Chapter 7

18th July, 1705 – The Battle of Copenhagen

What a massacre! The battlefield is strewn with bodies and the buzzards are sure to have a grand feast tonight. Many times have I read about great battles, but to survive one firsthand is indeed a sobering experience. I don’t know whether I will be able to sleep tonight after today’s bloody business. But I digress. Let me start from the beginning...

Today morning, after almost two years of siege and faced with the prospect of starvation, the Danish General Frederick Carlsson finally led his army out of the fortified city in a full scale attack on the defending Swedish lines. And so it was that the two great armies faced each other on the battlefield in a decisive encounter that would decide the fate of their two nations!

<The Swedish 1st Army>

I remember standing in line, scared out of my wits. Sure I had been in a battle before, but that had been a mere skirmish as compared to this. Just a few hundred feet away, was the main Danish Army – more than 21,000 Danish troops, bent on defending their beloved capital to the last man and killing the invaders, who had dared to lay foot on their soil. We had more than 24,000 men in our 1st Army and 18 cannons, but the Danish were fighting for their very lives and that of their families. This would be a tough battle indeed!

A bugle sounded. Thousands of musket carrying Swedish infantry stepped forward in unison and stopped a few feet from the front lines, lining up in ranks two deep, so as to maximize the number of guns brought to bear on the enemy. The artillery crew in the center of the formation lined up their guns and prepared to unleash hell on the Danish. And behind the front infantry lines, the two provincial cavalry regiments waited to the flanks, preparing to charge at the first opportunity. General Gustav and his bodyguards stayed deep in the rear, issuing orders through runners.

Meanwhile, the enemy had adopted a similar formation, with most of their Line Infantry and Militia regiments on their left flank and the Armed Citizenry regiments to the right. After a brief pause, the entire army started moving. Thousands of smartly clad Danish troops, marching in perfect formation. And then an even more dreaded sight appeared – an entire regiment of Danish cavalry, heading towards the Swedish lines.

<Swedish artillery opens fire>

Then suddenly a series of heavy thuds cut through the air and the ground shook as the Demi-Cannons of the Imperial Artillery Corps fired at the approaching Line Infantry to the right. At such extreme range most of the shots missed. A few shots hit home, causing casualties, but the enemy kept advancing.

The enemy cavalry regiment suddenly launched a full charge at the rightmost Line Infantry. That was a mistake. Anticipating this move General Gustav had moved one of the Line Infantry regiments to the right. As the enemy cavalry thundered ahead, they were caught in a crossfire between two regiments. A series of volleys erupted as the experienced Swedish infantrymen opened fire. I watched an enemy Dragoon clutch his heart and then fall. The horse, terrified, ran off still trailing its unfortunate rider as his leg was caught in the stirrup. Many others fell. Smoke covered the ground.

The surviving cavalry pressed on bravely and soon smashed into the Swedish lines. The thin lines were breached and the cavalry swung around to attack from behind. That was when the 1st Provincial Cavalry regiment slammed into their unprotected rear.

<Charge of the 1st Provincial Cavalry>

Meanwhile, the enemy infantry had reached our lines. We found ourselves again facing one of the Danish Militia regiments. I breathed deeply, trying to calm my nerves, as I trained my musket on the enemy. And then the entire rank fired as they came in range.

<Accurate rifle fire from the 19th Regiment of Foot cuts down the Danish militia>

The shots hit home and several Danish militia fell. Despite the casualties suffered, the Danish regiment calmly took aim and fired. I actually flinched as one of the metal balls whizzed past and hit the soldier behind me. A few others were hit. Then, instead of reloading for the next salvo, the enemy charged!

Like a vision of hell, the Danish soldiers emerged from the smoke and charged us, determined to take revenge. They reached us before we could reload for another round. And then it became pure chaos.

The militia soldier slashed his gun down, hoping to deal a fatal blow, but I somehow managed to block the blow with my gun. As the enemy prepared for another blow, another Swedish soldier plunged his bayonet into the man’s heart. As he fell, mortally wounded, I turned my attention to another enemy soldier, who slammed his rifle stock into the skull of a nearby Swedish soldier, smashing his head, killing him immediately. Anger filled my heart and I lunged at the Dane, my bayonet sliding into the big man’s stomach. As he collapsed, I looked around wildly for more enemies. The battle was bloody, but we were gaining the upper hand...

