[2] The Norwegian Army had earlier suffered several defeats against the Swedish forces in Eastern Norway, and when Fredrikstad Fortress surrendered on the 4th of August it was clear that it was only a matter of time before Sweden would win the war.

[2] At this time the Norwegian forces in Smaalenenes Amt were trying to reorganize themselves east of Askim by the Glomma river, and had built a pontoon bridge at Langnes to help speed up the withdrawal.

[1] Colonel Diderich Hegermann placed his forces in position to defend the bridgehead while simultaneously allowing retreating Norwegian troops to cross the bridge.

[5] The Swedish forces consisted of several infantry regiments from Västergötland and Värmland under the leadership of General Eberhard von Vegesack and Lieutenant Colonel Bror Cederström.

It was unusually bad weather that night, and a Norwegian Captain who came into contact with a Swedish scout survived because the flashpan powder in the Swede's flintlock musket was wet.

In the rain and darkness, the attack quickly turned to a bayonet and gun butt fight, with the Norwegians beating the tired Swedes back.

Not knowing the rate of the Swedish advance and fearing to be cut off from his own lines, Hegermann ordered a retreat back to the entrenchment in the morning hours,[2] with the Swedes hot on their heels.

The king is quoted as having said «But by God, have you not sacrificed enough of these fair folks blood?»[c] The Norwegian losses behind their entrenchment had been insignificant, with only 6 men dead (among them the young Lieutenant Hauch) and 9 or 10 wounded.

[2] The two Swedish battalions, which soon withdrew back to the rest of the army, had sustained at least 15 men dead and 47 wounded;[7] the Swedes considered the action to be successful as the initial Norwegian attack was repulsed, followed by a reconnaissance of the fields in front of their entrenchment.

Being short on horses, the Norwegian command decided to ditch three cannons into the river Glomma which runs deep at this point, to vehement protest from the soldiers.

With the Norwegians having a largely intact and battle ready army on the eastern side of the river, it was obvious to the Swedes that a military victory could be costly.

As a secret part of the treaty the young king was obliged to convoke an extraordinary session of the Storting and then abdicate and return to Denmark, where he was heir to the throne, which he ascended in 1848 as Christian VII.