An Illustrated History of the Great Northern War
Also Known as the War of Danish Aggression
Written by Ambrosius Solderberg
with plates and illustrations by various artists, including Mathius Walfridson and Fredrik Swanstrom
(Sample Chapter)
The Battle of Gunnbad's Road
The Battle of Gunnbad's Road during the Great Northern War, also known as the 1st Siege of Sankt Peterburg, or Saint Petersburg, occured in the spring of 1733. The battle occurred more than a days march away from Saint Petersburg, on a section of the great eastern highway, known as Gunnbad's Road (Named after a thief who's gang was hung along that stretch of the road). Despite being called the "First Siege", the truth is that it was an ambush of a Russian raiding party by Finnish and Swedish irregulars under the commander of the St Petersburg Garrison, one Lord Commander Evald Hultgren. The Russians had already burned several villages and a small Finnish town to the east, and survivors and refugees had reported the Russian's movements to Lord Commander Hultgren. Despite having no regular forces other than the city militia because of the campaign in Karelia, Hultgren decided to engage and destroy the Russians before they could do any more damage. It is worth noting, that the the majority of the cities population at this time was Finnish and Russian, not Swedish. Despite the war, popular support was almost completely in favour of the Swedes, and the Imperial Russian forces were viewed as the aggressors, even by the ethnic Russians.
And so, Lord Hultgren assembled both the First Saint Petersburg Militia and the First Naziya County Militia, numbering about 320 men all together. Added to this number were about 150 volunteers from both the city and the countryside. They organized themselves loosely into two "Companies", elected officers, and presented themselves to the Lord Commander. Finally, there was the Lord Commander's personal retinue and staff, numbering about 30 well trained heavy cavalry, and an unknown number of Finnish mercenary light horse, although records indicate there were no more than 50 or 60 of them.
Using local guides and the constant stream of refugees for information, Lord Hultgren was able to lay an ambush for the Russian forces. Miles and miles of thick forest run parallel to the Eastern Highway, and after determining where the Russians were going, he stationed his forces in waiting, ready to strike.
There was not long to wait. The Russian raiding band was probably lead by an artillery officer named Chichelnitsky, and it is entirely possible they were operating without orders. This was a common occurrence during the lulls between campaign seasons or when the larger armies were fighting elsewhere, when officers on both sides would organize 'ad hoc' raiding groups to disrupt enemy lines, and also to procure loot from the plundering of villages and settlements. In this case, the raiding party was large enough to overrun any locally organized defenses, as it included not only 2 infantry units with a combined strength of perhaps 350 men, but Chichelnitsky's own horse artillery battery. Although outnumbered by the ambushing force, their experience, weapons, training and discipline was all superior, and should the artillery have a chance to deploy, it would wreck a frightening toll on the ill-disciplined militia and irregulars.
A private soldier named Vilhelm Loukko serving with the St Petersburg Militia wrote a letter to his sister after the battle in which he describes the ambush and ultimate destruction of the Russian forces.
The Finnish Mercenary Horse at the Ready
"The Lord Commander arrayed us in the woods just south of the road, and had us lay down to conceal ourselves. I was nervous, I can tell you Helmi, because I had only fought in one battle before. But many of the other men in the company looked to me as a veteran already, even old Petros, so I tried to look brave. The Colonel told us to load our guns and then fix bayonets, and I could see men fumbling to do it, even though we all knew the drills. We were on the far left, and it would be our fire that would signal the attack. We were to let the enemy get as close as we dared, then put as much fire into them as we could, paying special attention to their horses (We all feared they were cossacks!) and prevent them from advancing or deploying into line of battle. To our right was the Naziya County Militia, and they had stood with us in battle at Valikiey Novgorod when we had taken the burning town hall. I could not see them too well because of the trees, but it was good to know they were there. Behind us were the mercenary cavalry, dour men with a fiercesome reputation for taking no prisoners. Petros said their job was to ride the enemy down when we broke them. His confidence made me smile, and then we had to be silent as the Russians were coming up the road."
