Following the defeat at Lier august 2nd, the Swedes withdrew to Matrandsmoen near the Eidskog church, where they halted to wait for much needed supplies. After receiving information about further Norwegian reinforcements, the Swedish commanding officer colonel Gahn decided to further withdraw his troops back home into Sweden. The Norwegian forces under colonel Krebs became aware of this, and decided to pursuit the retreating Swedes. They managed to do so, after a forced march through the woods in witch they encircled the Swedes, the opposing forces engaged at both Matrand river and at Skotterud.
Norwegian soldiers storming a Swedish supply wagon at Matrand August 5th 1814. Illustration from the "Seven year war" A. Bloch (published 1914)
The fighting at Skotterud was especially hard. The Swedes partly succeeded in breaking out of the Norwegian encirclement, this however resulted in heavy causalities for both sides, both in men and horses. After the fighting colonel Krebs wrote: "A more fierce and cruel affair for both sides than this, can hardly be likely between two so insignificant troop corps like this." The battlefield was a sad sight, the destroyed train wagons was surrounded by 36 dead horses. One of the powder wagons had exploded, leaving the surrounding area with heaps of dead and heavily burned soldiers. Lt. Norgren had tried to acquire gunpowder for his soldiers by breaking the lock of a powder chest with an axe; a spark ignited the powder resulting in a tremendous explosion. The Norwegian casualties are supposed to have been more than a hundred dead and wounded, the Swedish 150. The Swedes had to leave 1 cannon, 7 ammunition wagons, 20 train wagons and 60 horses. This minor victory for the Norwegians at the Kongsvinger front was one of the few bright moments in the summer campaign of 1814, witch ultimately led to the Norwegian defeat and the union with Sweden.
The Norwegians attacking a Swedish Cannon at Skotterud August 5th 1814. Illustration from the "Seven year war" A. Bloch (published 1914)
A Swedish wagon trying to break out of the Norwegian encirclement at Skotterud August 5th 1814. Illustration from the "Seven year war" A. Bloch (published 1914)