So the Swedes, who had entered the war on the French side and were under the command of Field Marshal Wrangel, were able to penetrate far into the state and occupy the city of Brandenburg without meeting any real resistance.

To that end the Swedish advance party under Colonel Wangelin occupied Rathenow (and Havelberg), initially to secure the Havel crossings and then push forward to Magdeburg.

Of its medieval fortifications, only elements had survived, but these still offered adequate protection against an army not set on a long siege.

According to other reports, Derfflinger had ridden up to the gate alone, and only after it had been opened, did his dragoons rush to help in order to infiltrate into the town in a coup de main.

"My dearest, this morning we have taken the base of Ratenau by storm; they did indeed defend valiantly and, as they were fighting at their best, Adjutant Canolski entered by the side unobserved with 300 men.

We have lost the honorable Lt. Col. Ückermann and an ensign, together with 40 to 50 other ranks, it is the best operation in the world to capture such an important place in front of all the enemy armada.

As a consequence of this setback, the Swedes had to abandon their plan to cross the Elbe at Havelberg in the vicinity of Rathenow, in order to attack the key Brandenburg fortress of Magdeburg.

Instead, the Swedish army, which was completely unsighted as to the strength and dispositions of their opponents, were forced to pull back to the north as quickly as possible in order to secure their now threatened supply lines.