Georg Henrik Jägerhorns view on some episodes during the The war of King Gustav III in 1788-1790.
1788 campaign in Savolax, Finland
(Source: G H Jägerhorn i fält för Gustav III, Petra och Pertti Hakala, Helsingfors och Stockholm 2004)
When the war broke out, G H Jägerhorn was a major at the Savolax light infantry regiment (Savolax lätta infanteriregemente) and was to participate in several of the battles that took place during the war. During the war he got the chance to work close to the monarch and was promoted to full colonel. After the war he spent some years as the head of the military academy in Haapaniemi (about 50 km w to Heinola). It is assumed that it was during this period he wrote down his experiences from the war. It's quite obvious that Jägerhorn was a great admirer of two persons, the king, and himself. As long as one keep that in mind, the stories that he tells are both colourful and interesting from a military point of view.
In the following text I will try to tell the "affairs" as short and "clean" as possible. I have also produced some small maps to make it easier to folow the events. Once again, this is Jägerhorns story and there might be others who have a different opinion about the events.
The "affair" at Pumala 28 june
On the 11 of June 1788 the major part of the Savolax brigade was summoned to what the troops believed to be their annual exercise in St Michel (Mikkeli). The brigade was commanded by colonel Hastfer. The units that formed the brigade was the colonel Brunows Savolax light infantry regiment, the Karelian dragoon corps and the Savolax rifle corps, both commanded by colonel von Stedink. The only sub unit that wasn't summoned was the Pumala company, commanded by major Jägerhorn. They were to have their exercise at home in Pumala.
In booth Finland and Russia there were lots of rumours about a war, and the Swedish military activities caused some Russian activities as well. The three colonels mentioned above had just arrived from Stockholm and was immediately starting to execute their orders for the war.
Jägerhorn, down in Pumala, starts to investigate the Russian activities. There were still a lot of contacts with what was called "the old Finland", the area lost to Russia in 1743, so he had no problems in recruiting informers. On the 26 June an informer tells that a party of Cossacks and jaegers has left Viborg and was now moving towards Pumala and Nyslott. Jägerhorn decides to send a detachment of 28 men (one officer, one NCO, two corporals and 24 soldiers) to Haukala, a small village about 8 km from the border. The NCO and 8 men are sent forward to watch the crossing at Vouldensalmi.
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On the same evening a farmer living on the Russian side sneaks across the border
and informs that a Russian colonel accompanied by some Cossacks and jaegers has
crossed the border and are heading towards Vouldensalmi. Some NCOs are sent by
boat to scout the area and to look for the Russians.
The party at the crossing hears some movements and the noise of horses in the forest on the other side and then some shots. Two shots were fired into the forest and when the scouting NCOs open fire in from the flank the "Russian patrol retreats in great hurry, and they where never to be seen again."
Pretty soon the word is spread that the incident was ordered by the king himself to get an excuse to start his war. Researchers has proven that the whole affair was supervised by colonel Hastfer and was executed by some Swedish soldiers dressed up like cossacks. It's however possible that there were a genuine Russian party at Vouldensalmi at the time for the shootings. If so, one can only speculate in what was going through their minds as they were trying to figure out what's going on...
On the 29 of june, the day after the shootings at Vuldensalmi, half of the Savolax brigade and two light cannons arrives to Pumala. Jägerhorn is now appointed to colonel Hastfers first adjutant, a position at the brigade staff. The 1 of july a detachment of 40 jaegers are left at Pumala, while the rest moves by boats to Nyslott on the Russian side of the border. The other half of the brigade and the rest of the artillery are already advancing along the roads towards Nyslott
On the 3rd of july the forces are united at the gates of Nyslott and starts the blockade. The Russian garrison of 200 men can only watch. When demanded to surrender the commander second major Paul Kuzmin refuses. Jägerhorn is very strong in his criticism on how the blockade is executed. He state that the commendant is old and sick and that the castle was completely unprepared for a defence. There were no cannons on the walls, no supply and the troops were untrained. He claims that an assault launched immediately would have been a success. He doesn't know why the colonel decides to wait, but he guess that he is waiting for heavier artillery, something that never will show up.
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(My theory is that colonel Hastfer, who knows that the move on Nyslott is just a diversion, doesn't want to risk the life's of his troops. The plan is the war should be short and ended soon after the Swedish landing outside St Petersburg. Jägerhorn on the other hand is writing his story a few years after the war and can see what it would have meant if they have managed to get their hands on Nyslot at this early stage of he war. It can be debated who's right.