-----

I was dead tired. As I forced my exhausted body to continue the fight, a shout could be heard. I turned to see Colonel Hansson gesticulating desperately to the left. As I and my fellow soldiers turned, our blood ran cold. Another enemy regiment, this time a regiment of Armed Citizenry was heading our way!

Block, thrust, dodge, lunge, thrust. The same action over and over again, as the troops danced the complex dance of death. The ground was littered with hundreds of bodies. This was savage human nature at its very best.

I desperately parried a thrust by yet another enemy and smashed the butt of the rifle into his face, following up with a thrust into his heart once he had fallen. I grunted as another almost fatal thrust burned into my left arm, narrowly missing my heart as I dived to the side. Ignoring the fierce pain in my arm I raised his rifle in a desperate attempt to block the next blow. I barely managed to parry the thrusting bayonet, losing my footing in the process. As the enemy rushed in for the killing blow, I desperately thrust my bayonet into his stomach. Hearing a scream I turned to see yet another enemy fall to the ground followed by another Swedish soldier. The battle continued...

The entire battlefield was a picture of perfect carnage. More than forty thousand soldiers were locked in close combat or were shooting at each other. Men were screaming. Guns were roaring. From time to time, entire sections of men were being blown apart by the relentless Swedish artillery. Then the guns were overrun, as the gunners fought for their very lives. The smoke was blinding, obscuring everyone’s view. Bodies of men lay everywhere. The left flank held firm, but the right flank was slowly being overwhelmed with sheer numbers.

<Danish armed citizens falling to massed gunfire from the Swedish left flank>

Then, things began to change as the exhausted Danish armed citizens on the left could take no more of the slaughter and broke. General Gustav took this opportunity and ordered the entire Swedish left flank to rotate and attack the enemy to the right.

The angry Swedish infantrymen fell like wolves on the remaining Danish. Pushing aside their exhaustion, they fought like possessed demons, powered by the need for revenge of their fallen comrades. The Danish were taken by surprise at the sudden attack from their rear. Outmaneuvered and under attack from all sides, they began to falter.

The Danish General led his bodyguards in a desperate charge on the flanking troops. That was a brave but foolish move. A series of volleys felled many of the Danish cavalrymen. General Carlsson died when his horse was shot and he fell, breaking his neck on the bloodied ground. His death crushed the already failing Dutch morale and a mass retreat broke out.

<The unbroken line of the 19th>

I watched in disbelief as I saw the Danish troops break formation and ran and as the other Swedish regiments roared and took up the chase. In fact, I almost felt sorry as I saw the 1st and 2nd Provincial Cavalry regiments, heading towards the fleeing men, ready to cut them down to the last man.

The battle was finally over. The massacre was just beginning…

----

The Battle of Stockholm was one of the bloodiest battles in Danish history. At the end of the battle more than 18,000 Danish troops lay dead, or dying in the fields outside the city. Many of them had been cut down mercilessly by Swedish cavalry or infantry while they tried to desperately retreat to the safety of their gates. Very few Danish survived (mainly just armed citizens). More than one and a half centuries after the famous Swedish War of Liberation, Copenhagen itself was at its most vulnerable to a triumphant Swedish Army.

However, our victory celebrations were muted. While our casualties were far less, we mourned the loss of 7,210 good men, 430 of them from our regiment. This night we spend in somber silence, in remembrance of all those brave Swedes who had made the ultimate sacrifice for their nation.

Tomorrow, we resume our siege. Running desperately short of food and essential supplies, it is only a matter of months before the Danish forces surrender and Copenhagen is ours. The end is near.

But this night is sure to be long...

Chapter 6

1st August, 1703 – Knocking on the enemy's gates



<The Swedish Invasion Fleet>

On the misty dawn of 1st August, 1703, the 19th Regiment of Line Infantry, along with the rest of the 1st Swedish Army – a total force of more than 23,000 troops landed on the shore of Denmark, just a few days march from the Danish capital of Copenhagen.

Along with the excitement of landing on enemy shores, I was glad to finally be on firm land. The short trip across the Oresund was a fun experience to be sure – the sheer spectacle of  more than a hundred ships, ranging in size from trading ships to small fishing boats, crossing the calm waters with the green lands of Denmark seen only in glimpses through the mist and escorted by the battle scarred but proud Swedish warships – RSN Charlotte & Tapperheten. But the truth is – I got seasick. I have never before been to sea and now that I am, I find that my stomach is not strong enough to bear even the short trip across. The constant rocking of the fishing trawler we were travelling in had sent me rushing to the side of the ship more than once. But thankfully I survived and am now back on good old terra firma!

