In 1626 the Närke-Värmland regiment participated in King Gustav II Adolf’s campaign in Prussia and was quartered in the main camp in Dirschau. The regiment participated in the battle of Mewe on September 21, 1626 under the command of Alexander Lesslie. In the beginning of 1627 one of the regiment’s two Värmland battalions was garrisoned at Braunsberg. The other Värmland battalion and the Närke battalion were in the field army and participated in the battle at Dantzinger-Haupt during the night of May 25 1627. In July all of the regiment’s battalions were reunited at the camp in Käsemarkt. When the army went into winter quarters, Kegg’s battalion returned to Sweden while Lesslie’s battalions were consolidated into a field regiment of 8 companies.During the spring of 1629 Matts Kagg’s battalion returned to Prussia to reinforce the regiment. At the end of 1629, Axel Lilje was commander of the now weak but consolidated regiment with foot soldiers from Närke and Värmland. The regiment was then sent back to Sweden to be reinforced by new soldiers. Prior to 1629 the Närke battalion was sometimes referred to as the Närke regiment and the two Värmland battalions were sometimes referred to as the Värmland regiment. However, from 1629 the three battalions were exclusively referred to as Närke-Värmland regiment.The Thirty Years' War, 1630 - 1648:Sweden participated in the Thirty Years' War between 1630 and 1648 on the Protestant side.During the summer of 1630, one of the Närke-Värmland regiment’s battalions was among the troops sent with King Gustav II Adolf of Sweden (in English known by his Latinized name Gustavus Adolphus) to Germany and they participated in the landing at Peenemünde on the isle Usedom at June 26. They also participated in the conquest of Stettin on July 10, 1630. Later the same year the Närke-Värmland battalion was consolidated with a battalion from the Uppland regiment forming a new field regiment with 8 companies. In May 1631 the regiment was acting garrison crew at the Spandau fortress. They were relieved by other troops in July and joined the field army in Werben where they participated in the battle there when Count Johann Tilly’s forces made an attack on the Swedes on July 24, 1631. The attack was repelled by the Swedes. Tilly was the supreme commander of the Holy Roman Empire's armed forces in the war agains the Protestants.The regiment also participated in the known battle of Breitelfeld, just northeast of Breitelfeld on September 1631. The Närke-Värmland regiment stood in the center of the first line and belonged to the second brigade from the right which was under the command of Colonel Åke Oxenstierna (Regimental commander of Dalregementet (Dal regiment)). This brigade was manned entirely by Swedish soldiers.On August 8 1631 the regiment also participated in the assault of the castle Marienburg at Würstburg where the regiment then was garrisoned.On March 1633 the Uppland battalion of the regiment was consolidated with another regiment. In their place a battalion of Germans was enlisted. The remaining battalion of the Närke-Värmland regiment was by now greatly reduced and was sent back to Sweden during the spring of 1633 to be reinforced.In 1634 the Närke-Värmland regiment was shipped to Pommern (Pomerania) were it was garrisoned. Thomas Thomasson was now the regimental commander. Already in 1635 the regiment was back home again. In 1636 they were sent back to Pommern were they were assigned to Johan Banérs army division as a reinforcement.The regiment participated in the battle of Wittstock in September 24 1636 where they formed a brigade of their own that was located towards the right of the foot soldier section in the second line. The regiment also participated in the siege of Leipzig in the beginning of 1637. During the following years the regiment received reinforcement from Sweden annually. In 1640 one on the Närke-Värmland battalions was in Sweden. In 1642 the battalion at home replaced the battalion in Germany and the battalion in Germany was sent home. The battalion at home was then reinforced to a full regiment of 1,200 soldiers through conscription and in 1644 was garrisoned in Gothenburg.The remaining battalion in Germany probably participated in the siege of Prague in 1648. This battalion didn’t arrive back in Sweden until 1649.King Karl X:s Danish War, 1657 - 1658:In May 1657, during the Swedish war in Poland, Denmark declared war with Sweden. During 1657 the Närke-Värmland regiment, now