Russian-Swedish war of 1788-1790 230 years ago, in May 1790, a Russian squadron under the command of Cruz won a strategic victory in the Battle of Krasnogorsk. The Russians did not allow the Swedish fleet to destroy our fleet in parts, break through to Kronstadt and threaten the capital.
Swedes go to the Russian capital
Despite the failure at Revel, the Swedish king did not abandon the plan to break through the fleet to St. Petersburg in order to force the Russian tsarina to sign a peace that was beneficial to Sweden. On May 21, 1790, Swedish ships under the command of Karl Südermanland moved towards Kronstadt. The Swedish fleet consisted of 22 ships, 8 large and 4 small frigates, and several small ships. They were armed with 2 thousand guns. At the same time, the Swedish rowing (army) fleet, which consisted of 350 ships, headed towards Bjorkezund under the command of the Swedish king Gustav III himself.
The Russian capital was restless. Never before, since the beginning of the war, has the enemy been so close to Petersburg. It was necessary to connect the Kronstadt naval squadron under the command of Alexander Cruz and the Revel squadron of Vasily Chichagov in order to prevent the Swedes from breaking them separately. At the same time, the Kronstadt squadron was hastily formed, armed, the crews were poorly trained. It was also necessary to send a rowing fleet against the Swedish king, who was already at Vyborg. Petersburg was greeted with great relief by the news that Chichagov's ships repulsed the enemy's attack at Revel. Empress Catherine II asked Cruz not to let the enemy go to the capital. The admiral promised that the enemy would not pass otherwise than on the chips of his ships.
In Kronstadt, thanks to the energetic activities of Cruise, it was possible to prepare 17 battleships, 4 frigates and 2 boats. It is worth noting that the Russian admiral of Danish origin was an experienced and brave commander. He participated in several campaigns, in the Battle of Chios in 1770, his ship "Saint Eustathius" fought with the Turkish flagship. Both ships collided, the Russians took the Turkish flagship on board. However, the Turkish ship was on fire and the fire spread to the Russian. Both ships took off. Cruz miraculously managed to escape. After this battle, Cruz, who had previously been distinguished by his harsh treatment of the sailors (they did not even want to take him on the boat, the captain received an oar on the head), changed his treatment of his subordinates and throughout his later life earned their common love and respect.
On May 12, 1790, the Russian squadron went to sea. Cruz planned to start moving on May 14, but strong winds delayed the ships. For several days the squadron maneuvered, crew exercises were conducted. Upon learning that up to 40 Swedish ships had gathered on the eastern side of Gogland, the vice admiral asked to send 8 rowing frigates remaining in Kronstadt under the command of Brigadier Captain Dennison. By May 18, the Russian squadron included 17 ships, 4 sailing and 8 rowing frigates, 2 boats. They were armed with 1,760 cannons (1,400 - on 17 battleships). The Russian squadron consisted of: five 100-gun ships - "John the Baptist" (flagship of Cruise), "Twelve Apostles" (flagship of Rear Admiral Sukhotin), "Three Hierarchs" (flagship of Rear Admiral Povalishin), "Grand Duke Vladimir" and "Saint Nicholas"; one 84-gun Ezekiel; eight 74-gun ships - "John the Theologian", "Pobedoslav", Constantine "," Saint Peter "," Vseslav "," Prince Gustav "," Sisoy the Great "and" Maxim the Confessor "; two 66-gun ships - Panteleimon and Januarius; one 64-gun ship "Don't touch me."
Thus, the Swedes had an advantage in the number of ships and guns. Also, the Swedish fleet had been at sea for a long time, had been in battle, and the teams of the Kronstadt squadron had barely been assembled, and they were at sea for 10 days. All this allowed the Swedish command to count on success in a naval battle and in a further amphibious operation to force Petersburg to peace. Nevertheless, Cruz expressed his readiness to attack the enemy.
Meeting of two fleets
Due to the low wind and headwind, the Russian squadron moved slowly. By the evening of May 20, the Russian ships were at the Tolbukhin lighthouse, where they were joined by Dennison's detachment with 8 rowing frigates. On May 21, the leading ships discovered the enemy. By evening, the entire enemy fleet was visible. On 22 May the fleets stuck to one another in view. The Swedes did not use the favorable moment for the attack - the advantage of the windward position. In order to prevent the enemy from breaking through to Kronstadt, the Russian admiral placed his ships in position between Cape Dolgiy and Stirsuden (Krasnaya Gorka). Therefore, in Swedish sources, this sea battle is known as the "Battle of Steersuden".
