Battle of Gadebusch

Battle of Gadebusch
Part of the Great Northern War
Magnus Stenbock at Gadebusch, unknown author
Date 9 December 1712 (O.S.) 20 December 1712 (N.S.) Location Wakenstädt near Gadebusch, 35 km south of Lübeck in present-day Germany Result Swedish victory
Belligerents
Swedish Empire	Denmark–Norway  Electorate of Saxony
Commanders and leaders
Magnus Stenbock	Frederick IV Jobst von Scholten Jacob Heinrich von Flemming
Strength
12,500:[a] 6,500 foot, 6,000 horse, 20 or 30 cannon	17,000:[b] 8,300 Danish foot, 4,900 Danish horse, 3,800 Saxon horse, 14 cannon
Casualties and losses
1,600:[c] 550 killed, 1,022 wounded	6,500:[d] 2,500 killed, 4,000 captured (of which 1,500 were wounded)
Notes ^[a] The Swedes had 19 battalions and 54[1] (or 58[2]) squadrons with an effective fighting force of between 12,000[2] and 14,000 men (6,000 being cavalry)[3] and 20 or 30 cannons.[1] Reportedly, the Swedish army counted 10,600 men after the battle,[2] which, if the artillery crew of 300 men[1] and the 1,600 losses is applied, presents a figure of 12,500 men.[2] ^[b] The Danes had 19[1] (or 18[2]) battalions and 46[1] (or 48[2]) squadrons with an effective fighting force of between 13,200[1] and 16,000 men[3] (about 5,000 being cavalry) and 14 cannons. The Saxons had 32 squadrons[1] (some sources mentions 2 battalions as well[4]) with between 3,000[2] and 3,800 men.[1] In total, the Danes and Saxons had 19 battalions and 78 squadrons with between 17,000[1] and 20,000 men.[3] ^[c] The Swedish losses were 29 officers killed, 62 officers wounded[1] with between 491[1] and 521[2] commons killed and between 895[1] and 960 wounded.[2] The higher number is regarded the more reliable one.[1] ^[d] The Danes and Saxons had sustained over 2,000[4] or possibly 3,000[1] men killed in the battle. Up to 4,000[4] or 4,500[1] had been captured (about 1,700 took Swedish service after the battle)[2] of which a third, or about 1,500 men, were wounded.[4] The amount of wounded which slipped away in the retreat is unknown. Furthermore, 13 cannons, 2 drums and 13 standards and banners were lost to the Swedes.[1]

The Battle of Gadebusch or Wakenstädt (20 December 1712) was Sweden's final great victory in the Great Northern War. It was fought by the Swedes to prevent the loss of the city of Stralsund to Danish and Saxon forces.