reinforced, was a part of an army corps of about 6,000 soldiers lead by King Karl X which marched from Poland to Denmark. The force was small, but these were probably the best and most experienced soldiers at the time. The majority of the Swedish soldiers had participated in more than 30 battles.The Swedes attacked Denmark from Germany and the fortress Frederiksodde, Jutland, Denmark, was besieged in August. The Närke-Värmland regiment participated in the assault of the fortress during the night of October 24 where they were in the middle assault column. The Swedes now controlled the whole of Jutland.The regiment also participated in the daring crossing of Lilla Bält sound over the ice on January 30, 1658 and the crossing on the ice of Stora Bält sound on February 5 to the island Zealand (Where Copenhagen is located). The Närke-Värmland regiment also participated in the assault of Copenhagen on February 11, where they were in the right assault column, under the command of major general Essen.The crossing on the ice of the two sounds was a risky operation but was very successful. The Danish waters rarely freeze to ice but this was a very cold winter. This opened the way to Copenhagen for the Swedes and forced the Danes to surrender. The peace treaty was devastating for Denmark. In the peace treaty Sweden received all the Danish provinces on the Swedish peninsula: Skåne, Blekinge, Halland, Bohuslän plus the island Bornholm and Trondheim province in today’s Norway. In the peace treaty Denmark lost about 1/3 of its territory.King Karl XI:s War, 1675 – 1679 – A War with Denmark, Brandenburg and the Netherlands:During 1675 and 1676 the Närke-Värmland regiment was on duty in Värmland where the regiment’s regimental commander, Colonel Gyllenspets, was in charge of the defense against attacks from Danish Norway. In the fall of 1676 one of the Närke-Värmland battalions was ordered to Småland to join the field army, then gathered in Ljungby.The battalion participated in the battle of Lund, Skåne, on December 4 1676 where they stood in the left-center part of the first line and sustained heavy casualties.The battalion was reinforced in 1677 and participated in the battle of Landskrona, Skåne, on July 14, 1677 where the battalion stood in the center of the second line. Just before the battle, a second battalion of the Närke-Värmland regiment arrived to the field army and they stood in the left wing of the second line. The third of the Närke-Värmland battalions remained in Värmland where two of its companies were guarding of the frontier to Norway, among other places in Eda parish (Värmland).During 1678 only a small part of the Närke-Värmland regiment was in the main army. Two Närke-Värmland battalions under the command of colonel Hård were part of Admiral Stenbock’s army corps that gathered in Göteborg (Gothenburg). On July 22 1678 this corps rescued Bohus fortress, Bohuslän, and managed to force the Danish force from Norway to withdraw back to Norway. The force from Norway had earlier besieged the Bohus fortress.During 1679, one of the Närke-Värmland battalions was part of Stenbock’s army and participated in the unsuccessful assault on Uddevalla redoubt in Bohuslän.
1700s
The Great Northern War - Det stora nordiska kriget, 1700 - 1721:Just before the war, Russia, Poland and Denmark formed a pact of aggression against Sweden. They were all after Swedish territory. Russia was after the Baltic coast, Poland wanted Livland (a Swedish Baltic province) and Denmark wanted to regain the Skåne provinces in southern Sweden. The three nations of the pact were all convinced that Sweden was weak after the death of King Karl XI in 1697, especially under the young, inexperienced regent King Karl XII. They were now to meet one of the best armies in Europe at this time, the Swedish Carolean Army.The irony is that three of the four kings involved in this war were related. Karl of Sweden, Frederik of Denmark and August of Poland were all first cousins. The fourth ruler was Tsar Peter “the Great” of Russia. Karl XII of Sweden is also known as Charles XII in English.See Sweden's borders in 1700King Karl XII of Sweden decided to first deal with Denmark. Denmark surrendered to Sweden after only 14 days of war.The regimental commander of the Närke-Värmland Regiment at the beginning of the war was Lieutenant General Reinhold Rehbinder. Second in command was Lieutenant-Colonel Carl Gustaf Roos. During the spring of 1700 the Närke-Värmland regiment