Battle of Weisser Hirsch. October 7th.
General Dörnberg was now ordered to perform a reconnaissance in-force, through
Hundebusch and then towards the Danish main force near Ratzeburg. He had the following
troops at his disposal: Left column: battalion Bremen-Verden, 2nd Russian-Prussian (the
black) hussar regiment von Dohna, 2nd Cossack regiment Grebzow and a ½ horse battery, all
commanded by Lieutenant Colonel von Dohna (stationed near Segran). Right column: 3
battalions of infantry from the Lützow Freikorps, 1st Russian-Prussian hussar regiment
(von der goltz) and 1 battery, all under the command of lieutenant colonel von der Golz
(stationed near Klein Zecker and Marienstädt).
Besides the Left and Right column General Dörnberg also had a reserve column compromising
Infantry brigade Wardenburg and a battery of artillery (stationed between Zarrebtin and
Klein Zecker. Walmoden had taken up a position near Lüttau with the remainder of his
corps.
Left column marched through Gudow and reached Brunsmark unhindered. Shortly after the
column reached Brunsmark it´s path was blocked by the Jydske Regiment Light Dragoons 1st
Squadron. After a brief skirmish von Dohna stopped his advance as darkness fell upon the
two forces.
Right column advanced by two roads leading to Kogel. In Sterley they encountered a small
group of Slesvigske infantry regiments jaeger company. The jaegers quickly retreated
towards Kogel where the commander of the advanced guard, Major Späth, were stationed with
the 6th squadron of hussars (von Qualen) and the jaeger company from Oldenborg 2nd
battalion. Major Späth retreated with the advanced guard from Kogel at 17:30, to avoid
facing a the superior enemy force. He send a dispatch to the Prince of Hessen about the
enemy movement. A strong defensive position was established at Weisser Hirsch by the
Slesvigske 1st and two cannons. 2nd hussar squadron (Bennigsen) and Slesvigske chasseur
corps 2nd were ordered from Salem to Weisser Hirsch to reinforce the Danish defences
located there. All the units currently at Weisser Hirsch dug in and prepared for the
oncoming attack. Trenches were dug and manned by the jaegers and the houses were fortified
and manned by musketeers. The Prince of Hessen were still not satisfied with the position
held by the Danes and he therefore ordered Slesvigske 2nd forward as reinforcement. The
prince followed the battalion with his staff and send division quartermaster Scholten to
Weisser Hirsch with orders to start offensive manoeuvres to recapture Kogel and orders to
reoccupy Salem.
This order made Major Späth advance 2 companies and a ½ squadron of hussars to reoccupy
Salem, while Slesvig 2nd should fill the gaps in the trenches created by the advance.
Schaumberg (commanding the small Danish force advancing from Weisser Hirsch) reached Salem
with his small Danish force and occupied the town. He then proceeded to set up a defensive
position around the small hamlet. Then he returned to Weisser Hirsch leaving the 2
companies and ½ squadron in the defensive position at Salem.
Major Späth had meanwhile ordered company Lincht and Rambush forward to occupy the
pine-woods in front of the Danish position. The two Danish companies encountered the
Tyrolian jaegers in the woods and after a brief skirmish the Tyrolians were forced back.
The retreating enemy company joined up with its parent battalion and along with the 2nd
battalion Lützow it re-entered the woods supported by a group of Cossacks. The 2 Danish
companies were forced back, when faced with this numerical superiority. The Danes withdrew
slowly pouring a steady musket fire at the advancing enemy. As darkness fell upon the
field the enemy battalions and the Cossacks charged from the woods towards the Danish
positions around Weisser Hirsch. Musket fire from the companies in the houses and trenches
soon disordered the attackers. This was noticed by first lieutenant J. Ewald who (after
seeking permission from Major Späth) led a ½ squadron of hussars and the troops of the
6th squadron in a charge against the disordered enemy. The Cossacks and the 1st
Russian-Prussian hussars were taken by surprise by the sudden Danish counter attack and
fled, leaving the advancing infantry to be cut down by the attacking Danish cavalry. The
advancing infantry battalions, suddenly lacking cavalry support disintegrated. Most of the
allied troops made it to safety in the cover of darkness. The allies suffered heavy
casualties and lost a number of troops as prisoners. Among the dead were the commander of
1st battalion Lützow, who had been killed by the charging Danish cavalry. Among the
prisoners were 2 officers, 18 wounded and 34 unwounded of other ranks. The Danish losses
were 6 wounded (1 non-commissioned officer officer, 2 chasseurs, 2 musketeers and 1
hussar).
After this discouraging result of 2 days fighting near Ratzeburg, Walmoden abandoned all
his plans for an attack on the fortified position of Danish troops.