The movement of the March revolution within the member states of the German Confederation led to the election of Frankfurt Assembly, the first all-German parliament.

On 15 June Lieutenant General Eduard von Peucker, the commander of the federal troops grouped into the Neckar Corps, brought the Baden counties of Lower and Middle Rhine onto a war footing.

From Oggersheim, Major Künzel pressed forward to Ludwigshafen with the 1st Battalion of von Goeben's 28th Infantry, a squadron of the 9th Hussars, a detachment of Jägers and two guns.

The entry points in the north and west were blocked by barricades of cotton bales and covered by the cannon of the revolutionary troops.

[6] In order to prevent a Prussian pursuit, the retreating rebels cut sections of the pontoon bridge, in the course of which several of them fell into the Rhine and drowned.

Just before 3 p.m. on 15 June a Baden shell started a fire in a warehouse in Ludwigshafen's harbour area, which quickly engulfed buildings in the whole port.

The Prussians fired at houses on the Mannheim shore with hot shot in order to drive the riflemen out, but were unable to take on the heavy Baden artillery, which was directed by the Swiss gunner officer, Arnold Steck[8] and by Otto von Corvin-Wiersbitzki.

On 18 June just before 2200 hours, the Baden troops attempted to cross the Rhine in boats, but the operation was foiled by Prussian defensive fire.

On 19 June around 2300 hours the Bavarian forces advanced with one Jäger battalion, two squadrons of cavalry and a battery of artillery into the destroyed town of Ludwigshafen.