 <General Gustav leading the 1st Army towards Copenhagen>

Any General worth his salt knows the danger of having a small beachhead in enemy territory and so it was that after disembarking and ensuring that all the cannons and ammunition were unloaded safely, we were assembled in formation and immediately set out on a forced march towards Copenhagen.

The Danish have decided to concentrate all their forces in the defence of their capital, as was expected. Copenhagen is well protected by powerful walls and has a large army of more than 21,000 Danish troops protecting it. Out of these, more than two-thirds were professional soldiers – mostly Line Infantry & Militia regiments and they would surely fight all the more fiercely to protect their ancient capital.

To our great relief, our good General Gustav has decided to avoid a costly frontal assault on the hardened defence of the city. Instead, Swedish forces have completely surrounded the city and have set up camps for a long siege. With the city garrison sure to run out of food and other essential supplies eventually, time is on our side. However, General Gustav knows that as supplies diminish, the Danish are sure to get desperate and may well attempt to launch a full scale surprise attack on our entrenched forces. As a result, he has set up a stringent system of watches and patrols to keep an eye out for any Danish tricks.

As I sit outside my camp at night and watch torches on the ramparts (signifying enemy troops patrolling), it all seems surreal. Just a little less than 3 years ago, I used to spend most of my time serving customers at the Inn and stealing off to read about Sweden’s great battles of the past century. And now here I stand on Danish shores, part of an event that would surely form an important part of history.

For this is indeed a turbulent time for our great nation. To the south, across the Baltic, the small but powerful Dutchy of Cousland has declared war on us. At first it was a stand-off at the borders, but just a few months back a powerful Cousland army, composed of a large number of cavalry and militia attacked the frontier Swedish held city of Riga.

The strong walls of the city, combined with effective artillery and massed musket volleys routed the enemy after a fierce fight, especially after a brave charge by the 9th Militia Regiment and 8th Regiment of Line Infantry against the remaining Cousland cavalry. Also notable was the brave actions of the 5th Regiment of Horse, which along with the 17th Pikemen Regiment managed to rout atleast 2 enemy cavalry regiments and even claimed the lives of the enemy General and his bodyguards. This was however at a heavy cost. At the end of the battle more than 7,500 enemy troops lay dead, while 3,650 Swedish lives were lost – mostly cavalry and Pikemen.

The city’s garrison is being reinforced but we don’t have enough men, because of the threat of the Russians to the east. Poland thankfully seems to be distracted with its wars against the Prussians and Austrians and have not sent any serious forces our way.

There is more troubling news from the eastern borders. It seems an unknown assassin managed to breach Swedish security and assassinated the famous General Adam Ludwig Lewenhaupt as he was surveying his troops on the outskirts of St. Petersburg. This is a serious blow to Sweden, as he was undoubtedly the most capable and brilliant commander of our nation and his loss will surely be felt.

In his stead, a young but capable General by the name of Halsten Mjalby has reportedly taken charge of the Swedish 2nd Army. The assassin was never caught, but the Russians are suspected because shortly after a small Russian army was spotted near the border. No one knows whether the Russians plan to attack either Riga or St. Petersburg, or whether they march to aid the Polish against the Prussians.

With the Crimean Khanate recently falling to Russian troops, it is sure that Russia now has more armies to send our way. As a result, the Lord Minister of Defense has stationed most of the troops of the 2nd Army (cavalry and Line Infantry) at a town midway between Riga & St. Petersburg, which would therefore be able to rush to the defence of either of these two major cities. Meanwhile a small garrison guards St. Petersburg against any surprise attack.

And so the war continues...

Chapter 5

7th December, 1702 – The Gateway to Sweden

The sparkling waters of the Oresund are indeed a sight to see. All around me are hundreds of tents and a bee-house of activity as more than 18,000 troops go about their daily business – patrolling, doing drills, cooking, repairing their uniforms and weapons as well as visiting the central supply dumps to replenish stores.

To the south lie the whitewashed buildings of Malmo – the only proper trade port that Sweden has. This is one of the busiest trade ports in the Baltic and one can see dozens of trade ships docked in the port, their sails waving gently in the breeze.

Also docked in the port are the Swedish warships – the 5th Rate frigate Charlotte and the 6th Rate Tapperheten. Their proud hulls are distinctive with the blue mark of the Swedish Navy and their decks bristle with many cannons. However, if one were to go near them, they would see the large holes in the sides, signs of the fierce fight they had been involved in just a few days ago.

