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,.,r 1 Torstensoii’s instructions for /-lu-nTornT-NT t
"5^^-] the Danish war. CHRISTINA. THE REGENCY. He evades the
Imperialists.
315
Danish armament is principally intended to dis-
turb our arms and our state in Germany, and then
to attack ourselves, if not in this, yet in the follow-
ing year. Denmark is
acting against us in Poland,
through Baudissin and others, for a strong alliance,
perchance diversion. Baudissin is sent from Po-
land to Denmark, with full powers, not only from
the king, hut also from the principal senators.
In Russia a marriage is in treaty between the son
of the king of Denmark, count Waldemar, and the
daughter of the grand duke, with purpose to ally
themselves against us: they already appear adverse
to us, and refuse a change of the resident. To this
other acts of Denmark are to be added, which we
cannot suffer without ruinous injury to Sweden.
Denmark often obstructs the navigation of the
Sound, and confiscated in the spring seven or eight
Swedish ships. They levy tolls on all wines and
liquors which pass through the Sound on Swedish
account, against order and wonted freedom i, and
never once concern themselves to inform us of
these pi’oceedings. They have stationed a galliot
before the isle of Ruden, which takes toll of all
mariners, and presses our own vessels which we
send hither and thither between onr fortresses, to
our insult and injury; and they are so obstinate in
this resolution that no representations help. After
long hesitating (for we are already at war), we
find that Denmark is not less inimical to us than
Austria, and the worse enemy because it is the
nearer, and the emperor at this time hath no assist-
ant more prejudicial to us than Denmark. There-
fore we have resolved to make due remonstrances
to the king of Denmark; but as we look for no good
result, we deem it better now, while our arms hold
their own in Germany, rather than at another
time, to bring the war to Denmark. We are for
this reason also compelled to keep the recruits at
home this summer, and would gladly see you (after
you have regulated the state of the war in Ger-
many by the list following), send home the residue,
especially as many old soldiers as ye can dispense
with ; then, that you should not so much busy
yourself to rout the enemy, but rather to preserve
the army, so that towards harvest you may draw
to the coast, and be able to take winter quarters in
Holstein and Jutland. But this must in all quar-
ters be kept secret ; yet both you and we should
prepare for it unobserved. Under the semblance
of seeking quarters in Brunswick-Luneburg and
Oldenburg, you may direct your march through
Meissen and Halberstadt to the Brunswick terri-
tory, as if
you intended to force the duke and the
bishop of Bremen to sever their troops from Den-
mark’s. During the march, or before, you nmst
send one of the generals with a flying corps to
Pouierania and Mecklenburg, there unperceived to
await your arrival, and meanwhile to look to the
fortresses, and secure for you the passage of the
Elbe. Thereupon you may with the whole army
invade Holstein, between Hamburg and Lubeck ;
and take all the places which you can get into your
hands, and penetrate as far into Jutland and across
the Bolt into Fyen, as the army will suffice for.
Whosoever resists, you may hold him your enemy;
every band of soldiers, Danish or German, you
may disperse. If the question be put to you, by
whose orders you so act, you are to answer, that
’ " The Danes alleged as a pretext of this, that the Swedes
acted contrary to the treaty in lending their passes to foreign
need compels you to seek quarters for your troops;
the land of the duke of Gottorp ye may spare, if it
will remain neutral. Arrange likewise with the
garrisons on the sea-coast, in Pomerania, and
Mecklenburg, so that you may have about 2000
good soldiers at hand, and some hundred fresh
cavalry ; place them under the orders of Eric Han-
son (Ulfsparre, commandant in Wismar); let him
take all the vessels in Pomerania, and while vou
advance into Holstein, let him cross to Zealand
and the islands ; surprise Wordingsborg, and see
whether opportunity offer of taking Copenhagen
and Ci’onburg. On such an inroad great consterna-
tion will probably ensue. We will take measures
to meet you from this side. That all this, if it be
rightly pursued, may be accomplished, there are
sure reasons to prove : i. The king of Denmark’s
military power consists more in semblance than
reality ; ii. He has now, in May, moved against
Hamburg, and when the accord is made, will either
disperse his ai’my or encamp, in which latter case
disease will weaken it; in any event he cannot very
soon rally. We hope either suddenly to overthrow
him, or so to manage that he will have enough to
do with himself, and will refrain from intriguing
against us. Two liindrances lie in the way : how
you may evade the enemy, who without doubt will
pursue you, and how you may save your garrisons
in Olmutz, Schweidnitz, and elsewhere,
—besides a
third, which is a critical matter, what danger gene-
rally may spring out of this for our military position
in Germany. Inquire of Gallas, under the guise of
an exchange of prisoners, whether now when the
treaty is on foot, the armies might not conclude a
truce, say for three weeks, during which you might
ascertain the opinion of the French minister as to
a longer cessation. If no armistice be made, we
leave it to your own decision, what garrisons ye
will take with you, and how ye will order the
march. The enemy will hardly follow you far be-
yond Leipsic, as he is now out of the way, and al-
most ail the country below there is a waste." (So
men spoke of Northern Germany in the year 1643!)
Thus ran Torstenson’s instructions for the Danish
war. Months expired before they were received
(not a very rare occurrence, for we have often
occasion to wonder at the slowness of communica-
tion in those times); but the general made imme-
diate prejiarations for their execution, and this
corresponded in daring to his plan. He advanced
into Silesia, proposed an armistice, and succeeded
thereby in detaining Gallas, wjio forwarded the
proposal to Vienna, and meanwhile contented him-
self with hanging on the flank of the Swedish ai-my
and covering Bohemia. From Glogau, where the
army, on the 26th November-, passed tlie Oder,
Torstenson despatched intelligence home, that in
four or five weeks he hoped to be in Holstein. At
Torgau he caused a bridge to be constructed, as if
he intended crossing the Elbe. He procured it to
be given out that he intended, after some rejiose in
Meissen, to invade Bavaria by the Upper Pala-
tinate, and take winter quarters there, a rumour
which produced great alarm in Bavaria. Shortly
after he threw another bridge over the Elbe at
Tangermunde ; yet he moved onwards to Havel-
berg. Here he had no longer a pretext for con-
nations, and thus evading the Danish toll. Louis de Gear
had rich partners in Holland, who passed free under liis
name." Puffcndorf, xv. 78.
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