Assault on Greifenhagen
| Assault on Greifenhagen | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Thirty Years' War | |||||||||
Map of Greifenhagen from 1630 depicting the assault. | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Swedish Empire | Holy Roman Empire | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Gustavus Adolphus Lennart Torstensson Maximilian Teuffel Alexander Leslie |
Fernando da Capua (POW) Anthony (POW) Thurn (POW) | ||||||||
| Units involved | |||||||||
| Yellow Regiment | Greifenhagen garrison | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
|
13,000–18,000 men 80 guns 5 ships | 1,500–2,500 men | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| Insignificant |
c. 102 captured 40–50 killed | ||||||||
The assault on Greifenhagen occurred on 25 December 1630 during the earlier stages of the Swedish intervention in the Thirty Years' War when a Swedish force of 13,000–18,000 men attacked the town of Greifenhagen in order to make way for an attack on the main Imperial camp at Gartz. The Swedes initially on arrival could not attack the town right away, and instead set up camp in the nearby forest. Once all the Swedish artillery had arrived, the walls of the town were shelled, eventually being breached. Despite repelling them twice, the Imperial garrison folded once a third assault under Gustavus Adolphus captured the main commander, Fernando da Capua. A Swedish flotilla in the nearby river, under the command of Alexander Leslie, attempted to cut off their retreat, though this was unsuccessful, with the Imperials managing to retreat at the price of heavy casualties.