The Oresund is the narrow body of water between Sweden and Denmark – the place where both the nations are closest together. All Swedish overseas trade routes pass through this strait and its proximity to the Danish capital of Copenhagen made it an even more important strategic asset. Also, the strait is so narrow, that forces from Denmark can easily cross over into Sweden and vice versa, using the dozens of small barges and ferries in the region.

At the start of the war, while we marched through Norway, the Danish were mobilising in the south. A professional Danish army of more than 12,000 troops prepared to cross the Oresund into Sweden, while the small but deadly Danish fleet moved in to blockade the port of Malmo. Hundreds of Swedish Line Infantry troops from Stockholm rushed to defend the coast, but they were seriously outnumbered. The only thing standing between Sweden and a full scale Danish invasion was the Swedish fleet, led by Admiral Emanuel Jonassen.

On 21st November, 1701, the Danish fleet led by the famous Admiral Johan Lindgren launched an attack on the Swedish fleet. Luckily, a small Prussian fleet, consisting of 2 brigs and 1 sloop was patrolling nearby and rushed in to intercept the Danish. The Danish were outnumbered 4 ships to 7, but their navy was far better trained and in the last few decades had never ever lost a naval battle to Sweden.

<The Swedish fleet approaches>

I am happy to say that the battle was a very important victory for Sweden! The Danish fleet first engaged the Prussians and in short order sunk their smaller ships with a withering crossfire. Only two of the Danish ships were damaged in the process. However, the brave sacrifice of the Prussians had allowed the Swedish fleet (consisting of the 2 frigates, 1 sloop and 1 brig) to close in within firing range without being engaged.

<RSN Charlotte charges the Danish fleet>

<The Swedish and Danish flagships exchanging broadsides>

<A Danish ship under attack from the Charlotte & Tapperheten>

<The loss of the Danska Orn>

Under the brave leadership of the good Admiral Jonassen, who charged in with his flagship, the Charlotte, firing a broadside at the damaged Danish 6th Rate, the Swedish ships joined the fight and the real battle began. Ships wheeled and turned, unleashing broadsides and then turning away to avoid incoming fire. In the end, we lost the RSN Islandsfahrere and Danska Orn, but the Danish lost almost all their ships. Only the flagship survived and managed to make a run for it.

The captured Danish Indiaman & 6th Rate were handed over to the Prussian fleet. This was not only a gesture of goodwill to thank them for their help, but also a pragmatic decision as the Swedish government did not have the funds to repair and maintain these ships (the entire focus was on building up the army). Just a few months later the flagship of the Danish fleet was tracked down in the Baltic near the city of Abo, Finland and sunk in a short battle. Sweden and Prussia now together ruled the Baltic and intercepted Danish Trade ships at will!

In the meantime, after leaving the 2 Militia regiments to maintain order in Christiania, we and the rest of the 1st Army had marched south to meet up with the force defending Malmo. And so here we wait for more reinforcements from Stockholm, to build up an army powerful enough to launch the invasion of Denmark over the Oresund.

As for me, I have been transferred to the 19th Regiment of Foot, Line Infantry. While camping near the southern road, enroute to Malmo, some of the troopers of the 19th took the opportunity and deserted at the dead of night. They were soon hunted down and executed, and their Commanding Officer Colonel Fredrick asked for reinforcements. He specially wanted veterans, who had already been in the Battle of Norway, and due to his high connections in the War Council, his request was granted. Colonel Hansson was apoplectic when he got the order, but then he didn’t really have a choice.

So here I am, in a brand new regiment, whose image has already been tarnished by the desertions. I know this is a part and parcel of life in the military, but I had got used to my old regiment. Ah well, I am sure I will find friends here too. It will take time though.

Have to go now. More later. 

Chapter 4

3rd October, 1701 – The Battle of Christiania

In the early morning, General Gustav deployed his troops on the hill to the south of the city. The cannons were placed in the center of the line, guarded on the right side (where the hill rose steeply) by Militia regiments and the 5th Regiment of Foot, Line Infantry. Our regiment along with the 3rd Regiment of Foot, Line Infantry and the 4th Militia Regiment, was positioned on the left flank where the terrain was gentler. The two Provincial Cavalry regiments were kept in reserve, one on either side, while the General and his bodyguards positioned themselves at the center of the rear.

As dawn broke and the morning mist slowly cleared, we could see the enemy troops milling about in the northern part of the city. Without a General to command them, the militia took time to form up but eventually order was established and the battle lines were drawn up. Inexplicably, instead of defending behind their established fortifications, the Danish Commander decided to launch a full frontal attack. That was a mistake...

