Russian occupation of Gotland 1808

The Russian occupation of Gotland took place during the Finnish War between Sweden and Russia.

Russian had invaded Finland on 21 February 1808. An invasion force of nine Russian merchant ships left Liepāja and landed 22 April, after losing its course due to fog, at Slesviken in Grötlingbo on south Gotland with 1,800 men and six artillery guns under the command of Admiral Nikolai Andreevich Bodisko. After some initial confusion, beacons raised an invasion alarm which eventually reached the county governor, the retired marine officer Erik af Klint. Af Klint started organizing an armed force in Gotland following orders from Stockholm.

However, Gotland had no troops ready at the time of the invasion. Instead af Klint had to raise a peasant levy. The levy encountered the Russian expeditionary force at Klinte Church and Ajmunds bro (). Af Klint judged the military situation unfavorable and decided to surrender without a fight. On 23 April the surrender took place, without documents, at the Sandäskes inn in Sanda. The next day the Russian force marched into Visby and found quarters. Bodisko proclaimed himself governor of Gotland, but Swedish officials -- except for af Klint -- were allowed to remain.

The two Swedish ships of the line Tapperheten () and Manligheten were sent from Karlskrona and blockaded the harbor of Slite beginning 12 May, hampering the possibility of Russian reinforcements. A Swedish relief expedition under the command of Admiral Rudolf Cederström was dispatched from Karlskrona on 11 May with the ships of the line Konung Gustav IV Adolph (), Vladislaff (), Prins Fredrik Adolph and Äran, the frigate Bellona 5, the brigantines Svala and Disa and the yacht Fortuna. Onboard were soldiers from Småland commanded by the lieutenant-colonel of the Jönköping Regiment, Carl Johan Fleetwood () (1757–1834).

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