Bernhard Ditlef von Staffeldt
Encyclopedia
Bernhard Ditlef von Staffeldt was born on 23 October 1753 in Kenz, Swedish Pomerania
as the son of Lieutenant Bernt von Staffeldt, of Pomerania
n nobility, and Catherine Eleonore von Platen. Both his parents died in 1755 while he was still a child so he was raised at his married sisters estate in Denmark
, and was taken into the court of Queen Sophia Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach in 1767.
. His stay in Norway, however, was to be short, because in 1773 he was transferred back to Copenhagen
as part of the Life Grenadier regiment. This however, opened up more opportunities since he from 1776 where to be regarded as a part of the Danish nobility, and he rose rapidly through the ranks and was promoted to First Lieutenant
in 1782 and Captain
in 1785. In 1787 he returned to Norway as commander of the Kongsvinger
light infantry.
When his company in 1788 were included in the newly formed Norwegian Jäger corps
, Staffeldt was promoted to Major
. In the same year he participated with his new unit, in the skirmish at Kvistrum bridge during the Theater War
against Sweden
. After the war he went to Holstein
, where he in 1790 and 1792 learned about the contemporary sharpshooting tactics, and later established the first non-commissioned officer school for Jäger Corps in Norway. After his stay in Holstein, he returned to Norway and married Karen Birgitte Herford in Moss
in 1797.
against the United Kingdom
in 1800, Staffeldt received command of the brigade that would cover Fredriksvern against an English invasion. But since the war against Britain in the first phase calmed down after the battle of Copenhagen, Staffeldt and his Jäger Corps was transferred back to Kongsvinger, where he for a while became provisional commander on Kongsvinger Fortress
. He also received command over Ullensaker
light infantry battalion and the southern skier
battalion. In 1803 he was promoted to Colonel
.
When the war against England broke out again in 1807 after the bombardment of Copenhagen
, Staffeldt was located in Holstein. But he was quickly sent to Altona
to confiscate English property, and later to Sjælland where he was commissioned to reorganize the coastal defense.
, and when Denmark–Norway declared war
against Sweden in the spring of 1808, he received commanded the left wing brigade, which was to defend the border crossings from Elverum
towards Kongsvinger with about 1,300 men. The Swedish western army's right wing under Colonel Carl Pontus Gahn
, who had orders to advance to Glomma
from northern Värmland
, therefore met Staffeldt's forces as they moved across the border on 24 April, and were surrounded and forced to surrender at Trangen. After this victory, Staffeldt could concentrate most of his troops around Kongsvinger against Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt's
advance. Here he was again given the post as commander of the fortress at the same time as his brigade was reinforced. The fighting that followed led to varying success, but the Swedes retreated back across the border in early June 1808. Staffeldt's and his brigade attracted much attention during this war, and won great acclaim. This was reflected by Staffeldt's promotion to Major General
and the appointment to Commander of Dannebrog
in 1809.
When peace was concluded with Sweden in 1809, Staffeldt was given the command over the troops who where drawn together at Hedrum. From there he took responsibility for much of the reorganization that was done of the Norwegian Army in 1810. In 1813 he received charge of a brigade in Østfold
, and when Christian Frederick
in the winter of 1814 traveled to Trondheim
, Staffeldt became supreme commander of the southern army with the authority to take measures for the countries security. Staffeldt, B. D. von(1882), page 527–530
in 1814 it was determined that Norway
should be ceded to Sweden something the Norwegians did not want. This led to that Norway declared itself independent and appointed Christian Frederick to Norwegian king. War therefore broke out between Norway and Sweden.
After Prince Christian Frederik was elected King of Norway in 1814, Staffeldt was appointed to Lieutenant General
, and during the subsequent campaigns against the Swedes, he commanded a brigade of around 4,000 men who was to lead an active defense east of Glomma. But the campaign was from the Norwegian side affected by confusion and unclear orders from the headquarters, and after the war Staffeldt was one of those who was brought to justice.
he was sentenced to death on 17 December 1816. This sentence was already then considered unfair by the Norwegian population, and Crown Prince Charles John
reduced the sentence to imprisonment in Fredriksten Fortress
. Here he sat from February to May 1817, but because of his health he was released and moved to his property at Hedrum, where he died January 11, 1818.
Swedish Pomerania
Swedish Pomerania was a Dominion under the Swedish Crown from 1630 to 1815, situated on what is now the Baltic coast of Germany and Poland. Following the Polish War and the Thirty Years' War, Sweden held extensive control over the lands on the southern Baltic coast, including Pomerania and parts...
as the son of Lieutenant Bernt von Staffeldt, of Pomerania
Pomerania
Pomerania is a historical region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea. Divided between Germany and Poland, it stretches roughly from the Recknitz River near Stralsund in the West, via the Oder River delta near Szczecin, to the mouth of the Vistula River near Gdańsk in the East...
n nobility, and Catherine Eleonore von Platen. Both his parents died in 1755 while he was still a child so he was raised at his married sisters estate in Denmark
Denmark–Norway
Denmark–Norway is the historiographical name for a former political entity consisting of the kingdoms of Denmark and Norway, including the originally Norwegian dependencies of Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands...
