The Prussian blockade of Swedish Pomerania had been lifted by an invading Russian army on June 18, 1758, but von Rosen had grown tired of his thankless task and handed command over to Gustav David Hamilton.

Augustin Ehrensvard had captured Peenemünde hill on July 27, and Hamilton had sent sixteen thousand men to support the Russians, who were besieging Küstrin.

However, after their defeat at Zorndorf he decided instead to march to Saxony to join up with the Austrians, but got no further than Neuruppin in Brandenburg.

A detachment he sent from there had suffered a heavy defeat on September 26 at the Battle of Tornow, but Major Carl Constantin De Carnall is able to reach Fehrbellin with eight hundred men to defend it from about five thousand Prussians at a battle fought here on September 28.

The Prussian forces under General Carl Heinrich von Wedel are attempting to stop the Swedish offensive into Brandenburg.

The Swedish forces hold the town, with one gun at each of the three gates.

The Prussians arrive first and manage to break through at the western (Mühlenthor) gate, driving the outnumbered Swedes in disarray through the streets.

However, reinforcements arrive, and the Prussians, who have failed to burn the bridge, are forced to retreat.

The Swedes lose twenty-three officers and three hundred and twenty-two privates in the battle.

Prussian casualties are significant; the Prussians reportedly take with them fifteen wagons loaded with dead and wounded soldiers when they retreat.

Hamilton, after the failure of the Austrian invasion of Saxony, had left Neuruppin on October 10 and headed for the River Oder, in the hopes of joining up with the Russians.

He had failed in this and the Swedish force has had to go into winter quarters, with Hamilton returning to Swedish Pomerania.

The government blames him for the force's failure and has pressured him into resigning his command, which Hamilton had done on November 23, 1758.

Hamilton is replaced as commander on December 19 of the same year with Jacob Albrecht von Lantingshausen.