Key Facts
- Swedish force size
- 1,300–1,400 men
- Russian casualties
- 150–172 men (killed, wounded, captured)
- Swedish casualties (own account)
- 76 killed/severely wounded, 194 captured
- Swedish commander captured
- Johan Bergenstråhle taken prisoner
- Year
- 1808
Strategic Narrative Overview
While Swedish forces celebrated a victory at Nykarleby, a separate Swedish detachment of 1,300–1,400 men under Johan Bergenstråhle landed near Vaasa to exploit the momentum. Swedish commander Adlercreutz failed to coordinate reinforcements for the landing. The Russians, bolstered by the arrival of their main army, repelled the Swedes in fierce street fighting through the town of Vaasa.
01 / The Origins
The Finnish War (1808–1809) arose from Russian Emperor Alexander I's ambition to annex Finland from Sweden, supported by a Franco-Russian alliance following the Treaty of Tilsit. Sweden, under King Gustav IV Adolf, refused to join Napoleon's Continental System, prompting Russia to invade Finland in February 1808. The conflict drew Swedish forces into a prolonged defensive struggle across Finnish territory.
03 / The Outcome
The Swedish landing force suffered heavy casualties and the capture of its commander, Bergenstråhle. Survivors retreated northward to rejoin the main Swedish army at Nykarleby, where they were reorganized as the Sixth Swedish Brigade. The defeat at Vaasa denied Sweden a strategic foothold and reinforced Russian dominance in the region during the ongoing Finnish War.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Johan Bergenstråhle.
Side B
1 belligerent
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.