Many seems to think that it was a quick and short war, but it did as a matter of fact last from 24. dec 1863 to 20. july 1864.
A little time line:
24. December 1863.
12.000 Prussian trops enters Lauenburg and Holstein, in respons to the signing of the danish november constitution in Copenhagen, with the annexing of the duchy of Schleswig. there by breaking the London treaty of 1852.
The danish forces in Holstein retreat to the Danevirke line in Schleswig, a line of ramparts stretching across parts of Schleswig.
1. february 1864
23.000 Austrian and 38.000 Prussian troops marches into Schleswig. After the danish goverment rejected the ultimatum from the german bund, to leave Schleswig.
2-3. february 1864
First assults on Danevirke, failed.
5. february 1864
The danish C-in-C General de Meza decides, with the freezing of the waters in Mysunde to the east of Danevirke and the marsh areas to the west, that the position at Danevirke cant be held any longer. So the danish army of 38.000 men retreats north under cover of a snow strom with tempertures down to ÷10°C.
6. february
The Austrian Highcommand is taken by surprice by the danish retreat, but sends a force of cavalry and light infantry to try and slow the danish retreat.
Battle of Sankelmark. At Sankelmark lake south of Flensburg are the pursuing Austrian are stopped by the danish rearguard, in heavy close combat with high casualies on both sides.
7. february
the danish army splits i three, with two forces taking up fortifyed positions at Dybbøl and Fredericia, while a third force moves up into northen jutland.
17. february
Prussian forces starts the siege of Dybbøl.
18. february- 17 march
Fighting infront of Dybbøl, forcing slowly the danish forces to give up its forvard positions and pull back to main defencive line. The Prussians bring in heavy siege artillery and starts bonbarding the danish main line.
4. march
Austrian forces starts the siege of Fredericia.
1-17. april
When the heavy bombardment fails to force the defenders away from thier positions, the Prussians begins to dig thier way up to the danish main line. Constructing 4 parallel trenches, more than 1 km long, all the way up to the danish front positions.
18. april
The main assult on Dybbøl. From 4 am to 10 am falls 8000 shells on the danish positions. At the end of the bombadment, do 11.000 prussian troops in the first wave start the main assult on the 7 danish main positions, defended by 5000 men. Right after the first wave follows another 26.000 men.
At 10.30 am are all the danish main positions fallen, the many of prussian units starts an disorganised pursuit of the defenders, only to be meet by a counter attack from 3000 men of the 8. brigade, entering from the island of Als. The counter attack push back the prussian to the newly conquered danish positions, where the counter attack is finaly stopped, as the second wave of the attackers reaches the positions at 11.15 am. The 8. brigade hold back the Prussians for ½ a hour, to allow the remaining danish defenders to retreat, before pulling back with 44% losses. All the remaining danish units retreat over the bridges at Alssund, to the island of Als, blowing them up at around 14.00 pm.
the losses on the 18. of april was for the danish forces: 1669 dead and wounded and 3131 captive, for the Prussian: 1201 dead and wounded.
29. april
The danish goverment desides to give up Fredericia, pulling the forces across littlebelt to the island of Fyn. this leaves only the 4. cav. division with the 7. inf. Brigade, in northen Jutland, on the peninsula. The rest of the danish army are locked in defensive position on the islands of Fyn and Als.
9. maj
At sea the battle of Helgoland, small danish victory.
12. maj-26. june
Cease-fire. Negotiations in London.
26. june
The cease-fire ends, the prussains starts bombarding the danish positions on Als.
29. june
The assult on Als starts, with 2500 prussians in 600 boats crosing Als-sund under cover of the dark, as the first wave, early in the morning. After about an hour, do the danish iron-clad ROLF KRAKE shows up in the sund stopping for some time the crosing. But having only solid shots for its four 68 pounder cannons and seeing that more than 4000 prussians have made it across, it withdraws from this part of the fight and steams to the northen part of the island, to support the retreating danish troops there. The danish forces on Als slowly retreats fighting to the northen part of the island, where from they are evacuated by ship.
1. july
The last danish soldier leaves Als.
3. july
The last battle of the war takes place at Lundby, just south of Aalborg. It was a small and insignificant battle, but it was nevertheless noticed around Europe. Here it was clearly shown how superior breech loader was when compared to the muzzle loader. A Danish company, from the 7. brigade attacked a German company which had taken up positions behind a stone wall. The Danes attacked over a distance of 600 m with fixed bayonets. But in 3 rapidly fired salvoes the Danish soldiers were cut down. The attack broke down 30 m in front of the stone wall. By this time 56 men from the Danish company had been killed and 3/4 wounded. The German losses were 3 wounded.
20. july 1864
New crease-fire, end of the war. The danish goverment decides o sue for peace.