was mobilized and sent on duty along the Norwegian border (Norway belonged to Denmark then). After the surrender of the Danes in August the Närke-Värmland regiment was sent back home.After the war with Denmark, Sweden turned its attention east towards Russia. The units that had been involved in the war against Denmark were now deployed to the Swedish provinces in the Baltic region. They were shipped from Karlskrona, a naval station in southern Sweden.At this time other regiments also received orders to be transported to the Baltic provinces in order to reinforce the field army. The Närke-Värmland Regiment was one of these regiments.To the right there is a picture of the standard Carolean blue and yellow uniform of the time that all infantry and cavalry regiments wore. There were some regiments though that had uniforms with some variations in color. The Närke-Värmland regiment was one regiment with some differences in color. Their uniform was blue and red. See below to the right.At the end of August 1700 Lieutenant-Colonel Carl Gustaf Roos was ordered to the Baltic provinces together with the three Närke companies of the regiment: Life Company, Major’s Company and Örebro Company. The Kristinehamn Company and 54 soldiers of the Karlstad Company were ordered to follow the other companies a few days later.They all marched from Värmland to Stockholm where they were shipped to the Baltic provinces.The force counted 13 officers, 20 NCOs, 12 drummers and pipers, 26 corporals and 674 soldiers.The unit assembled in Stockholm at the end of September and on October 1 they boarded Navy ships. The journey took 6 days: on October 6 they arrived at Pernau in today’s Estonia.On November 20, 1700 the Närke-Värmland detachment, organized into 2 battalions, participated at the battle of Narva. The two battalions were under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Roos and Captain Gideon Fock, respectively, and both battalions stood in the right half of the left wing, which was under the command of Major General Majdell. The Närke-Värmland battalions were among the units that began the assault and they fought on the part of the front where the fighting was most intense. As a consequence, the Närke-Värmland battalions suffered many casualties.1701:After Narva, the Närke-Värmland unit needed reinforcements. On April 1, 1701 a unit of 445 soldiers marched from Örebro to be shipped to the field army. This unit consisted of 328 soldiers from the rotar that had lost their soldiers in the war and now had recruited new ones. 238 of these were from Närke rotar and 90 from Värmland rotar. In this unit there were also the remaining 117 soldiers from Karlstads Company. A few NCOs from the companies at home accompanied the unit to train the fresh soldiers.Now, 5 of the 10 companies were on duty in the field army, while 5 were at home.According to a record from the spring of 1701 the regiment had 816 soldiers in the Baltics and 858 at home.The Närke-Värmland battalions also participated in the crossing of Düna River on July 9 1701, however without being actively involved in the battle.In the fall of 1701 Carl Gustaf Roos was promoted to Colonel and officially the regimental commander of the Närke-Värmland regiment. The detachment was now referred to as Närke-Värmland regiment.Later in the fall 1701 the regiment received a reinforcement of about 90 new recruits plus the Näs Company. Näs Company left Örebro October 5, 1701. So, now 6 of the regiment’s 10 companies were deployed to the field army abroad. The companies at home were: The Lieutenant Colonel's Company, Älvdals Company, Jösse härads Company, and Nordmarks Company (the four companies from the western parts of Värmland facing the Norwegian border). After two years of war in the Baltic provinces with Russia King Karl XII decided to deal with Poland.In 1702 about 88 new soldiers were recruited to reinforce the regiment. They were shipped out in April. July 9 1702 the regiment participated in the battle of Clissow where they stood in the center of the first line.More reinforcement was sent in 1703 (no details about how many). In August 1703, 43 soldiers were sent to the regiment, 15 of those were from Närke. Later in 1703 another reinforcement were sent, 147 soldiers. 