Battle of Villmanstrand

Battle of Villmanstrand
Part of the Russo-Swedish War (1741–1743)

Map of the battle of Villmanstrand
Date23 August 1741
Location
Villmanstrand, Sweden (present-day Lappeenranta, Finland)
Result Russian victory
Belligerents
Sweden Russian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Carl Henrik Wrangel  (POW)
Ernst Gustaf von Willebrand  (POW)		 Peter von Lacy
Strength
Swedish estimates:
3,000[1]–4,000[2][3]

Russian estimates:
5,256[4]–5,600[5]		 Russian estimates:
10,000[5]

Swedish estimates:
13,000[1]–18,000[6]
Casualties and losses
Swedish estimates:
1,000 killed or wounded[7]
1,345 captured[8]

Russian estimates:
3,300[5]–4,000 killed or wounded[8]
1,337 captured[5]		 Russian estimates:
515 killed
1,870 wounded[5]

The Battle of Villmanstrand,[a] also the storming of Villmanstrand,[9] was fought during the Russo-Swedish War on 23 August 1741,[10] when Russian forces of 10,000 men[5] (13,000,[1] or 16,000–18,000,[6] according to Swedish estimates), under the command of General Peter von Lacy, assaulted Villmanstrand (Finnish: Lappeenranta).

Fighting began around 2 P.M. but the Swedes, counting 3,000[1]–4,000 men[2] (5,256[4]–5,600[5] according to Russian estimates) withdrew already at 5 P.M.

Swedish casualties amounted to between 2,000 and 2,500 men,[8][7] or 3,300[5]–4,000[8] killed and wounded, and 1,337 captured (among them General Carl Henrik Wrangel), with four colours, 12 cannons and one mortar lost according to Russian estimates.[5] Soon after, the Swedes rallied 1,400 men from the Södermanland (300), Dalarna (above 400), Västerbotten (above 300), and Tavastehus (370) regiments[2] (including sick or elsewhere commanded troops not present at the battle).[11] This number does not count the Karelian Dragoons, Savolax Regiment or the Willebrand infantry which were the first Swedish units to flee and thus suffered the least casualties.[2]

The Russians admitted a loss of 515 killed and 1,870 wounded.[5] After the battle, the Swedes claim to have received reports from captured Russian officers stating a loss of 8,000 Russians killed.[6] Von Lacy did not continue his movement after the battle. Henrik Magnus Buddenbrock was executed for his perceived incompetence.

  1. ^ a b c d Arwidsson 1854, p. 353.
  2. ^ a b c d Malmström 1863, p. 318.
  3. ^ Bergenstråhle 1917, p. 296.
  4. ^ a b Malmström 1863, pp. 317–318.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Novitsky 1912, pp. 387–388.
  6. ^ a b c ten Hoorn 1744, p. 603.
  7. ^ a b Bergenstråhle 1917, p. 299.
  8. ^ a b c d Malmström 1863, p. 320.
  9. ^ Black, Jeremy (1994). European Warfare, 1660–1815. Routledge. p. 175. ISBN 9781135369545.
  10. ^ Paasikivi & Talka 2018, p. 537.
  11. ^ Pihlström & Westerlund 1910, p. 67.


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