Battle of Porrassalmi
Encyclopedia
The battle of Porrassalmi was a battle fought near the bight of Porrassalmi
in Savonia
on June 13, 1789. A Swedish
force of about 700 Finnish men succeeded in stopping the northbound advance of a Russian
force numbering 6,000-7,000 men..
The Swedish forces blocked the road to Mikkeli
at a narrow watercrossing with a bridge near the bight of Porrassalmi. Despite numerous Russian charges against the vastly numerical inferior Swedes, they couldn't break through. The Russians lost 1000 men dead or wounded including their commander general Georg Magnus Sprengtporten
who was seriously wounded. The Swedes lost in total 176 men dead or wounded.
The battle brought to prominence major Georg Carl von Döbeln
, whose iconic black silken bandanna was worn over a wound suffered in the battle.
Mikkeli
Mikkeli is a town and municipality in Finland. It is located in what used to be the province of Eastern Finland and is part of the Southern Savonia region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
in Savonia
Savonia (historical province)
Savonia is a historical province in the east of Finland. It borders to Uusimaa, Tavastia, Ostrobothnia, and Karelia. Largest cities in Savo by population are Kuopio, Mikkeli, Savonlinna and Varkaus.-Administration:...
on June 13, 1789. A Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
force of about 700 Finnish men succeeded in stopping the northbound advance of a Russian
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
force numbering 6,000-7,000 men..
The Swedish forces blocked the road to Mikkeli
Mikkeli
Mikkeli is a town and municipality in Finland. It is located in what used to be the province of Eastern Finland and is part of the Southern Savonia region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
at a narrow watercrossing with a bridge near the bight of Porrassalmi. Despite numerous Russian charges against the vastly numerical inferior Swedes, they couldn't break through. The Russians lost 1000 men dead or wounded including their commander general Georg Magnus Sprengtporten
Georg Magnus Sprengtporten
Count Georg Magnus Sprengtporten, or Göran Magnus Sprengtporten as he preferred to call himself, was a Swedish, Finnish and Russian politician, younger brother of Jacob Magnus Sprengtporten....
who was seriously wounded. The Swedes lost in total 176 men dead or wounded.
The battle brought to prominence major Georg Carl von Döbeln
Georg Carl von Döbeln
Georg Carl von Döbeln was a Swedish friherre , Lieutenant General and war hero.-Early life:Georg Carl was born at the Stora Torpa manor in Segerstads parish in Västergötland to Johan Jakob von Döbeln and Anna Maria Lindgren...
, whose iconic black silken bandanna was worn over a wound suffered in the battle.