63 of these were from Närke and 85 from Värmland. Now it is beginning to be difficult to get hold of new recruits.During 1703 the Närke-Värmland battalions participated in the siege of Thorn. In the fall of 1703 Carl Gustaf Roos got permission from the King to visit Sweden. In January 1704 he held a muster with the 4 companies at home. It is noted in this muster that 66 of the soldiers were discharged (due to old age I presume). He also held a recruiting campaign while at home.Roos returned to the field army in early summer of 1704. He brought new recruits with him, 233 soldiers in total. 109 of those were from Närke and 124 from Värmland. The age of the new soldiers varied from 20 to 25.In 1705 a contingent of 160 new soldiers were sent to the regiment, 77 of those were from Närke and 83 from Värmland. In addition, the contingent also contained 17 officers and NCOs and 36 “baggage hands” (trossdrängar).In 1706 a contingent of 104 new soldiers were sent to the regiment in the beginning of July. In 1706 the regiment was a part of general Rehnskiölds army corps and participated in the victorious battle of Fraustadt, Poland on February 3 1706. In this battle the Närke-Värmland regiment began the attack and managed to make an opening in the enemy line that made it possible for the Swedish cavalry to break through the front.See mapThe musters and records for the field army for the period between 1707 and 1709 are missing since they were destroyed after Poltava in 1709, prior to the surrender to the Russians a few days later.However, from the records kept in Sweden we know that contingents were sent to the regiment in both 1707 and1708.After the peace treaty with Poland in 1708 it was easier to recruit new soldiers again.In May 1708 about 50 new recruits (18 of those were from Närke) were sent to the regiment. In August another 17 soldiers were sent to the regiment.The new soldiers recruited in 1708 never participated in the war with Russia 1708 – 1709 (The Russian campaign). These soldiers were garrisoned in Riga, Livland (Livonia) in the Baltic region (today’s Lithuania).During 1708 the regiment participated in the battle of Malatycze on August 31.In August 1707 the strength of the Närke-Värmland regiment in the field army was 988 soldiers. At the end of the year it was 954. In July 1708 it was down to 919. Within the next three months another 170 soldiers died.Between November 1708 and January 1709 another 65 soldiers died. On June 1, 1709, a few weeks before the battle at Poltava the regiment counted 20 officers, 33 NCOs and 638 soldiers. Many officers and NCOs were transferred to Närke-Värmland regiment from disestablished temporary field regiments and dissolved Finnish units. Several NCOs were promoted to officer ranks. The vacancies among the NCOs were filled with promoted soldiers. The regiment now numbered 1200 soldiers.The battle of Poltava, Ukraine on June 28, 1709 was in reality two battles, one in the morning and one a few hours later. The following text of the battle only contains the Närke-Värmland participation of the battle.The main target for the Swedes when they attacked was the Russian main camp. However, the camp was guarded by 9 separate redoubts (built in a T-shape), which the Swedes had to pass in order to get to the main camp.The redoubts were a kind of fortification (earthwork). The redoubts were manned by 4,000 Russian infantry soldiers (8 battalions) and 6 guns. These redoubts were located in a narrow passage, which the Swedes had to pass in order to charge the Russian main force.The Russian cavalry was located behind the earthworks, about 9,000 cavalrymen (85 squadrons). There were 9 more guns at the cavalry location. The Russian main force (in the camp) was about 25,500 soldiers forming 51 battalions plus the artillery with 73 guns. The Russians had about 40,000 men in total.The Swedes numbered about 25,000 soldiers of which 8,000 was cavalry.The Swedish army had been outnumbered in many previous battles, so being outnumbered this time did not bother them.The Swedes plan was to engage the Russians in the redoubts with a smaller force while the main part of the Swedish army would pass on both sides. The plan was not to destroy the redoubts, just to pass them. The Swedes were therefore not formed in a battle line but in 4 columns.The first two battalions in the 2nd and 3rd columns (in total 2,600 soldiers) received orders to attack and contain the redoubts so the other battalions could pass on either side.The first Närke-Värmland battalion was under the command Lieutenant-Colonel Rehbinder and the second battalion was under the command of George Henrik Wrangel.The first of the Närke-Värmland’s two battalions was