“Vi skall kasta de barbariska moskoviterna åter uti Asien varifrån de aldrig borde ha framträngt!”

~Gustav IV Adolf, during the Finnish war 1809

And so Northern Finland and most of Western Finland had been liberated. The Swedish army had reached a level of initial success that few had imagined. They had captured important cities and fortification, sending the Russian garrisons fleeing or captured. The captured were of course disarmed and sent marching back home after forcing them to promise they would not go to fight again in this war (a slip of mind that they had to march through hostile territory unarmed).

Heroes of the war were already presented to cheerful crowds gathering in Stockholm to hear,

Major Carl Fredrik Bennet and his force of only 4.000 men strong marched into northern Finland and drove the Russians away. He liberated Uleåborg and all towns within that province. The Finnish crowned the soldiers with flowers and hailed him as the liberator and protector of the north!

In early March the people in Stockholm however felt paralyzed with fear further developments in the war came from the retreating fleet sent to protect the isle of Gotland, their capital ship Försiktigen so damaged it would not be able continue to serve in this war. It was decided that the capital ship would be used as a blockship near Ingarö, the only entrance where the Russian fleet could enter and bombard part of Stockholm without getting trapped. It felt like many wars before. But as fortune would have a national hero emerge, admiral Johan Lagerbielke, using what advantages he had against the Grand Russian Fleet he managed to sink 6 capital ships and inflict massive damage to their fleet.

Immediately after the victory the admiral would be given a title and henceforth be known as Friherre Johan Lagerbielke, seldom in Swedish history had such a magnificent victory been had at sea. And so with regained confidence it was decided that the high seas fleet would engage the crippled Russians.

Swedish forces were in place, stockpiled and with high morale after achieving their goals in such a rapid pace in the early spring. March had proved to be a month that would test the fortitude of men, but it had proven them right that the small Sweden could stand against a giant such as Russia.

The efforts must be grand

With the north liberated and fortified the Swedish officers awaited further word from the southern counterparts. As did those in many more cities and towns down through Vasa and lastly Åbo. The Finns were on their side and supplies and support were abundant.

In the south in Åbo, a victory had been achieved. The commanders surveyed the near region and began to prepare for major engagements against the Russian army, they would have to strike first and end them rightly. The Swedish army took any Finnish militia willing under their wing, many of which had taken part in the armed rebellion already, bolstering their army with a token amount. They were ready to expel the Russians from the south.

The Swedish army

• 40.800
  • 22.500 Swedish Line infantry
  • 2.500 Swedish Light infantry
  • 5.000 Swedish Light cavalry
  • 4.800 Norwegian Line infantry
  • ?? Finnish militia
• 6.000 Artillery crew
  • 100 mobile canons (horse drawn 6-pounder)
  • 200 Canons (6-pounder)
  • 200 Canons (12-pounder)

Commander:

• Riksmarkjalk (Marshal of the realm) Magnus Brahe
• Överstelöjtnant (Major) Gustaf Erik Frölich
• Major Carl Fredrik Bennet
• Captain Fredrik Wilhelm Edelsvärd
• Captain Georg Henric König
• Admiral Johan Lagerbielke
• Viceadmiral Gustaf af Klint

Swedish navy

• Blockship Försiktigheten - 74 canons
• Ship-of-line
  • Carl XIV Johan - 84 cannons
  • Fäderskapet – 42 cannons
  • Manligheten – 64 cannons
  • Dristigheten – 74 cannons
  • Prins Oscar – 76 cannons
• 34 Gun sloops
• 7 Frigates
• 2 Corvettes
• 3 Briggs

Logistics: The army will supply itself depending on where they are situated in Finland, by local supplies, supply wagons or otherwise. These transport are protected by light infantry.

Funding: The Swedish government sold their last colonial holding to pay for part of the war, this payment was enough to provide the army with a salary for almost 6 moths. The higher taxes on alcohol was then sufficient to help pay for the war. These two factors made it so that the government did not need to raise wartime taxes as high as intended, but an additional tax of 3,5% (instead of the planned 6%) was raised.