At July 30, a Swedish army under Hans Henric von Essen crossed the southern Norwegian border (among them the Régiment Royal-Suédois).

A small Norwegian force of a couple hundred men, under Johan Henrik Spørck, withdrew to an advantageous position behind the Tista, at Veden, to delay the Swedes long enough for reinforcements to arrive.

Essen sent Eberhard von Vegesack to block the Norwegian fortress of Fredriksten, while a smaller force of 1,500 men under Pehr Brändström marched towards Spørck, in an attempt to force the crossing;[1] after receiving some reinforcements, Spørck's army counted between 400 and 600 men.

Once across, the Västmanland battalion launched a bayonet attack which, after two hours of fighting, drove the Norwegians away.

Essen reached Torpum the next day and there united his forces with the Swedish Crown Prince Charles John.