in the force that attacked the redoubts. The commander in charge of this mission was Major General Karl Gustav Roos.The first and second redoubts were easily taken but the third one was tougher. Roos made several attempts to take this redoubt but failed each time with great losses.Meanwhile the main force passed the redoubts on each side.What happens now is still a mystery. Even though the main force had passed the redoubts, Roos kept on charging the redoubts, each time with great losses of men.Maybe he misunderstood his orders and thought he was supposed to secure the redoubts at any cost instead of follow the main force after they had passed. About two thirds (2/3) of his men were killed before finally he withdrew from the scene and took a defensive position east of this place. This meant that the main force was now deprived of 2,600 soldiers.The Russians sent both cavalry and infantry to find Roos. Roos lined up his men for a last battle but finally he had to surrender. Meanwhile the Swedish cavalry caused the Russian cavalry great losses.Later this day stood the main battle where the Swedes had severe losses and had to retreat. The second battalion of the Närke-Värmland regiment fought in this battle. The second battalion stood in the left wing of the infantry line. This wing suffered severe losses in the beginning of the battle and had to withdraw. The Russian artillery caused great damages to the Swedish lines. The Swedes had no artillery at the battle scene to support the infantry.The previously victorious Swedish army was finally defeated at Poltava. Roughly 6,900 Swedish soldiers were killed in the battle. About 2,760 soldiers were taken prisoner of war. In total the Swedish army lost 9,600 soldiers in the battle.Russian casualties were 1,345 dead and 3,290 wounded.
A great many of the Närke-Värmland soldiers died in the battle and the rest were taken prisoner a few days later in Perevoloczna on July 1 1709 when the Swedes surrendered to the Russians. Of the Närke-Värmland regiment’s 1200 soldiers before the battle only 416 remained after the battle.After Poltava a new Närke-Värmland regiment had to be recruited. This was accomplished relatively quickly. Lieutenant Colonel Fabian Hastfehr was appointed the new regimental commander.When the Danes attacked Sweden after Poltava, the Norwegian border was guarded by the four Närke-Värmland companies that had remained at home.This force was now reinforced with newly recruited companies.A muster roll from 1711 shows that the strength of the regiment as 1,652 soldiers.So, there were not many vacancies at the rotar at this time.Lieutenant Colonel Christer Horn was promoted new regimental commander in the spring of 1711.In May 1712 the regiment received orders to march to the south of Sweden with 6 of the companies. The detachment was then shipped to northern Germany (in September). The Närke-Värmland force consisted of 988 soldiers.In Germany the regiment was a part of general Stenbock’s campaign and participated in the victorious battle at Gadebusch December 9 1712. The battalions were under the command of Colonel Adlerfelt and Major Starkenflycht, respectively, and stood in the center of the right wing in the first line.The Närke-Värmland force was among the units that surrendered to the Danes in Tönningen in May 1713. The Swedes held the fortress in Tönningen but ran out of supplies and ammunition during the Danish siege and had no other option but to surrender.Once again, the Närke-Värmland regiment had to recruit new soldiers to replace the missing ones.The 4 companies that had been at home were still in good shape and they were once again sent to guard the Norwegian border. The recruiting campaign started immediately but by now there was a shortage of men of suitable age.In Karlstad, January 1714, 27 new recruits were refused due to their young age.There was a general muster in December 1714 with the 4 old companies and another muster in September 1715 with the 6 new ones. The regiment now counted 1418 soldiers. The regiment was once again at roughly full strength but also had 256 vacancies. Furthermore, the recruits at the 6 rebuilt companies were badly equipped.In the spring of 1715 the 6 new companies were ordered to the Stockholm area to participate in a force that was gathered there to meet a possible Russian attack.In 1716 Sweden made an attack into Norway. The army was divided into two forces. The King led the southern one and the Närke-Värmland regiment