Both sides set aside light ships in separate detachments to cover ships that would suffer in the battle. The Swedes allocated six frigates for this task, the Russians - four sailing and five rowing frigates. The fleets were divided into three parts. The main forces of the Russian squadron were commanded by Cruz, the vanguard - Sukhotin, the rearguard - Povalishin. The light squad was led by Dennison. The Swedes formally led the main forces by the Duke of Kar. However, the Swedish king Gustav ordered to protect the life of the duke (the king's brother and a possible heir), and Karl and his headquarters went to the frigate "Ulla Fersen", failing. And the main forces were de facto commanded by the captain of the flagship "Gustav III" Clint. The vanguard was led by Rear Admiral Modee, the rearguard by Colonel Leyonankern.
Battle
At dawn on May 23 (June 3), 1790, a light east wind set in. On the attack of Cruise "to attack the enemy with a rifle shot" the Russian squadron began to descend on the Swedes from the front, but soon lay on a course almost parallel to the enemy. At about 4 o'clock in the morning, the forward detachments approached and opened fire. The empress's advisor Khrapovitsky noted: "A terrible cannonade is heard from dawn almost all day in St. Petersburg and Tsarskoe Selo." In case of an unfavorable outcome of the battle in Kronstadt, at this time, they were preparing to repel the Swedish attack. All remaining ships and vessels were used to cover the fairway. Everyone they could were mobilized for the fortifications and batteries: recruits, artisans, merchants, bourgeoisie, students of the Marine Corps, etc.
The movement was slow, so only an hour later all the ships entered the battle. Large Swedish frigates entered the line, taking places between their ships of the line. The Swedes concentrated their fire on the Russian flagship and at the same time tried to suppress the northern flank of the enemy with superior forces. At five o'clock, the commander of the Russian avant-garde (northern flank) Sukhotin had a leg blown off by a cannonball, and he handed over command to the commander of his flagship, the Twelve Apostles, Captain Fedorov, and asked not to weaken the onslaught. To the aid of the right (northern) flank, Dennison advanced with his detachment. His frigates entered the gaps between the ships. At a signal from Fedorov, Dennison's ships ceased fire, interfering with the Russian ships, and the frigates moved further to the flank.
During the battle, the wind changed. From 7 o'clock the skirmish began to subside, the Swedish ships dodged to the west, and the Russians did not pursue them. By 8 o'clock the wind died down and the ships were at such a distance from each other that the battle ended. At 11 o'clock, a Swedish detachment of 20 rowing boats left Bjorkezund. Their king sent to the aid of the naval fleet. The Swedes wanted to attack the nearest Russian ships, but were repelled by Dennison's frigates, which rowed towards the enemy. After a small skirmish, the Swedes retreated and hid in the skerries.
In the meantime, the wind changed again and in the afternoon began to intensify. Caught in the wind, the Swedish ships turned south, lay down parallel to the Russian squadron and attacked it, focusing fire on the flagship "John the Baptist" and the main forces of Cruise. However, the firefight took place at a long distance, continued around and did not cause much damage. At 3 o'clock the fleets dispersed again and the battle ceased. At 6 o'clock in the evening, the Swedish fleet again approached our ships, but did not approach close range. Therefore, the battle remained indecisive, both sides did not lose a single ship. Only one Russian ship, "John the Theologian", went to Kronstadt for repairs. The wounded Rear Admiral Sukhotin was also sent to the base (he died of his wounds), but his flag remained on the ship so as not to show the loss.
