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.

An Introduction

Okay...so what's this? Just one of the stories I wrote, based on my game of Empire Total War. this was published on the Total War Center Forums (http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=385105). I was playing as the Swedish Empire. The entire story is written in the form of a series of private entries made by a soldier in the Swedish Army of the era.

Note: This is a fictional story and does not mirror real history. So please...don't shoot the writer!