While the Swedish are waiting for the outcome of the attack on St Petersburg, the Russians are desperately preparing their defence, without any interference from the blockaders. Instead the Swedes secures their grip on gates to the central Savolax.
Actually, it was going to pass several weeks until the firing of the firs shoots at Nyslott, and it was the Russians who delivered. To everyone's surprise, the castle opened up a sudden and furious cannonade. The Russian fire caused some death and casualties and drove the Swedes to pull back from the vicinity of the walls. It's according to Jägerhorn, at this stage when the Swedes for the first time during the blockade starts to build batteries and starts to fire at the castle.
The blockade was to last for almost two month. During that period there were no Swedish attempts to conquer the castle, and no Russian attempt to break out. Instead Jägerhorn tell us about several other small operations performed by the brigade. Already the day after the beginning of the blockade, rumours told about a Russian expedition to rescue the castle was on the move from Pungansalmi. A patrol of an officer and four soldiers from the Savolax light infantry regiment was sent out on the 4th of July to Tunansari and Pungansalmi to remove all boats from the Russian side of the pass. They return to Nyslott the same evening, bringing one sergeant and 11 soldiers, prisoners taken when they surprised 2 enemy out-posts . They have also confiscated 22 Russian horses. The mission about the boats had for obvious reasons not been carried out.
On the 5th the brigade commander personally leads an expedition to Pungansalmi. The force is formed by 113 man infantry, 63 jaegers 20 dragoons and two cannons. The mission is carried out but Jägerhorn doesn't tell us about if there were any fighting's. At this stage the brigade has secured all the passes from the Purivesi-lake in the east to Pumala in the west.
There is however constantly new rumours about a Russian rescue expedition moving up from Kexholm. To check this out Captain Adlercreutz with 20 dragoons and 20 jaegers are sent to scout in the direction of Purikkala. He returns after two days with no information about any Russian activity what so ever.
The major part of the brigade participated in the blockade of Nyslott. However, to protect St Michel 320 men from the Savolax rifle corps were sent south to guard the road from Villmanstrand. The force that Lieutenant colonel Ehrnrooth commanded for the task was mainly formed by new recruits and reservists. He was however also given the command of two 3-pounder cannons and some jaegers. Regarding the quality of the men assigned, the brigade commander surely wasn't expecting any heavy fighting's. The expedition left St Michel on the 29th of june, the same day that the rest of the brigade moved for Nyslott. The move south, passes Kristina, cross the border and moves to the crossings at Kärnakoski, about 20 km in to Russian territory. There should have been some Russian posts along the road but Jägerhorn claims that "Kärnakoski was taken without any hinder".
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The crossings are easy to defend and the party have full control of the access to the southern parts of Savolax.
On the 20th of July Ehrnrooth receives information about a Russian force that is on the move from Villmanstrand. Jägerhorn states that the force is formed by two infantry regiments, one Jaeger battalion, 400 Cossacks and 6-8 cannons. IT makes about 3000 Russians against the 320 defenders.
Ehrnrooth puts up his defence line on the Kärnasari-island. The island is separated from the Russian side by a stream. The area is marshy and covered by forest and the only good crossing is by the road. It's is here, behind a small earth wall he will concentrate his forces. He also deploy one of the cannons here.
On the 22nd the Russians attacks. They makes two assaults across the stream along the road but they are both repelled with heavy casualties. Especially the cannon that has fired 83 shoots is accounted for taking some heavy bites on the Russian lines.
Finally they give up and starts to look for a less defended and easier crossing further down the stream. Soon they come swarming on small rafts and Ehrnrooth are facing the risk of being outflanked by a 6 to 1 force. He orders the defenders to retreat to Pardakoski. The cannon is now out of ammunition and the limber is smashed so it has to be abandoned.
The retreat is however well prepared. In Pardakoski there are boats waiting for the troops and all the baggage is already onboard. Some Jaegers hold up the Russians while the main party embarks and heads for safety. The whole force, including the jaegers, gathers in Kyro on the Swedish side. Their losses have been one officer, one NCO, 17 killed and 11 wounded.
So once again the Kärnakoski are in Russian hands, but their losses have been terrible. According to Jägerhorn they have lost something between 5 and 600 men, so after just one day they abandon the area and moves back to Villmanstrand again.
Two days after the battle, Ernrooth and his men are back and once again in control of Kärnakoski.