Sweden's Role in
the Seven Years War:

1757

By Alistair Sharman


March 21: Sweden agrees to attack Prussia with 22,000 men in return for French subsidies. The declaration of war is not yet made, although the transport of troops and material to Stralsund and Riigen is begun.

August: The Prussian envoy to Sweden is recalled. The Swedish envoy in Berlin is asked to leave.

September 13: The Swedes cross the Peene River in four columns, at Loitz, Anklam, and Wolgast. One column assaults the Peenemunde defenses, occupies Usedom, and Wollin, and seizes the fortifications guarding the Anklamer Ferry. All columns unite at Anklam and, towards the end of September, dispatch strong detachments to occupy Pasewalk and Penzlau.

October 10: Swedish field marshal Ungem-Sternberg arrives to direct further operations. The Swedish force is now 14,000 strong. A courier is dispatched to Marshal Richelieu of France requesting 10,000 French troops to cross the Elbe and come to help. An exchange of vague plans between the Swedes and French is terminated by the French defeat at Rossbach on November 5th.

Ungem is not keen on advancing any further due to the chaotic state of the supply administration in Stralsund. It is not possible to lay siege to Stettin due to a lack of siege equipment. He is unaware of Hadik's raid on Berlin on October 16`h, so does nothing to assist. At the beginning of November, Frederick the Great orders Field Marshal Lehwaldt in East Prussia to march on Pomerania. Ungem receives news of his arrival in Schwedt and pulls back behind the Peene River, leaving garrisons in Anklam, Demmin, and Usedom.

November 28 - December 3: Lehwaldt's covering force consisting of one infantry battalion and some dragoons and hussars occupies the river line between Anklam and Demmin. The main Prussian advance is in two columns. The greater part under Lehwaldt arrives outside Demmin, while the second column under General von Marschal reaches Anklam. The covering force now reinforced is dispatched with General Prince von Holstein to Dargun. A detachment from Stettin, aided by some of Lehwaldt's cavalry, reoccupies Wolin Island.

December 26: Due to the extreme frosts, Swedish General Hessenstein evacuates Usedom. Field Marshal Ungem has already on December 3rd retired on Stralsund with the main army. He had fears of the Peene River freezing, enabling the Prussians to cross.

December 29: General Prinz von Holstein, with a strong cavalry force, succeeds in crossing the Trebel at Beestland. Ungern orders his forces covering the Peene together with the Anklam and Demmin garrisons to fall back behind the Ryck and Trebel in line with Richtenberg and Greifswald. The Demmin garrison is cut off by Holstein and unable to retreat. It capitulates and is allowed to march out with all the honors of war.

Sweden's Role in the Seven Years War A Brief Chronology 1756-1761


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© Copyright 2002 by James J. Mitchell

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