Battle of Öland (1789)

Battle of Öland
Part of the Russo-Swedish War (1788–90)
The battle of Öland
Date 26 July (15 July OS), 1789 Location Near Öland Island, Baltic Sea Result Indecisive
Belligerents
Swedish Navy	Imperial Russian Navy
Commanders and leaders
Prince Karl, Duke of Södermanland	Vasili Chichagov
Strength
21 ships of the line 9 large frigates 4 light frigates	21 ships of the line 10 frigates
Casualties and losses
7 dead 16 wounded	32 dead 187 wounded

The naval Battle of Öland took place on 26 July 1789 during the Russo-Swedish War (1788–90).

The Swedish battlefleet had spent the winter at Karlskrona which was struck by relapsing fever epidemic during the stay. Epidemic had started from the capture of the Russian ships of line Vladislav during the Battle of Hogland in 1788. From the captured sailors the disease had spread widely into the fleet during its prolonged stay at Sveaborg in 1788 was carried with the fleet to Karlskrona later that year. Fitting ships for the sealing season proceeded very slowly and was greatly hindered by the losses suffered due to the illness to the crews. From December 1788 to September 1789 total of 26,249 were treated for sickness in naval hospitals at Karlskrona alone of whom 5,286 perished while the total death toll of the epidemics is assumed to be around 15,000 lives. By the end of June thousands of soldiers had to be sent from the infantry as reinforcements for the fleet. Regardless of the obstacles Admiral Otto Henrik Nordenskiöld who was responsible for refitting was able to ready fleet of 21 ships of the line and 8 frigates for sailing already for 6 June however without crews.

The Russian fleet had spent the winter of 1788-1789 in split into several elements at Copenhagen, Reval and Kronstadt. Together with newly built ships and effective repairs of ships damaged earlier the Russians were looking to be able to deploy around 40 ships capable to taking part to battle line with combined crew of roughly 30 000 men. Admiral Samuel Grieg who had commanded the Russian fleet at the Battle of Hogland had perished in the autumn 1788 and Admiral Von Dessin who had commanded the elements of the Russian fleet deployed to Copenhagen was removed from command. They were replaced respectively with Admirals Vasili Chichagov and Timofei Kozljaninov. The goal for the Russian naval operations in 1789 was to link together the separated fleet elements and then engage the Swedish fleet as soon as possible while meanwhile providing forces to uphold the blockades of the shipping routes along the Finnish coast.

Lack of crews prevented the Swedish fleet from any training or exercises and it was effectively confined to the docks. The fleet was finally able to set sail on 6 July despite that several ships were still undermanned, several lacking more than hundred men from their complements. Having assembled 21 ships of the line and 8 large frigates under his flag, Prince Karl, Duke of Södermanland decided to intercept the Russian fleet near the island of Öland before the elements of the Russian fleet would be able to link up. Admiral Otto Henrik Nordenskjöld acted as flag-captain to the Duke Charles.

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