Sotilaspoikien muistomerkki

Related photographs

Photographs of the same subject from the same municipality. They do not show this site — each caption says what it actually shows.

• Oravaisten taistelun muistomerkki Vöyrissä.Museovirasto · CC BY 4.0
• Vöyrin kirkon kellotapuli ja sankarihautausmaa. Vasemmalla Ilmari Wirkkalan suunnittelema sankarimuistomerkki ja oikealla kansalaissodan muistomerkki.Museovirasto · CC BY 4.0
• Vuoden 1918 sankarihauta, vanha hautausmaa, Vöyrinkatu 1, VaasaPohjanmaan museo · CC BY 4.0

What happened here

Battles, troop movements and military operations recorded near this site.

1. 14 September 1808

   Battle of Oravais

   Battle · Suomen sota · 260 m

   The Battle of Oravais (occasionally Orawais; Finnish: Oravaisten taistelu; Swedish: Slaget vid Oravais) from September 14 until September 15 was one of the decisive battles in the Finnish War, fought from 1808 to 1809 between Sweden and the Russian Empire as part of the wider Napoleonic Wars. Taking place in modern-day Vörå in western Finland, it is sometimes regarded as the turning point of the Finnish War: the last chance for Sweden to turn the war to her advantage. It was the bloodiest battle of the conflict, along with the Battle of Sävar, which some historians attribute to the exhaustion, resignation and desperation of the Swedish army: it was losing the war, and defeat led to its loss of Finland to Russia. In this battle Count Nikolay Mikhailovich Kamensky, who was in charge of the Russians, displayed outstanding military qualities, showing himself a worthy disciple of Suvorov. Considering the uncertain situation before the battle, he deploys his forces in echelons; but, as soon as the main Swedish force at Oravais is determined, he endeavours to bring everyone onto the battlefield at a crucial moment. The Swedish army was commanded by Count Wilhelm Mauritz Klingspor, who decided to accept the battle on a fortified position.

   == Prelude == At the beginning of the war, Swedish forces had retreated to Oulu. They had then managed to repel the Russians and reach Savonia despite the capitulation of the fortress of Sveaborg by the end of summer 1808. Russia recuperated quickly, and by the end of August the Swedish army was again retreating northwards along the coastal road. To avoid being encircled, Colonel Georg Carl von Döbeln was sent in advance to Nykarleby with a brigade. The threat of encirclement was exaggerated, but the Swedish army was at this point showing signs of panic and collapse. On 13 September the army left for Oravais and it halted to await news from von Döbeln, who was fighting the Russians at Jutas. The sound of a cannon was heard in Oravais, and a brigade was sent to reinforce von Döbeln. The Russian main army had marched from Vasa in furious pursuit of the Swedish forces. The night before 14 September was spent in bivouacs along the road between Vörå and Oravais. The impulsive General-Major Yakov Kulnev's troops had taken the lead and were the first to make contact with the Swedes. The Swedes had between 3,500 and 5,500 men available for the battle, with the most likely figure being near 5,000 men according to Hugo Schulman. The Russians had 6,000 or over 7,000 men. According to some Swedish and Russian estimates, their enemies had 7,000 and 8,500 men respectively.

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   Read more on Wikipedia · Wikipedian tekijät, CC BY-SA 4.0

Nearby

One site is rarely a trip on its own. These are the closest others.

• Veteraanien ja Lottien muistomerkkiVöyri · Memorial10 m
• Oravaisten taistelun muistomerkki (Minnestod)Vöyri · Memorial45 m
• Lotta Svärdin kivi(siirtolohkare)Vöyri · Memorial213 m
• Vöyri, Oravaisten hautausmaaVöyri · War cemetery2,6 km
• Sankarimuistomerkki, OravainenVöyri · Memorial2,7 km
• VöyriVöyri · War cemetery16 km