<Swedish artillery opening fire>

I watched fascinated as the Swedish artillery cannons opened fire. The earth shook and the cannonballs raced away towards the approaching enemy. Most of the shots flew wide, but a few crashed through a regiment of Armed Citizenry causing casualties. First blood was ours!

<A direct hit kills the Danish Commander>

As the enemy moved ahead, General Gustav commanded the gun crews to switch their focus to the lone Danish Pikemen regiment, as their long lances would be deadly in close quarters. A lucky hit exploded right in the middle of the enemy ranks, killing the enemy Colonel leading the regiment and several of his Pikemen. The shaken Pikemen rushed towards the enemy cannons in desperation, and were met by devastating volleys from the nearby 3rd Regiment of Line Infantry. As the charge faltered, General Gustav ordered the 2nd Provincial Cavalry to charge.

Meanwhile, we received orders to move forward and flank the main body of the Danish force. The bugle sounded and we raced forward in unison, our hearts beating with breathless anticipation. This was it! This was the moment of truth! To our right we could see the 4th Militia Regiment running alongside us. We reached our position and formed firing ranks just in time. The enemy had noticed the maneuver and wheeled one Militia regiment and one regiment of Armed Citizenry to face us.

<The first shot...>

I raised the fully cocked musket to my shoulder, took aim and waited for the command to fire. Time slowed down. The order came and a series of volleys erupted as our lines were filled with smoke. Several Danish militia collapsed, but the rest of the enemy regiment were now in range and they opened fire. The shots were mostly inaccurate, but a few hit. Hearing the cries of pain, I finally opened my eyes. I was unhurt! I loaded the musket as calmly as possible, still unable to stop the painful thudding of my heart. I bit off the top part of the cartridge, poured some powder into the prime, put the metal ball into the barrel, rammed it into position with the rod, cocked the musket and fired, as fast as I could.

<The Danish militia takes casualties>

The gun battle continued for a few minutes, which seemed like an eternity. But faced with deadly unwavering fire from the Swedish lines, hundreds of Danish troops soon fell to the disciplined Swedish musket fire. And then the 1st Provincial Cavalry launched a charge into the fray.

<Charge of the Swedish Cavalry>

The inexperienced Danish troops broke and a mass retreat ensued as they tried to escape the Swedish attack. Swedish cavalry gave chase and cut down many hundreds of fleeing Danish soldiers. The two surviving regiments of Danish Armed Citizenry made a valiant last stand. Hiding behind walls and other constructed defences, they managed to shoot down a few Swedish cavalry who were caught unawares chasing the fleeing troops. But they were soon encircled by Swedish infantry and forced to rout.

<Routing the last defenders>

750 brave Swedes lost their lives that day, 210 of them from our regiment. But at the end of the day, there were no Danish survivors. All 5,600 men lay dead and Swedish troops marched into Christiana. Norway was now part of the Swedish Empire. The war had truly begun!

Chapter 3

2nd October, 1701 – The Night Before


<A painting of the 4th marching through the snow ridden landscape of Norway.>

This is it! This is the moment we have all trained for. Just a week back King Karl XII officially declared war on the Kingdom of Denmark. On the morning of 23rd September, 1701, the Swedish 1st Army crossed the border and headed for the Norwegian capital of Christiania.

It was a strange feeling marching in formation through the snow laden road in Norwegian territory. Everything was covered in snow and the land was deserted. All the isolated settlements we passed on the way contained no sign of life. Even Fort Frederiksten near the border was deserted, as the garrisoning force had retreated to the capital.

The air was clear but very cold. The marches during the day were long and hard. The nights were long and freezing cold. The night air seeped through even our long coats and sleeping bags. Every morning we had to literally dig our way out as the tents used to be buried under fresh drifts of snow.

But after an agonizing week of forced marches, we had finally reached our objective. The city of Christiania lay below us as we set up camp on the southern hill and organized border watches. Since the Danes have refused to surrender, we will launch the attack at the break of dawn tomorrow.

The Danish have a force of around 5,600 men defending the city, mostly mobs of Armed Citizens, along with 1 Militia Regiment & 1 Pikemen Regiment. Not only do we have more troops, but our troops are all professional well trained soldiers. But are we really ready for battle?

Time to get some sleep.

