ORDER OF BATTLE // August 17, 1808
Battle of Alavus
Estimated force strength by side, with confidence labels per surviving record.
Forces engaged
2 sides catalogued · combined 6,250 estimated
Sweden
3,850
Medium-confidence figure
Russian Empire
2,400
Medium-confidence figure
Battle context
The Battle of Alavus on 17 August 1808 saw the Finnish army under General Carl Johan Adlercreutz defeat a smaller Russian force of roughly 2,400 men, inflicting between 200 and 314 casualties and driving the Russians southward. The engagement concluded a series of Swedish successes during the summer of 1808 and marked the turning point of the Finnish War. After this battle, Swedish fortunes in the conflict reversed, making Alavus both the high-water mark of Swedish operational momentum and the threshold beyond which Russia reasserted control over the campaign.
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