Chapter 12: Battlefield Gap
While the Hechingen Development Company was undergoing significant reorganization and expansion, the battlefield in Schleswig was marked by intense fighting.
After the Danish army's main force had successfully retreated to Flensburg, the new Danish commander began to utilize the Danish cavalry to slow down the advancing coalition forces.
The pursuit of the retreating Danish army and the harassment from Danish cavalry led to a fierce and chaotic pursuit across vast snowy fields. The Danish cavalry employed their knowledge of the terrain, often emerging from unexpected locations to strike at the German coalition forces, causing disruptions.
In narrow terrain, the Danish cavalry was even able to eliminate small groups of coalition forces, creating challenges for the pursuing armies.
The commanders of the coalition forces grew increasingly frustrated with the Danish cavalry's tactics. In response, the coalition cavalry, which had been awaiting its moment, entered the fray.
In contrast to the previous positional battles, which favored infantry, the cavalry finally had the opportunity to demonstrate its prowess on the battlefield. The coalition cavalry quickly assembled and launched attacks against the Danish cavalry.
Although the Danish cavalry put up a valiant fight, the numerical advantage of the coalition forces began to overwhelm them. The Danish cavalry, commanded by their general, was forced to retreat while engaged in battle.
Utilizing their knowledge of the terrain, the Danes found opportunities to break through and avoid annihilation, despite being outnumbered.
The coalition cavalry commanders, determined to finish off the Danish cavalry, devised a new strategy. They divided their forces into several columns to pursue the Danes separately.
This approach enabled the coalition forces to pinpoint the movements of the Danish cavalry and engage them effectively.
The Austrian and Prussian cavalry, with their experience and superior equipment, proved to be formidable adversaries for the Danish cavalry. In a full-scale charge across the snow-covered fields, the Danish cavalry suffered significant losses within half an hour.
Despite orders to retreat from their general, the Danish cavalry found themselves relentlessly pursued by the coalition cavalry during their withdrawal. Only a small portion of the Danish cavalry managed to escape to Flensburg.
Shortly after the victorious cavalry units, the main infantry force of the coalition arrived, and the Battle of Flensburg began.
On the 7th of the month, the Danish army, realizing the increasing difficulty of resistance, withdrew from Flensburg and returned to Denmark. The coalition forces advanced their front line to the Danish border, effectively concluding the war.
By February 18th, the Prussian army had occupied Kolding. Although the Danes attempted to create a new line of defense using available buildings and terrain, the short time frame worked against them.
The Austrian Empire, while initially a passive participant, had joined the war to prevent Prussian dominance over the German region. Now, with Schleswig under control, Austria had no further ambitions for expansion.
Negotiations between Prussia and Austria led to a short truce between the two sides. Meanwhile, the Allied forces rested along the Danish border.
Among the soldiers on the frontlines was Kane, a farmer from Austria who had been conscripted into service. Kane had participated in the battles of Kingdom Hill and Flensburg, and now he and his fellow villagers were stationed near the Danish border.
Amidst the uncertainty of the war and concerns for their families back home, the soldiers from Kane's village shared their worries. Their commanding officer, the village head, tried to reassure them, drawing from his own experiences.
As they reminisced about the wars of the past, especially the time when Napoleon had dominated Europe, Morey, the village head, recounted the challenges they faced. He vividly described the brutality of those wars, where even bewitched French soldiers would charge fearlessly into battle.
Morey explained that unity among European nations had been necessary to defeat Napoleon. He emphasized the scale of those wars and how challenging they had been.
The soldiers listened attentively, hanging on Morey's every word. They found solace in these stories from a seasoned veteran, even as they faced the uncertainty of a new conflict.
As they rested on the brink of another battle, they pondered the future and the unknown challenges it would bring.
(End of Chapter 12)