Chapter 2

25th December, 1700 – Cold Cheer

<Artist's impression of the Karlstad Forest>

Merry Christmas! It is cold here in the heart of the Karlstad forest. Despite my best efforts, I cannot help think back about the warm fire in father’s study and the fun we used to have on Christmas Eve. Instead, here I sit with my fellow soldiers, shivering in the relentless cold and munching on some hard tack. The funny thing is that though I am quite close to my hometown, I may as well be on the other side of the Baltic. I cannot leave my unit now...or I will definitely get shot for desertion!

The good news – I am now officially in the service of His Majesty Karl the XII, as a soldier in the reformed 4th Regiment of Foot, Line Infantry. After a week of forced march, I reached Stockholm with my meager belongings. Fortunately, there were recruiting stations all over the city and I at once headed for the nearest one. After filling in a form and being questioned by a glass eyed Sergeant with a surly disposition, I was sent to an inner tent for physical checks. I must have passed, because after a brief speech about how lucky I was to have joined the King’s Army, I was handed my uniform, a soldier’s kit bag, a musket (with no ammunition) and a letter to give to the Colonel of the 4th. The regiment was camped on the outskirts of the city, so I headed there...hungry but happy. Little did I know what I was getting into!

<The Barracks of the 4th Regiment of Foot>

Boot camp was living hell on Earth. Getting up before dawn ever day and spending the entire day marching round the countryside in full gear, practicing close combat tactics, loading and cleaning the musket (due to the scarcity of ammunition we rarely got to actually fire our gun) and undergoing endless drills. Food at the camp meant eating hard tack twice a day. Our gear, our gun and our discipline – that’s all life was about. And so ten long months passed in what seemed almost a jiffy.

Then one day we were woken up late at night and told to report to the parade grounds. And then, in the dead of night, the entire regiment marched off north to join the rest of the newly replenished Swedish 1st Army. They later told us the reason for the sudden departure – to evade the attention of any potential spies. Maybe that was true, but if it was just Colonel Hansson’s way of toughening us up – I wouldn’t be surprised!

And so here we are – a total force of more than 9,760 men (and 9 cannons), camped in the Karlstad forest, near the Norwegian border.

Meanwhile, news has come in that the world at large is once again becoming a more violent place. The Kingdom of Poland-Lithuania has declared war on us. The Austrians have declared war on them. In turn the Prussians have declared war on the Austrians and the Polish. Though so far, the Russians have desisted from declaring war on us, thanks primarily to the efforts of the Lord Chief Minister Trygve Malmer, who has managed to set up a trade route with them. But we don’t know how long such a state of affairs will remain.

Only one thing seems sure - conflict with the Danish seems inevitable.

What will the New Year bring for us? For the whole of Sweden? Only time will tell...

Chapter 1

15th February, 1700 - Joining the Fight



<The Drinking Bear>

War! Sweden is at war. There are rumours from the customers at the Inn that the Lord Minister of Defense has ordered a massive mobilization in Stockholm and other cities across the empire. This is my chance!

My name is Oscar Karlsson and I live in the small little Swedish town of Karlstad. It is a quaint little town, located near the near the northern forest of the same name. My father owns the local Coach Inn – The Drinking Bear. I help him in managing the Inn and taking care of the customers. Life is peaceful...but boring.

From the time I was but 8 years old, I have been fascinated with the rich military history of our great nation. The Thirty Years War, the Scanian War, the First Northern War...fascinating stuff! Unfortunately I was not even born at that time, but the small little library over at Mr. Ludwig’s allowed me to go back in time. Many were the days when I used to spend hours with my nose stuck into these books, and then imagining marching with the glorious troops of Sweden to one battle after another!

My father wouldn’t even think of allowing me to join the army. “T’is no job for a respectable son of mine!” he would bellow. After all, this was a time of peace. Sweden’s borders were reasonably secure. Sure, Danish privateers sometimes terrorized Swedish trade ships in the Baltic with impunity, but the only enemies the greatly reduced Swedish Army faced were the bandits and brigands that infested the forests and preyed on travelling traders.

But it seems that the new King, Karl the XII, wants to re-claim the glory of the old Swedish Empire. And with it comes the chance to be part of something that will be remembered in history. Of course, my father will not let me go. And that is why I have made up my mind to slip away in the dead of night.

I will miss my family and specially Annie, my sweet little sister. I have drafted a letter for father and will place it on father’s table in the study. He sure will be mad! But this is something I must do. My bag is packed and I now set out on the adventure of a lifetime. Destiny calls and I must answer her.