was in this force of 3,000 soldiers. The attack was launched into Danish Norway from Holmedal in Värmland to Kristiania (Oslo) in Norway but was aborted due to bad winter weather.See mapIn 1718 all Swedish units were mobilized and an army of 40,000 soldiers was again launching an attack on Danish Norway. The army was divided into one northern and one southern army corps. The northern army attacked Norway from Jämtland and the southern army from Dalsland and Värmland.Before the attack the Närke-Värmland regiment was at full strength. There was a general muster in May 1718.The Närke-Värmland regiment was in the southern force that attacked from Värmland. This force attacked Norway on November 4, 1718. However, at November 30, King Karl XII was killed in action and the whole campaign was aborted.See map1 and map2For the rest of the war the Närke-Värmland regiment was posted north of Stockholm during the summer, together with other forces, to prevent a possible attack from Russia.On August 30, 1721, a peace treaty finally was signed in Nystad, Finland between Sweden and Russia. The treaty ended the Great Northern War.See also a summary in English of the Great Northern WarThe War of the Hats, 1741 - 1743:After the Great Northern War, which ended in 1721, Sweden lost not only the Baltic provinces but also a part of southeastern Finland.During the 1730’s plans was formed to recapture the lost land, primarily the lost parts of southeastern Finland on the Karelian Isthmus. At this time there were two dominating political parties in Sweden, the Hats (Hattarna) and the Caps (Mössorna). The Hats were in favor of war and when they got into power, preparation for war began. In 1739 troops were sent to Finland. A declaration of war was sent to Russia on July 28, 1741.In October 1739, 988 soldiers from the Närke-Värmland regiment were shipped from Rådmansö, Uppland, to Finland where they were quartered in the south. This force formed a battalion consisting of the three Närke companies (Life Company, Major’s Company and Örebro Company) and three Värmland companies (Kristinehamn, Karlstad and Näs companies), lead by regimental commander, Lieutenant-General Henrik Magnus von Buddenbrock, and seconded by Lieutenant Colonel Silfversvärd.When the war broke out in August 1741 they were quartered in the camp at Kvarnby near Fredrikshamn town where the main army had gathered. In August the Russians advanced into Finland along the road to Villmarstrand. On August 23 1741 the Swedish main army marched under the command of Lieutenant-General von Buddenbrock to Martilla (Davidstad) to assist a Swedish detachment there commanded by Major General Wrangel. However, General Wrangel did not wait for the main army to arrive. Instead he marched with his force to Villmarstrand where they engaged the Russian force. The Russians outnumbered the Wrangel force and won the battle.Buddenbrock then returned with the army to Kvarnby where they stayed for the rest of the autumn.Field diseases broke out in the camp and many soldiers died. The weather was bad and there was also a shortage of supplies. In December 1741 the Swedes made a raid into Russia and thereafter went into winter quarters in southern Finland.The following year, 1742, the Närke-Värmland battalion participated in the Swedish withdrawal to Helsinki and was shipped back to Sweden on the galley fleet (Army Fleet) after the surrender in Helsinki on August 20 1742. The battalion arrived at Vaxholm on September 2, 1742.See map.The Pomeranian War, 1757 - 1762:In September 1757 two battalions of the Närke-Värmland regiment were shipped to Pomerania where they were a part of the field army. On September 28 1757 the Närke-Värmland battalions participated in the battle of Fehrbellin and on September 30 in the battle at Löckenitz under the command of Major General von Hessensteins. During 1760 one of the battalions was a part of Lieutenant-General Ehrensvärd’s division that crossed the border at Anklam and advanced to Pasewalck where they withheld a Prussian attack from Stettin.See map.King Gustav III:s Russian War, 1788 - 1790:The Swedish King Gustav III started a war with Russia in 1788. His purpose was to gain domestic and international advantages. King Gustav III was strengthening his position. A war would direct the public attention away from domestic affairs.At the end of June 1788 the third battalion of the Närke-Värmland regiment was shipped on the galley fleet to Helsinki, Finland. From there they