, and was taken into the court of Queen Sophia Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach in 1767.
Early years
At Queen Sophie's death in 1770, Staffeldt joined the military and traveled to Norway, where he in 1771 was promoted to Second LieutenantSecond Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
. His stay in Norway, however, was to be short, because in 1773 he was transferred back to Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
as part of the Life Grenadier regiment. This however, opened up more opportunities since he from 1776 where to be regarded as a part of the Danish nobility, and he rose rapidly through the ranks and was promoted to First Lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
in 1782 and Captain
Captain (OF-2)
The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery...
in 1785. In 1787 he returned to Norway as commander of the Kongsvinger
Kongsvinger
is a town and is a municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Glåmdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Kongsvinger....
light infantry.
When his company in 1788 were included in the newly formed Norwegian Jäger corps
Jäger (military)
Jäger is a term that was adopted in the Enlightenment era in German-speaking states and others influenced by German military practice to describe a kind of light infantry, and it has continued in that use since then....
, Staffeldt was promoted to Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
. In the same year he participated with his new unit, in the skirmish at Kvistrum bridge during the Theater War
Theater War
The Theater War , alias Cowberry War , was a brief war between Denmark–Norway and Sweden, starting on 24 September 1788, formally lasting until 9 July 1789...
against Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. After the war he went to Holstein
Holstein
Holstein is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider. It is part of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state of Germany....
, where he in 1790 and 1792 learned about the contemporary sharpshooting tactics, and later established the first non-commissioned officer school for Jäger Corps in Norway. After his stay in Holstein, he returned to Norway and married Karen Birgitte Herford in Moss
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
in 1797.
Military career
When war broke outEnglish Wars (Scandinavia)
The English Wars were a series of conflicts between Sweden and Denmark-Norway as part of the Napoleonic Wars. It is named after the most prominent region of its other main participant, the United Kingdom, which declared war on Denmark-Norway due to disagreements over the neutrality of Danish trade...
against the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1800, Staffeldt received command of the brigade that would cover Fredriksvern against an English invasion. But since the war against Britain in the first phase calmed down after the battle of Copenhagen, Staffeldt and his Jäger Corps was transferred back to Kongsvinger, where he for a while became provisional commander on Kongsvinger Fortress
Kongsvinger Fortress
Kongsvinger Fortress is located in the city and municipality of Kongsvinger in the county of Hedmark, Norway. It is situated on a hill west and north of the Glomma river, standing astride the ancient Vinger Royal Road, which connected Norway and Värmland, Sweden as well as on the north-south...
. He also received command over Ullensaker
Ullensaker
Ullensaker is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Romerike. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Jessheim. It has a population of approximately 30,000 inhabitants...
light infantry battalion and the southern skier
Ski warfare
Ski warfare, the use of ski-equipped troops in war, is first recorded by the Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus in the 13th century. The speed and distance that ski troops are able to cover is comparable to that of light cavalry.-History:...
battalion. In 1803 he was promoted to Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
.
When the war against England broke out again in 1807 after the bombardment of Copenhagen
Battle of Copenhagen (1807)
The Second Battle of Copenhagen was a British preemptive attack on Copenhagen, targeting the civilian population in order to seize the Dano-Norwegian fleet and in turn originate the term to Copenhagenize.-Background:Despite the defeat and loss of many ships in the first Battle of Copenhagen in...
, Staffeldt was located in Holstein. But he was quickly sent to Altona
Altona
Altona may refer to:* Altona, Hamburg, Germany** Altona-Nord, Hamburg, Germany*Altona, Illinois, United States*Altona, Indiana, United States*Altona, Manitoba, Canada*Altona , New York, located in Clinton County or...
to confiscate English property, and later to Sjælland where he was commissioned to reorganize the coastal defense.
War against Sweden
The following winter he returned to Norway and took command over the brigade assembled at HedrumLarvik
is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Larvik. Larvik kommune - has about 41 364 inhabitants and covers 530 km2....
, and when Denmark–Norway declared war
Dano-Swedish War of 1808-1809
The Dano-Swedish War of 1808-1809 was a war between Denmark–Norway and Sweden due to Denmark–Norway's alliance with France and Sweden's alliance with the coalition during the Napoleonic Wars...
against Sweden in the spring of 1808, he received commanded the left wing brigade, which was to defend the border crossings from Elverum
Elverum
is a town and municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Østerdalen. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Elverum...
towards Kongsvinger with about 1,300 men. The Swedish western army's right wing under Colonel Carl Pontus Gahn
Carl Pontus Gahn
Carl Pontus Gahn was a Swedish military officer who participated in the Russo-Swedish War in Finland in 1788-1789, the Finnish War campaign in Norway in 1808 and the unsuccessful invasion of Norway at Eidskog in 1814 where he was imprisoned...
