The Three Year War

Civil war broke out in Denmark in 1848, as a result of a revolutionary movement in Schleswig-Holstein in favour of independence from Denmark. In the course of the war, the rebels, helped by forces from the German Confederation, succeeded in occupying large areas of Jutland. Only a couple of isolated, besieged towns, Fredericia and Sønderborg, remained in Danish hands. This being the case, the army established a small network of optical telegraphs, which connected the besieged spots with Zealand, via Funen.