As a very young man, Hohendorff in 1679 became a junior member of the Danish legation at the court of Versailles, yet soon leaving the diplomatic service for an officer's commission in the French Régiment Royal.

Wounded in action and prisoner of war at the battle of Steenkerque 1692, he was soon exchanged, promoted to lieutenant-colonel, and made commanding officer of the battalion.

[1][2] When the Danish Auxiliary Corps returned to Denmark in 1689, Hohendorff was made colonel of the Norwegian Smålenske Regiment with headquarters at Fredrikstad.

The following year he was sent to Flanders as a major-general in the Danish Auxiliary Corps in Anglo-Dutch service; honourable participating in the battles of Oudenarde and Malplaquet, and the siege of Lille.

Yet again commandant of Rendsborg, he led the center of the Danish army at the battle of Gadebusch 1712, and participated in the sieges of Tönning, Hamburg, and Wismar.