Anna Maria Jansdotter Engsten (1762 - fl

Floruit

Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...

 1790) was by King Gustav III of Sweden

Gustav III of Sweden

Gustav III was King of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolph Frederick and Queen Louise Ulrica of Sweden, she a sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia....

 awarded with a medal in silver for Valour in Battle at Sea

För tapperhet i fält

För tapperhet i fält and För tapperhet till sjöss are two Swedish military medals awarded to officers and soldiers of the Swedish Armed Forces who have—as the medal names suggest—shown valour in the field or at sea in wartime...

for her acts during the Russo-Swedish war of 1788-1790.

Engsten was a maid to the master mariner of the Swedish fleet, G.A. Leijonancker. During the retreat from Viborg and Björkösund, she was evacuated with five sailors in a boat filled with food supplies and the captain's belongings. They were shot at by the Russian fleet, which killed a sheep and caused a leak. The sailors abandoned the boat, but she stayed behind, determined to steer the boat to safety. She did so singlehandedly, although the boat required at least two people to steer, a mission she succeeded with. This was confirmed by Major Scharff. When the King was told about this, he awarded her a medal in silver for Bravery in Battle at Sea as well as a sum of 50 riksdaler. This was paid out in 15 March 1791.