Battle of Restchow. August 28th.
After having ordered division Vegesack (the 4th Swedish division) to withdraw to
Rostock, the allied commander Walmoden suddenly changed his mind. On the 26th he ordered
Lieutenant general E. G. E. Baron von Vegesack to advance his
division to a new line at Doberan-Berendshagen instead of the planned withdrawal towards
Rostock. Division Vegesack began moving towards Doberan-Berendshagen early on the 28th. A
vanguard was led by Osten-Sacken (compromising 5 squadrons, 2 cannon, 1 jaeger battalion
and 6 infantry companies). This vanguard marched along the road towards Konow, while a
left flank guard commanded by colonel Müller (compromising 4 squadrons and 10 infantry
companies) moved towards Berendshagen. Advancing along the road towards Rostock through
Konow was the French general lŽAlleman. He had been ordered to find the enemy division
Vegesack. LŽAlleman had a French and a Polish squadron, 4 cannons of battery Gerstenberg,
1 company of Holstenske Sharpshooters 2nd and 1 French infantry battalion at his disposal.
The vanguard of the French-Danish Žwas being led by lŽAlleman in person. It ran headlong
into the enemy just north of Retschow. The Swedish opened the battle, when the 4 Swedish
squadrons (2 squadrons from the Schillske hussars and 2 squadrons from the Skćnske
carabinier regiment) charged down the road at lŽAllemands oncoming squadrons. The French
and Polish squadrons leading the vanguard did not receive the charge but fled to the side
of the road and routed towards Ivendorf. This robbed battery Gerstenberg of itŽs much
needed cavalry support. The Danish battery had taken up a position on Kronenberg hill
north of the village. Upon seeing the Poles and French cavalry flee, the Swedes turned up
the hill and charged the unprotected Danish battery. The charge was repulsed with canister
fire, and the Swedes withdrew to safety. Meanwhile the company of Holstenske sharpshooters
2nd had arrived at the battery, and now provided adequate cover and support for the
gunners. The battery was soon thereafter reinforced with a cannon and a howitzer from the
main force. The French infantry battalion took up a position in the edge of the forest
west of Retschow and awaited the Swedes in cover of the forest.
The Swedes advanced towards the forest with a jaeger battalion and the surviving
disorganised cavalry on the jaegers left flank. While major Elfvings Swedish battery
deployed on the hill south of Ivendorf, the cavalry and jaegers pushed towards the French
battalion. A two and a half hour long artillery duel ensued, in which the small Danish
battery of 3-pounder guns and a single howitzer traded fire with the Swedish battery of 6
6-pounders and 2 8-pounder howitzers. The Swedish jaeger battalion was in the meantime
pushing the French battalion out of the forest (neither of the two battalions fired a
single shot, the French simply withdrew when the jaegers advanced).
To late Vegesack decided to commit his reserves to the battle (his infantry companies,
still uncommitted). When he made the decision, lŽAlleman had already given the order to
fall back (he had completed his mission, he had found and made contact with the vanguard
of the division he had been scouting for).
Lieutenant general E. G. E. Baron von Vegesack later admitted that
he had lost 60 men (20 dead and 40 wounded), but he also claimed that lŽAlleman had lost
253 men !!!
A report from the Danish commander informed (with a great deal of traditional Danish
irony) the Danish king that:
"That there is no reason to doubt the Swedish claims, as this would mean that the
French battalion had to have been halved in the forest, without receiving any enemy fire.
The French battalion took part in the brigades march the next day. Therefore we cannot add
any truth to the horrific Swedish tale of carnage as lŽAllemands vanguard losses were 1
mortally wounded (later dead) sharpshooter, 1 dead limber-officer, 3 dead limber-horses
and 1 destroyed wagon".