Battle of Hogland

Part of the Russo-Swedish War (1788-1790)

Contemporary painting of the battle by Louis Jean Desprez (c. 1743–1804)

Date	17 July (6 July OS), 1788
Location	Near Hogland Island, Gulf of Finland 60°04′N 27°00′E / 60.067°N 27.000°E / 60.067; 27.000Coordinates: 60°04′N 27°00′E / 60.067°N 27.000°E / 60.067; 27.000
Result	Tactically indecisive; Russian strategic victory

Belligerents

Swedish Navy

Imperial Russian Navy

Commanders and leaders

Prince Karl, Duke of Södermanland

Samuel Greig

Strength

15 ships of the line
5 frigates
6 light frigates
1,400 guns
~ 10,000 men

17 ships of the line
2 frigates
5 light frigates
1,200 guns
~ 12,000 men

Casualties and losses

1 ship of the line captured
~ 1,000 dead, wounded or captured

1 ship of the line captured
4 ships out of action
580 dead, 720 wounded, 470 captured

The naval Battle of Hogland took place on 17 July (6 July OS) 1788 during the Russo-Swedish War (1788-1790).

On the outbreak of war with Russia in 1788, Sweden planned to attack the Russian capital St. Petersburg. One Swedish army was to advance through Finland; a second army, accompanied by the Swedish coastal flotilla, was to advance along the Finnish coast into the Gulf of Finland; while a third army sailed with the Swedish battlefleet in order to land at Oranienbaum to advance on St. Petersburg. To succeed, the Russian Baltic Fleet had to be eliminated or blockaded in its ports at Reval (now Tallinn) and Kronstadt.

A part of the Swedish battlefleet, 12 ships of the line and 5 frigates under the command of Prince Karl, Duke Charles of Södermanland had set sail from Karlskrona on 9 June 1788. While Duke Charles had overall command of the fleet, he was assisted by Admiral Anton Johan Wrangel (the younger) and had experienced naval officer Lieutenant Colonel Otto Henrik Nordenskjöld as his flag-captain. Already before the war started, the fleet had intercepted a small Russian squadron of 3 ships of the line and 4 frigates headed for Denmark and demanded these to salute his flag which was in direct contradiction of the treaties of 1743.

After being notified that state of war was in effect on 7 July, the Swedish fleet headed for Helsingfors to wait for reinforcements. Before reaching the destination, the Swedes intercepted and promptly captured two Russian frigates, which were unaware of the war and got caught by surprise. At Helsingfors three ships of the line joined the fleet together with one frigate and 2 light frigates from the Swedish archipelago fleet. On 14 July, the Swedish fleet with a front line of 20 ships, of which 15 were ships of the line and five were frigates, together with 6 lighter frigates sailed deeper into the Gulf of Finland.

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Wikipedia