Battle of Pardakoski–Kärnakoski

Battle of Pardakoski–Kärnakoski
Part of the Russo-Swedish War (1788–90)
Battle of Kärnakoski, as depicted in Nordischer Kriegsschauplaz
Date Late March 1790 O.S. (1st combat) April 30, 1790 (2nd combat) Location Pardakoski and Kärnakoski, Finland Result Swedish victory
Belligerents
Sweden	Russian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt	Ivan Saltykov Iosif Igelström Victor Amadeus of Anhalt-Bernburg Col. Petrovich
Strength
1,400 men (2 battalions) in late March[1][2] 4,000 on Apr. 30[2]	1 battalion in late March[2] 4,000–5,000 men engaged,[1] 6,000–6,500 concentrated[2][1] (Apr. 30)
Casualties and losses
239 killed, wounded and captured[1]	570 killed, wounded and captured[1]

The Pardakoski–Kärnakoski engagements took place in late March^O.S. and on April 30, 1790, during Gustav III's Russian War, Sweden won over the Russian Empire.

The Swedish troops were in command of Count Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt and numbered about 1,400 men when, at the end of March,^O.S. from Savolax they suddenly hit the Russian centre. The Russian troops numbered about 4,000 to 5,000 men and were commanded by Lieutenant-General Baron Iosif Igelström. Putting 2 battalions on sledges, the Swedes captured the village of Pardakoski (north of Kärnakoski) by an unintentional attack. Pardakoski was occupied by a weak battalion of Colonel Petrovich's jaegers. The battalion stood unguarded and, having lost the battalion cannons, hastily retreated to Savitaipale. The Swedes began to strengthen at Kärnäkoski. Supreme Commander Ivan Saltykov decided to throw them back. The operation under the general direction of Igelström was entrusted to the Lieutenant-General Prince Anhalt-Bernburg, who hurriedly arrived from Saint Petersburg to Savitaipale. The Swedish strong position on the Pardakoski heights was considerably fortified. In front, at the bridge over the channel at Kärnakoski, there was a forward position, also fortified. However, strong from the front, this position was flanked by ice. In the battle that took place on 30 April the Swedes lost 222 killed and wounded with another 17 men captured, the Russians lost 194 killed, 285 wounded with another 91 men captured.^[1][2]

The reason for the Russian failure in the battle was largely that the attacking columns, due to the extremely rugged terrain and the lack of good maps and guides, arrived at the appointed places later than scheduled and, without maintaining communication between themselves, attacked separately (not at the same time) and thus gave the opportunity to break themselves in pieces.^[2]