Originally posted by Boroda
Conserning 1809 war. Bernadotte probably faced many things that were considered "impossible" but implemented by Russians, like the cavalry raid across the frozen Botnic gulf.
I admit that I know much less about that war then you do, because this minor conflict (from Russian POV) was a great episode of your history.
Yeah, I know alot about that war. For some reason, I keep wanting to learn more about it, even though it is one of the greatest military tragedies in Swedish history.
Short version:
Soviets attacked 1809. Swedish forces outnumbered something like 8-1. Swedish defensive plan had two major components.
1) Main army does a fighting withdrawal north west towards the Swedish border.
2) Fortress Sveaborg (outside Helsinki) holds at any cost. Sveaborg was the largest fortress ever built in Sweden. It was, for its time, truly impossible to conquer, it lay on an island in the inlet to Helsinki.
The idea was that when the summer arrived, reinforcements from Sweden would land in southern Finland under the protection of the guns of Sveaborg. Meanwhile, the Russian army would be exhausted from fighting and marching in Finland in the winter (think 1939). The fresh Swedish forces would then attack north and cut off the Russians.
The outcome.
The Swedish army began an organized fighting withdrawal north, inflicting serious losses on the Russian army in several encounters. But the army never "took a stand" in accordance with the war plan.
Then, out of the blue, and for no reason whatsoever, the commander (I will not take his name in my mouth) of Fort Sveaborg surrendered.
Ooops.
No one really knows why he did that. He had plenty of food and ammo. The fortress had a full crew of several thousand men, and the Russian forces posed no threat to the fortress.
Anyway, the king Gustav IV lost his nerve, and instead of trying to salvage the situation, he ordered the army to retreat back into Sweden. Meanwhile the Russians stayed in winter quarters in various towns and cities. When spring came the Swedish army was exhausted and with poor morale. The Russians attacked into Swedish soil, and the King surrendered.
