Battle of Öland

26 July 1789, South-east of Öland, Baltic Sea

Indecisive; the Russians kept control of the Baltic

Fever brought back by the prisoners from Vladislav had killed thousands at Karlskrona over the winter, and the Swedish fleet sailed in July 1789 still short of men. It hoped to catch Admiral Vasily Chichagov's fleet from Reval and Kronstadt before it could join the Russian squadron coming from Copenhagen. The fleets met south-east of Öland on 25 July, but the Russians kept their distance, and on the 26th the two lines fought at long range from about 2 pm until 8 pm, with a lull while the wind shifted. More men were hurt by bursting guns than by enemy shot. The Swedish rear under Rear-Admiral Liljehorn hung back, and three Russian ships that were cut off were let go; Liljehorn was court-martialled and lost his rank. On 31 July the Copenhagen squadron joined Chichagov, and the Swedes, with some 2,500 sick, went home to Karlskrona.

Royal Swedish Navy

29 ships, none lost

Ship	Type	Outcome
Konung Gustaf III Duke Charles, with Admiral Nordenskjöld as flag captain	Ship of the line Third rate, 70 guns	Survived
Wladislaff Also known as Vladislav As the Swedish Wladislaff	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Enigheten	Ship of the line Third rate, 70 guns	Survived
Götha Lejon	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Adolf Fredrik	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Lovisa Ulrika	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Sophia Magdalena	Ship of the line Third rate, 70 guns	Survived
Fäderneslandet	Ship of the line Third rate, 66 guns	Survived
Äran	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
Dristigheten	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
Dygden	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
Försiktigheten	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
Hedvig Elisabeth Charlotta	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
Manligheten	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
Ömheten	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
Prins Carl	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
Prins Fredrik Adolf	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
Tapperheten	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
Rättvisan	Ship of the line Fourth rate, 62 guns	Survived
Wasa	Ship of the line Fourth rate, 62 guns	Survived
Riksens Ständer	Ship of the line Fourth rate, 60 guns	Survived
Gripen	Frigate Fifth rate, 44 guns	Survived
Uppland	Frigate Fifth rate, 44 guns	Survived
Eurydice	Frigate Fifth rate, 40 guns	Survived
Fröja	Frigate Fifth rate, 40 guns	Survived
Galathea	Frigate Fifth rate, 40 guns	Survived
Minerva	Frigate Fifth rate, 40 guns	Survived
Thetis	Frigate Fifth rate, 40 guns	Survived
Zemire	Frigate Fifth rate, 40 guns	Survived

Imperial Russian Navy

19+ ships, none lost

Ship	Type	Outcome
Rostislav Chichagov	Ship of the line First rate, 100 guns	Survived
Dvenadtsat Apostolov	Ship of the line First rate, 100 guns	Survived
Knyaz Vladimir	Ship of the line First rate, 100 guns	Survived
Iezekiil	Ship of the line Third rate, 78 guns	Survived
Kir Ioann	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Mstislav	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Pobedoslav	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Prints Gustav Also known as Prins Gustaf As the Russian Prints Gustav	Ship of the line Third rate, 70 guns	Survived
Svyataya Elena	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Svyatoy Pyotr	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Yaroslav	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Boleslav	Ship of the line Third rate, 66 guns	Survived
Deris	Ship of the line Third rate, 66 guns	Survived
Izyaslav	Ship of the line Third rate, 66 guns	Survived
Pamyat Evstafiya	Ship of the line Third rate, 66 guns	Survived
Rodislav	Ship of the line Third rate, 66 guns	Survived
Svyatoslav	Ship of the line Third rate, 66 guns	Survived
Viktor	Ship of the line Third rate, 66 guns	Survived
Vysheslav	Ship of the line Third rate, 66 guns	Survived

Flotillas and other craft	Number	Lost
Frigates	about 10	?

Map

The Swedish fleet sails from Karlskrona July 1789
Chichagov sails to meet the Copenhagen squadron July 1789