| Storming of Stargard | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of theSecond Northern War | |||||||||
 View of Stargard by Johann Wolfart from 1614 | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Swedish Empire |  Brandenburg | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| von Bülow von Bornsdorff Kurck | Unknown Lieutenant (POW) | ||||||||
| Units involved | |||||||||
| Unknown | Stargard garrison | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| 2,000 men | Unknown | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| Unknown | 25 captured | ||||||||
 | |||||||||
Thestorming of Stargard occurred from 7 to 8 May 1659 during theSecond Northern War. On 6 May, a Swedish force of 2,000 men under the command of Generalmajor von Bülow was ordered to captureStargard. The Swedes arrived on 7 May, quickly taking the defenders by surprise. The city was captured on 8 May, and Bülow returned toDirschau with supplies and prisoners.
In early May 1659,Adolph John sent a force of 2,000[1][2][3] men under the command ofGeneralmajor von Bülow to capture the city of Stargard.[4]
On 6 May, the force left for Stargard, arriving there on the day after. Bülow sent his cavalry to block the roads into the city, moving his infantry and dragoons into thePelplin cathedral. He divided the force into two groups. One under a certain Kurck, who would command the infantry and storm the southern gate. Another, under the command ofÖverste von Bornsdorff, would consist of the dragoons to storm the eastern gate.[5]
When the storming was initiated, the defenders were taken by complete surprise. According to Kurck, it went like this:[6]
It was such a good outlet that we, without the enemy's resistance or alerting our posts, climbed over them and surprised them, so that those who were in the greatest safety in the corps de garde, outside the door, knew nothing until I was right on top of them. The sentries up in the tower and down in the Zwinger made no sound until I had already taken control of the posts, captured the sentries, and had a lieutenant and 24 soldiers at the gate as prisoners. Then, after blowing open the gate with petards, we stormed into the city and took the main guard. There was some resistance, but by then it was too late and the city was lost. The captain and the guards who had remained in the square requested to be quartered, and I took them to the corps de garde until everything was secure. Meanwhile, Colonel Bornsdorff also entered safely, finding the commander and his wife still in bed, unafraid of any enemy, comfortably and securely. Thus, the city of Stargard was stormed and taken at night
On May 8, the city was finally captured. However, the Swedish camp was soon attacked by the Brandenburgers, which forced the Swedes to withdraw intoElbing.[3] Returning from Stargard to Dirschau, Bülow took with him prisoners and supplies, and a Swedish garrison was established in the city.[2]