, who had orders to advance to Glomma
Glomma
The Glomma or Glåma is the longest and largest river in Norway. The long river has a drainage basin that covers a full 13% of Norway's area, all in the southern part of Norway.-Geography:...
from northern Värmland
Värmland
' is a historical province or landskap in the west of middle Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Dalsland, Dalarna, Västmanland and Närke. It is also bounded by Norway in the west. Latin name versions are Vermelandia and Wermelandia. Although the province's land originally was Götaland, the...
, therefore met Staffeldt's forces as they moved across the border on 24 April, and were surrounded and forced to surrender at Trangen. After this victory, Staffeldt could concentrate most of his troops around Kongsvinger against Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt's
Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt
Count Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt was a Finnish and Swedish courtier and diplomat. In Finland, he is considered one of the great Finnish statesmen. Born in Tarvasjoki, Finland, he was the great grandson of Charles XII of Sweden's general, Carl Gustaf Armfeldt...
advance. Here he was again given the post as commander of the fortress at the same time as his brigade was reinforced. The fighting that followed led to varying success, but the Swedes retreated back across the border in early June 1808. Staffeldt's and his brigade attracted much attention during this war, and won great acclaim. This was reflected by Staffeldt's promotion to Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
and the appointment to Commander of Dannebrog
Order of the Dannebrog
The Order of the Dannebrog is an Order of Denmark, instituted in 1671 by Christian V. It resulted from a move in 1660 to break the absolutism of the nobility. The Order was only to comprise 50 noble Knights in one class plus the Master of the Order, i.e. the Danish monarch, and his sons...
in 1809.
When peace was concluded with Sweden in 1809, Staffeldt was given the command over the troops who where drawn together at Hedrum. From there he took responsibility for much of the reorganization that was done of the Norwegian Army in 1810. In 1813 he received charge of a brigade in Østfold
Østfold
is a county in southeastern Norway, bordering Akershus and southwestern Sweden , while Buskerud and Vestfold is on the other side of the bay. The seat of the county administration is Sarpsborg, and Fredrikstad is the largest city.Many manufacturing facilities are situated here. Moss and...
, and when Christian Frederick
Christian VIII of Denmark
Christian VIII , was king of Denmark from 1839 to 1848 and, as Christian Frederick, king of Norway in 1814. He was the eldest son of Hereditary Prince Frederick of Denmark and Norway and Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, born in 1786 at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen...
in the winter of 1814 traveled to Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
, Staffeldt became supreme commander of the southern army with the authority to take measures for the countries security. Staffeldt, B. D. von(1882), page 527–530
Swedish-Norwegian War
After the Treaty of KielTreaty of Kiel
The Treaty of Kiel or Peace of Kiel was concluded between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Kingdom of Sweden on one side and the Kingdoms of Denmark and Norway on the other side on 14 January 1814 in Kiel...
in 1814 it was determined that Norway
Norway in 1814
1814 was a pivotal year in the history of Norway. It started with Norway in a union with the Kingdom of Denmark subject to a naval blockade being ceded to the king of Sweden. In May a constitutional convention declared Norway an independent kingdom. By the end of the year the Norwegian parliament...
should be ceded to Sweden something the Norwegians did not want. This led to that Norway declared itself independent and appointed Christian Frederick to Norwegian king. War therefore broke out between Norway and Sweden.
After Prince Christian Frederik was elected King of Norway in 1814, Staffeldt was appointed to Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
, and during the subsequent campaigns against the Swedes, he commanded a brigade of around 4,000 men who was to lead an active defense east of Glomma. But the campaign was from the Norwegian side affected by confusion and unclear orders from the headquarters, and after the war Staffeldt was one of those who was brought to justice.
Death
Staffeldt nevertheless was not found guilty by the war commission, but when the verdict was presented for the Supreme CourtSupreme Court of Norway
The Supreme Court of Norway was established in 1815 on the basis of the Constitution of Norway's §88, prescribing an independent judiciary. It is located in Oslo and is Norway's highest court...
he was sentenced to death on 17 December 1816. This sentence was already then considered unfair by the Norwegian population, and Crown Prince Charles John
Charles XIV John of Sweden
Charles XIV & III John, also Carl John, Swedish and Norwegian: Karl Johan was King of Sweden and King of Norway from 1818 until his death...
reduced the sentence to imprisonment in Fredriksten Fortress
Fredriksten
-History:This Fortresses was constructed ny Denmark-Norway in the 17th century as a replacement for the border fortress at Bohus, which had been lost when the province of Bohuslän was ceded to Sweden by the terms of the Treaty of Roskilde in 1658...
. Here he sat from February to May 1817, but because of his health he was released and moved to his property at Hedrum, where he died January 11, 1818.