the lion of the russian army - Florida State University

Bagration preparing to cross the gulf to size the capital, the agitation among the soldiers
exploded. In early march, General Georg Adlersparre began a march with a detachment
of some 2,000 men from the Norwegian border onto the capital of Stockholm to
overthrow the king. As the troops approached the capital, General Adlercreutz organized
a coup d'etat on 13 March 1809 143 so a regency was established under Duke Charles of
Sudermania (Charles XIII, 1808-1818), 144 whose first objective was to halt Bagration’s
advance across the gulf. Meantime, General Döbeln contacted the Russians and informed
them of the change of the government at Stockholm. Although he did not have authority
to negotiate, Döbeln contacted Bagration on 14 March and offered armistice. The
Swedish commander sought to gain time for his troops and prevent the Russian advance
on the capital. 145 To avoid any involvement in politics, Bagration sent the messenger to
Knorring, 146 and moved his main columns to take over Åland. He believed the Swedes
wanted to halt his advance though negotiations so he issued orders to move by forced
marches. 147 Late on 16 March, he bivouacked his troops between Saltvik and Jomala on
Åland. On his left flank, Kulnev reached Lemland and defeated small Swedish
143 Allan Sandström, Sveriges Sista Krig: De Dramatiska Åren 1808-1809 (Örebro, 1994),
127-59; Ordin, Conquest of Finland, 423-24; Shilder, Alexander, 239.
144 Walter Sandelius, “Dictatorship and Irresponsible Parliamentarism – A Study in the
Government of Sweden,” Political Science Quarterly, 49/3. (Sep., 1934): 347-71; Alexander
Bulgakov to Jacob Bulgakov, 29 March 1809, Russkii arkhiv, 37/1 (1898), 620.
145 Alopeus to Saltikov, 19 March 1809, Döbeln to Knorring, 14 March 1809, VPR, IV, 537-
39, 690; Bagration to Knorring, 18 April 1809, Correspondence of Bagration, 52.
146 Dolben and Knorring initially negotiated an armistice and preliminary provisions for a
peace treaty. The Swedes agreed to cede Finland, Åland Islands and establish borders along the
Gulf of Bothnia. However, Arakcheyev, who arrived late at Åland, rejected it, claiming “the main
object of Emperor Alexander is not capture of Åland Islands, but signing peace at Stockholm.”
For details of the negotiations, see Knorring to Klingspor, Arakcheyev to Alexander, (Nos. 236,
237), Draft Treaty of Armistice, Preliminary Conditions of Peace Treaty, 15-16 March 1809,
VPR, IV, 527-31, 691-92; Mikhailovsky-Danilevsky, War in Finland, 382-85; Ordin, Conquest
of Finland, 419, 424-25.
147 Bagration to Knorring, 18 April 1809, Correspondence of Bagration, 52; Ordin, Conquest
of Finland, 424.
469