On this day 9 July - the Battle of Svensksund

[7eat51]

On the 9th of July 1790, Russian and Swedish fleets fought the Battle of Svensksund in the Gulf of Finland. The Swedish fleet had escaped to Svensksund after a failed assault on Vyborg in which the Swedish fleet suffered heavy losses. Having been reinforced by 40 ships, King Gustav III organized his fleet into four brigades and constructed artillery batteries in preparation for the inevitable battle with the Russian navy.

At 8:00 a.m. on the 9th, the Russian fleet began its approach, and at 9:30 a.m., the two fleets were within firing distance. As the Russian left wing strongly attacked the Swedish right, Lieutenant Colonel Törning received reinforcements, enabling him to mount a counterattack, leaving the Russian wing in disarray. With no Russian presence toward Sweden's rear, the Swedes reinforced their left wing, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Hjelmstierna, and sent half of the wing’s ships through a narrow passage toward the Russian rear. As the Russian right wing responded, the Russian left wing misread the move as a retreat, and withdrew. This left the Russian center, which due to strong winds was propelled deeper into the Swedish center, alone to face the Swedes on three sides. By 10:00 p.m., with defeat readily apparent, the Russians began to withdraw, destroying ships that were adrift. Several Russian ships disobeyed the order to retreat, and fighting continued for two more hours. Throughout the night, as Russian ships tried to escape, the Swedes responded by sending ships in pursuit. By 9:00 a.m. on the 10th, fighting had ceased. The devastating defeat prompted negotiations with Sweden, resulting in the Treaty of Värälä, signed on the 14th of August.

King Gustav III:



The Battle:






For more on today’s event:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Svensksund

[Zembar]

Yep, that was basically our last real military victory. It all went downhill from there.

[David Manley]

If the description sounds like a land battle, thats because it practically was. The Archipelago Fleet was, IIRC, an "army" fleet, organised and operated very much in the style of a land formation. And in so doing it featured some fascinating and quite unique ship types, and operating styles.