.
 The victory at Isted had great national significance as it came to symbolize victory throughout the war. As a symbol of this,
 the Istedløve the (Isted Lion) was mounted on the Flensburg Cemetary.
 

General Schleppegrell                                        at Isted

Colonel Læssøe

The Isted Lion at                                                         the Flensborg Cemetary

 In October 1850 was the last war, when the Schleswig-Holstein troops attacked Frederiksstad. The city was badly damaged,
 but the attack was a failure and the Schleswid-Holstein army was defeated.

The attack on Frederiksstad

The returning soldiers are celebrated in Copenhagen 1849