Battle of Reval

13 May 1790, Reval roads, off present-day Tallinn

Russian victory; two Swedish ships of the line lost

For the 1790 campaign Gustav sent the battle fleet early, before the ice let the Kronstadt ships out, to destroy Chichagov's squadron of ten ships of the line wintering at Reval. Chichagov anchored his ships in a close line across the roads, with frigates, bomb vessels and the shore batteries behind them. The Swedes sailed down the Russian line in a strong wind, firing as they passed, but their shot went wide while the Russian gunners in the sheltered anchorage fired well. Duke Charles's flagship could not tack and drifted down on Rostislav, taking heavy grapeshot; Prins Carl lost her rudder and struck; and after about two hours the Duke called the attack off, the last ten ships turning away without firing. Riksens Ständer ran onto a reef off Aegna island and had to be burned. The Swedes lost two ships of the line and several hundred men, the Russians a few dozen.