The Garrison Town
Fredericia was founded as a garrison town and therefore a permanent garrison came to the town in 1679. The soldier´s pay was in cash and they bought their provisions in Fredericia. This became the foundation for commerce in the new town in which the main occupation still was horticulture, by the way. Thereby it was the garrison more than the fortress as such which was important for the future of the town.
The sortie from Fredericia the 6th of July 1849 is marked every year in Fredericia. Here is two soldiers seen with one of the veterans from the sortie at the celebrations in 1899
When Fredericia in 1679 became a garrison town there were no barracks within the rampards. A few sheds or shacks were built as a beginning but they were rather primitive. There were no doors, windows, floors and tiled roofs. A exchange was decided by King Christian the 5th in which the citizens of the town got access to the sheds or shacks and in return they should provide for the soldiers in their civic houses. For the private soldiers this meant that they were installed in a so called soldier´s chamber. The soldiers´ chambers were used as late as the 1930s when they were replaced by the first proper barracks.
The changing commanders of the garrison came to play an dominant role in the top of the town´s hierarchy. In addition the soldiers and the many military buildings made themselves felt as such in the town´s picture. A huge provisional building was built nearby the present day Old Harbour but soon after a new one was erected in The Citadel.
The garrison in Fredericia was associated with The Church of St. Michaelis which in the year 1700 became official garrison church – and it still is to this day.
In 1909 The High Command of the Fortress was shut down and became replaced by The Command of the Garrison.