Vilhelm Loukko and His Unit Awaiting the Russians
"They advanced in three sections, and I was surprised at their boldness. They were so few! Perhaps only half our number. The first section was a regiment of infantry, all in full uniform and with their colours flying high. In the middle were 4 or 5 cannons being pulled by horses (So much for the dreaded cossacks!) and bringing up the rear was another foot regiment, although dirtier and more tired looking. I also saw a man riding with the cannons who stood out. He was on a white horse, very tall and had a large hat with an even larger feather in it. Word quietly spread he was their colonel, and we should shoot him if we had the chance. Now they were very close, and I wondered when we would be ordered to stand and fire. They were so close I thought they would pass us by! But then the captain shouted and we stood up and advanced out of the woods at the double quick. They were so close! At Valikiey Novgorod we had stood far away from the enemy and shot at them, but now I could see the buttons on their jackets! As we ran out of the woods, I could see they were surprised, but immediately the tall man on the white horse began yelling orders, and the first regiment turned quickly to face us, before we even had time to fire. We were surprised by their speed and order, but now we were presenting arms, and I was aiming for the tall colonel. I don't remember if we even got an order to fire, because Petros fired first, and I was next to him so I fired. Then everything was smoke and everyone around me was firing. I began to reload, each step, just like in the drills, and my hands were steady, and I wasn't nervous anymore. I could hear men to our right firing now too, and men shouting in Russian and Finnish. Before our own smoke really cleared, I was firing again. I was always fastest in drills, and now I was faster than everyone around me. I could not see the white horse or its tall rider, because of the smoke, but I could see the Russian colours, so I aimed beneath them and fired again."
The Fighting Begins in Earnest
"For an eternity, maybe one minute, maybe two, we stood there, firing as fast as we could. I could not tell if it was having any effect at all. I was reloading again, but then I saw a great burst of flame, heard a huge roar to our front, and a sound like scores of angry bees flying near my ears. In that instant, the men next to me on either side, and the 3 men behind me fell screaming. Old Petros was dead, but I did not know it yet. I finished reloading, but I waited for a moment, trying to see through the smoke. Then another roar like the first one, and I could hear men dying to my left. I aimed at the source and fired. Maybe I hit someone. All was blood and confusion now. I looked down and saw Petros, mangled and horrible, his face and right hand shredded by the close range canister shot that somehow passed me by. I could hear men crying out, I looked behind me and saw the survivors in the second rank looking terrified. I turned back to the front, and began reloading. I think this reassured them, because they closed ranks behind me, and men stepped up to my left and right. Our sergeant was bellowing something now, but he is Swedish and I can barely understand him even on good days. Now his words were just noise, but the man next to me began to shuffle to the left, so I shuffled left also, dressing ranks. Suddenly there was a huge ripple of fire in front of us, then another, and another, in just a few seconds. How they fired so fast, I have no idea, but it cut us to pieces. The man immediately on my left was killed, and then there was another huge roar as a cannon fired at us again. The blast killed a dozen men to my left, leaving a great hole in our line and, God forgive me, I gave thanks it was them and not me."
The Firefight Intensifies as the Mercenary Cavalry Attempt to Outflank the Russian Line
"This was the hardest moment. I could feel the men ready to run. I know I should have been terrified. Men were dying all around me, there was blood all over the ground, on me, it was even floating in the air like a red mist. The Russian infantry was pouring an unbelievable amount of fire into us. But I was not terrified. I was angry. Suddenly all I could feel was anger and I shouted at the Russian lines, cursing them and calling them sons of whores. I'm sorry to write that Helmi, but you told me not to skip anything, so I am being truthful. The few men around me began to call out curses too, although I doubt the enemy could hear us over the roar of the battle. Then I saw the tall man on the white horse! His horse was smeared with blood, and it was bright on its white coat. Filled with rage, I aimed at him, and fired. I could not see what happened from the smoke, but the man to my right cheered and looked at me, shouting that I'd knocked him right off his horse!
The First Saint Petersburg Militia Receiving Close Range Canister
"Then I heard another cheer, but from in front of us. It wasn't the Russians though, it was in Finnish! 'Hakkaapäälle!' I heard. Terrifying and glorious, over the sounds of cannon and muskets. Then I heard the Russians too, but it was not a cheer. It was a cry of alarm as they realized, somehow, they were being charged from behind by our cavalry. We halted our fire, and tried to redress our ranks. We were so few now, maybe half of us lay dead, or else writhing and screaming in agony. The smoke began to clear, and I looked to the right and saw our sister regiment right next to us. But the irregulars, those volunteers from the villages and taverns, they were among the artillery, butchering their crews with long knives, clubbing them to death with musket butts. I don't now how or when they got there, maybe when the colonel on the white horse had ridden out of the smoke and into my view."
The Mercenary Cavalry Charge Home
"The Russian line was gone now. The regiment we had been fighting had been completely destroyed, thanks to that glorious charge, and the artillery was overrun and its crews dead. But on our far right, the Russian infantry that had been bringing up the rear were gone. Someone said they had fled when the shooting started, and I wouldn't put it past them, those Russian cowards. Then a messenger arrived from the Lord Commander, ordering all of us to make haste across the road, where he had trapped the last Russian unit. How or when he had managed to do this, since we had all been fighting, the messenger did not say."
