Battle of Oravais

Battle of Oravais
Part of Finnish War
Positions at the battle
Date 14 September 1808 Location The village of Oravais, Finland Result Russian victory
Belligerents
Sweden	Russia
Commanders and leaders
Carl Johan Adlercreutz	Nikolay Mikhailovich Kamensky
Strength
5,500 men	6,000, of which 5,000 engaged
Casualties and losses
740 dead 400 wounded more than 100 captured In total: 1,240	In total: 1,000–1,100

740 dead
400 wounded
more than 100 captured

The Battle of Oravais (Finnish: Oravaisten taistelu, Swedish: Slaget vid Oravais) is sometimes regarded as the turning point of the Finnish War: the last chance for Sweden to turn the war to her advantage. It was the bloodiest battle of the conflict, which some historians attribute to the exhaustion, resignation and desperation of the Swedish army: it was losing the war.

At the beginning of the war, Swedish forces had retreated to Oulu. They had then managed to repel the Russians and reach Savonia despite the capitulation of the fortress of Sveaborg by the end of summer 1808. Russia recuperated quickly, and by the end of August the Swedish army was again retreating northwards along the coastal road. To avoid being encircled, Colonel Georg Carl von Döbeln was sent in advance to Nykarleby with a brigade. The threat of encirclement was exaggerated, but the Swedish army was at this point showing signs of panic and collapse. On September 13 the army left for Oravais and it halted to await news from von Döbeln, who was fighting the Russians at Jutas. The sound of a cannon was heard in Oravais, and a brigade was sent to reinforce von Döbeln.

The Russian main army had marched from Vasa in furious pursuit of the Swedish forces. The night before September 14 was spent in bivouacs along the road between Vörå and Oravais. The impulsive General-Major Yakov Kulnev's troops had taken the lead and were the first to make contact with the Swedes.

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Wikipedia