The War between Sweden and Russia/Denmark in 1788-1790
In general:
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Attackers: |
Sweden and Denmark (due to the Russian-Danish treaty of mutual defence) |
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Swedish strategic aims: |
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Outcome: |
With Russia: - Aim 1 failed (no territorial changes), Aim 2 success. With Denmark - Draw |
The background
During the 1780s King Gustav III starts to consider the possibilities of a war. The initial idea is to attack Denmark to conquer Norway (at the time a Danish province). To succeed he needs to have guaranties that the Russians wouldn't fall in his back. For obvious reasons Russia refuses. Gustav then starts to plan for a war in the east.
The timing for a war is good. Russia is engaged in a major war with the Ottoman empire and the Russian forces are concentrated in the south. A swift attack on St Petersburg should be successful.
The plan was simple: The army are to advance from Finland towards Fredrikshamn (Hamnia) and Viborg. Their job was to force the Russians to send troops from St Petersburg to defend the lines in the "Russian Finland". Now, when the defence of the capital is reduced, the major attack is launched. The main army is to land at Oranienbaum, about 50 km south of St Petersburg. To allow this, the Russian fleet has to be eliminated or locked into their ports at Reval (Tallinn) and Kronstadt. Gustav III had spent large sums to increase the power of the Swedish fleet so the plan was quite realistic.
In July 1788, a large Swedish fleet patrols along the Estonian and Livonian coast. They run into a weaker Russian squadron on its way to the Black sea. The Swedes makes several trials to provoke the Russians to open fire but in vain. The Russian squadron gets away and sails for Copenhagen. There the squadron receives new orders. They are ordered to start operate in the rear of the Swedish fleet.
Now the King is getting more and more frustrated. He is not allowed to start a offensive war, that is a decision for the parliament, and he knows that that is not going to happen. On the 27 July 1788 at 01.00 an incident take place that gives Gustav III the chance to launch his attack, it's the "Puumala incident". Puumala is a Swedish post on the boarder to Russia. The crew reports that they have been under fire from a Russian unit. The incident was soon doubted, and historians are quite sure that the Puumala incident was a fake attack, ordered by the King himself and performed by Swedish soldiers dressed up as Russians.
The 1788 campaign
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Two days after the Puumala incident 1200 men advances from Savolax on to the Russian castle of Nyslott (Savonlinna). The castle was of strategic importance in Carelia. It controlled the road from Savolax to Kexholm at lake Ladoga. It also cut the lake Saimen in two and made communications between the Swedish provinces of Savolax and Carelia difficult. The move for Nyslott was supposed to be a surprise, and after all, the land operations were only intended to draw attention away from St Petersburg, so the advancing units was not equipped with any heavy artillery. The Swedish push ended in a 7 weeks long seige.
At the same time another push is launched in the south. Two units cross the River of Kymmene and moves on Fredrikshamn, one along the coast, the other from the Anjala-Liikala direction. The supply of the army is poorly organised and the offensive comes to a halt after a few days.
The main campaign is in the hands of the navy. In mid July the Swedish and Russian navies clashes in the battle of Hogland. The battle is very close to a Swedish victory, but a shortage of ammunition saves the Russian fleet. The battle ends as a tactical draw but a strategic victory for the Russian side. The Swedish plan for a landing close to St Petersburg has to be cancelled.
On the 22nd of July a Russian attack is launched into southern Savolax to ease the pressure on the castle of Nyslott. After some severe fighting's at Kärnakoski, the attack is repelled.
When the news of the battle at Hogland reaches the Swedish army outside Fredrikshamn the some of the officers starts to revolt. The nobility that formed major part of the Swedish officer corps had undergone a dramatic change since Great Nordic war. Nowadays they were more politicians than soldiers. The officers were split in two groups, one loyal to the king the other forming a powerful opposition towards the sovereign rule of the king. The rebelling faction wrote a note to the Catherine of Russia declaring the war illegal and asking for peace.
The situation couldn't be worse... or could it? The navy had failed and the army was paralysed by the revolt. At this moment the Danish Army strikes. 10 000 troops moves from from Norway in the direction of Gothenburg. Gustav immediately abandons Finland and starts a political campaign in Sweden to raise political support and additional troops for the war. The situation is saved only by direct diplomatic interference by Great Britain and Prussia, who booth threaten the Danes with war if the Danish forces isn't withdrawn.
The royal political campaign is however not in vain. The popular support for the king against the rebelling nobility is tremendous. The support is fumed by anger on rebelling during a war and the fact that the leader of the rebellion had travelled to negotiate with the enemy for peace. The rebellion dies when it is known that he also has negotiated for a Finnish separation from Sweden, a mandate no one of the rebels had given him!
The year ends with a situation where every body is back on "square one".
The 1789 campaign
The campaigns starts with some minor Russian raids on Swedish outposts in Savolax. An improvised Swedish counter-raid is executed but the force is too small and they have to pull back. The major fighting starts with the Russian attack on Savolax. 14 000 Russians moves on St Michael from three directions. The defenders puts up a good resistance but has to retreat to Jorois. To pull some of the pressure of the Savolax theatre, Gustav III who is back in Finland, launches a counterattack. 6 000 troops crosses Kymmene river and moves once again for Fredrikshamn. Gustavs attack relies on reinforcements from Sweden but the seaways are blocked by the Russian fleet. A naval battle in the Baltic's end with a Russian victory and the Swedish navy is blocked in its ports for the rest of the year.
Once again the year ends back on "square one".
The 1790 campaign
Gustav plans for the an early start. Once again it's a landing close to St Petersburg that should solve all problems. This time the landings are planned outside Viborg. The year starts of just like 1788. Army offensives in both Savolax and along the coast and a naval strike on the Russian fleet. At the beginning the plan works just fine. The Russian land forces are concentrated to repel the attacks on Fredrikshamn and the Russian navy runs away from any major fighting. It's time for the big move.
The King embarks the ships of the army's navy and the moves for Viborg. For some reason the Navy joins in, followed by the Russian Navy. All of a sudden the situation has changed. The King of Sweden and the biggest naval force the Kingdom of Sweden has ever put to sea is locked up in the bay with no chance to escape! A disaster is just around the corner... After almost two weeks the wind has turned and the Swedes makes their move. The break out, known as the gauntlet of Viborg, is a tactical success. The navy is saved but the attack on St Petersburg is once again cancelled. The navy retreats to Helsingfors and the Army's navy takes positions at Svensksund in the archipelago outside Fredrikshamn. Here stands the final major battle of this war. The Russian costal fleet is almost eliminated in the battle and the time for serious peace talks has come.
Sources: Ulf Sundbergs Sveriges krig 1521-1814 and Lars Ericsson, Svensk militärmakt