Swedes retreat
At night, both squadrons remained at the site of the battle, repaired the damage and prepared for a new battle. On the morning of May 24 (June 4) there was little wind. In the afternoon, a southwestern wind blew, turning into the western one, and the Russian squadron formed a battle line. Having received news that the Russians had passed the island of Nargen, the Swedes decided to resume the battle until the second Russian squadron approached. As soon as the Swedes attacked, the Russian ships withdrew to the east, trying to lure the enemy into the depths of the shallow Kronstadt Bay. At 5 o'clock in the afternoon, the Swedish ships opened fire. Having received a lot of damage in the spars and sails, the Russian ships could not hold the line, the rearguard ships began to huddle together. The Swedes tried to take advantage of this by cutting off the rearguard from the main forces. However, Cruise noticed the danger in time and sent Dennison's frigates to help the rearguard. As a result, the enemy maneuver failed.
By 8 o'clock the wind began to subside, the fleets dispersed again. Cruise's squadron, several times turning through the fordewind (the course at which the wind is directed to the stern of the ship), was approaching Kronstadt. At about 8:30 am, the Swedes saw their frigate, which informed the fleet that the Russian Revel squadron was following it. The Swedes could be caught between two fires and began to retreat to the west in a calm wind. The Russian squadrons had not yet seen each other, but Cruz, who was watching the enemy, ordered to pursue the enemy at 2 o'clock in the morning. Fog and lack of wind made it difficult to move.
On May 25, Cruz ordered an attack on the enemy upon detection. The Swedes have already left for the island of Seskar. On the morning of May 26, the Russian squadrons saw each other. The Swedish ship fleet at that time was leaving for the island of Torsari, following the king's order to enter the Vyborg Bay and protect the rowing fleet. Both sides in this battle lost about 400 people killed and wounded. On Russian ships there were 25 cases of bursting guns, 34 people died.
Admiral Cruise's actions were perfectly reasonable. The Russian squadron, being weaker than the enemy fleet, took advantage of the terrain and covered its flanks. closed Kronstadt and Petersburg, did not allow the enemy to pass and waited for the arrival of Chichagov's ships. The enemy had to retreat to the Vyborg Bay. It was a strategic victory with a tactical draw. Catherine II generously rewarded the participants in the battle. Admiral Cruz received the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky, the tsarina presented him with a gold snuff-box decorated with diamonds with the inscription: "Reflecting thunder with thunder, he saved Peter's Castle and the house."
The Swedes missed a favorable moment for the defeat of the Russian fleet. They had an advantage in the number of ships, the strength of naval artillery, the number and quality of crews. The Swedish ships had a full complement of experienced crew. There was a shortage of people on the Russian squadron, they were hastily recruited, many were put on ships for the first time and had not yet seen the sea. In part, the Swedes' mistakes are explained by the inconsistency of the command. King Gustav sent his adjutant, Captain Smith, to the flagship, who had the right to intervene in battle tactics. Also, the direct leadership of the fleet was divided between the Duke of Südermanland, who, at the insistence of the king, was sent to one of the frigates, and Colonel Clint, who remained on the flagship.
Among the mistakes of the Russian fleet, one can single out the actions of the Chichagov Revel squadron. On May 23, Chichagov's squadron left Revel and headed to Kronstadt to join the fleet of Cruise. On May 24, Chichagov's ships were near the island of Seskar and discovered the enemy fleet leaving after the battle at Krasnaya Gorka. Many Swedish ships were damaged, their ammunition was running out, the crews were tired of the two-day battle. The battered Swedish fleet did not dare to make its way past Chichagov to Sveaborg and hastened to take refuge in the Vyborg Bay. That is, Chichagov had a good chance of stopping the Swedes and finishing off the enemy when Cruise's ships arrived.
However, Chichagov, in view of the enemy, went into a drift, and then, expecting a Swedish attack, became anchored in order of battle. Justifying that he had not attacked the Swedish fleet, the admiral referred to the "fog that happened", which hid the enemy. Refuting this reason, Cruz wrote in a report to Catherine II:
“… I am forced to admit that the enemy's departure is not only very sensitive for me, but also for all my brave subordinates, because, according to the news that reached me, the Swedes were in excessive despondency and were indescribably afraid of this two-fire situation, from which, one must think, the fog alone could save the enemy who had fought with me without success."
Thus, the Russian fleet won a strategic victory in the Krasnogorsk battle. Admiral Cruz did not allow the Swedish fleet to destroy the Russian fleet in parts, break through to Kronstadt and threaten the capital. The weakened enemy fleet hid in the Vyborg Bay, where it was defeated a month later by the combined Russian fleet.