The Russian Line is Destroyed
"We could not even take a moment to catch our breath or count our dead. The order was given to load and then we began forwards. The mercenaries would not go. They had dismounted and were busy looting the Russian baggage (Which was mostly goods stolen from Finnish villages). The irregulars though, some of whom had had their towns and villages burned, were already ahead of us, apparently having spotted the Russians and were thirsty for more revenge."
The Militia Advances Whilst the Mercenaries Loot the Baggage
"We advanced quickly over the road, past the dead Russians and looting horsemen and up a small hill, leaving the cries of the wounded behind us. From there, we could see some Russians drawn up into a square, as if threatened by cavalry. Then I realized how the Lord Commander had 'Trapped' them. During the battle, he had ridden around their lines. But instead of charging into the unprotected rear like the mercenaries, he had followed the withdrawing Russians. When they were spotted, instead of being endangered by the vastly superior force, his small retinue had tricked the Russians into believing there was a larger detachment of horsemen nearby! They had formed a square in anticipation of being charged, and only now, as we came in to view, did they realize their mistake. But now it was too late."
The Russians Trap Themselves
"We formed up and marched into range. Surprisingly, the irregulars to our right had formed up also, bending their line to form a larger half square, surrounding the Russians' smaller square on two sides. We opened fire. It was ragged, but a wind was blowing from the west, and kept the smoke clear and we could see the damage we were doing. The irregulars were also firing, although even more raggedly than we were, and I could see the Russians falling very quickly. But they did not return fire."
The Russian Square Stands Firm Under Withering Fire
"Were they out of ammunition? Had they been ordered to hold fire in case they were charged by cavalry? I will never know. As they continued to not return fire, we became excited. We began to shout insults at them as they died. It was a frenzy of killing, as shot after shot poured into them. No shouts or orders came from their lines. No drum or fife played. They stood firm. We could not even hear cries of agony, although surely there were men wounded. Their square shrank, smaller and smaller. I will be honest with you Helmi, looking back now, I am almost ashamed. I am sorry I called them cowards. I have never seen men face death so bravely, unable to do anything about it. I will never forget it."
The Volunteer Irregulars Put Fire on the Russians
"Finally it was too much. The last few survivors, pitifully few, broke and ran. We let them go then. Suddenly all heart had gone out of us, and we could not even cheer as they fled, not even the irregulars who had come for blood. I just felt tired. Two or three of the Russians did not immediately run, but stood, facing us as if daring us to charge them, then backed up, before turning slowly and deliberately and marching away. We did not chase them, or call insults. But our Lord Commander, who had viewed the slaughter from a ridge to our left, took that moment to ride down on the small group of survivors. His 30 men outnumbered them now, and I looked away as they killed every last one of them. Even then, I did not hear screams of the dying and maimed. Brave men, those Russians."
The Lord Commander Evald Hultgren Surveys the Field of Battle
The Heroic Charge of the Lord Commander
The battle was ultimately a great success for the Swedes. The Russians lost almost the entirety of the raiding force, casualties estimated at about 350, with only a few desperate survivors making their way across hostile country back over their border to safety. The combined Swedish, Finnish (and probably Russian) ambushers suffered much lighter casualties, about 150, despite facing well armed and trained regulars. The Saint Petersburg Militia suffered the most badly, losing about 80 men out of 160, the majority due to close range artillery fire. The irregulars kept no records and disbanded shortly after the battle, although they reported that only a handful died, perhaps a dozen or so. The Mercenary horsemen who had turned the line and the tide of the battle, offer no battlefield account of dead or wounded, although the Lord Commander puts their strength as "Greatly Diminished" in his reports. The successful looting of the Russian baggage by the mercenaries would no doubt have attracted sufficient replacements to keep them in fighting condition, and they would play a key roll in future battles. The success of the battle also fueled enlistments in the militia, despite its losses. The First Saint Petersburg Militia Regiment also received an honourific nickname, which has been kept to this day, "Saint Petersburg's Stonewalls" or just "The Stonewalls".
The battle itself, while not a major engagement was notable for two reasons. First, it appears to have put a stop to the small border raids from Muskovy by the Russians for some time, although this may also be attributed to the successful Swedish campaign in Karelia. Secondly, it is the first time Russian forces approached Saint Petersburg in the war, although certainly with no intentions against it. This is, perhaps, why it is known as the First Siege of Saint Petersburg. It would not be the last.
[ETW AAR] The Great Northern War (Sample Chapter)
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