marched towards the Russian border and crossed into Russia where they were quartered at Pyttis. In October, when the army went into winter quarters, the battalion was a part of the coastal division which stood under the command of Lieutenant-General Mejerfelt.When Danish troops from Norway crossed the border into Sweden in September 1788 and advanced into Bohuslän one of the two Närke-Värmland battalions remaining at home was assigned to Colonel Armfelt’s brigade in Värmland. Parts of the Närke-Värmland regiment were garrisoned in Göteborg.The battalion in Finland was also in 1789 a part of the coastal division and participated on July 8 to 9 in the battles at Suttula and on July 19 in the battle at Högfors.In the middle of August 1789 the battalion received order to march to Anjala to reinforce the division there which stood under the command of Colonel Pauli. Here they participated in a battle on August 14. In September 1789 the two Närke-Värmland battalions in Sweden were shipped to Finland where they were inserted into Colonel Armfelt’s brigade at the Nyland coast. The brigade had been ordered to prevent Russian landings there. About 100 soldiers from the Närke-Värmland battalions participated in an assault on Russian earthworks at Elgön during the night of September 39, 1789. When the army went into winter quarters in 1789 the three Närke-Värmland battalions were united at St. Michel.During 1790 the Närke-Värmland regiment participated in several battles in Savolax, Finland. In the battles of Partakoski and Kärnakoski on April 15 1790, the regiment was a part of the main army. When the Russians on April 30 1790 tried to regain their lost positions the 1st and 2nd Närke-Värmland battalions together with about 1,000 soldiers, defended the pass (gorge) at Kärnakoski with great bravery against a Russian force three times their size. One of the Närke-Värmland battalions was surrounded but managed to break through the enemy lines with a bayonet charge. One of the Närke-Värmland battalion commanders, Captain Rinning was killed in the battle, while the other battalion commander Captain Rayalin was wounded.The 3rd Närke-Värmland battalion was the same day involved in the battle of Kärnakoski. Their bayonet charge during the battle forced the Russian right wing to withdraw and thereby regained a cannon that had fallen into the hands of the Russians.On June 4 1790, one of the Närke-Värmland battalions, together the regiment’s commando unit, participated in the battle at Savitaipale. During the assault of the Russian batteries the Närke-Värmland battalion sustained heavy casualties. At one point a single Russian bomb killed 30 soldiers of the battalion.See map.
1800s
The Pomeranian War, a War with France, 1805 - 1807:In January 1807 one of the Närke-Värmland battalions was shipped to Stralsund, Pomerania and soon thereafter a second Närke-Värmland battalion was shipped to the same destination. In Pomerania the battalions were assigned to the 4th brigade, which was under command of Colonel Vegesack, who had orders to guard the southern border, the so-called “Franken front”. The Närke-Värmland commando soldiers participated on February 12 1807 in an assault where an enemy earthwork was captured and later defended against the French who attempted to recapture it.The Närke-Värmland Life battalion (1st battalion) was among the Swedish troops in Stralsund that on April 1 launched an attack on French forces and engaged in the battle at Lüdershagen.The following day the battalion together with the left wing of the Swedish army advanced from Anklam to Stettin. In Stettin the Life battalion was reunited with the second battalion. When the French launched an offensive on April 16 1807, both Närke-Värmland battalions, along with some cavalry units and artillery, were in Alt-Kosenow. The Närke-Värmland battalions were in the rear-guard when the Swedes withdrew. The battalions were involved in several hours of combat with the French but managed to retreat to Anklam.The Närke-Värmland battalions later participated on July 14 in the battle of Steinhagen when the Swedes had to withdraw to Stralsund.The Närke-Värmland commando soldiers were involved in combat with a French outpost on July 15 at the Franken front.In September the Närke-Värmland battalions were shipped with the rest of the Army from the island Rügen, just north of Stralsund, to Sweden after the Swedish surrender to the French on September 7 1807.See map.The Russian War, 1808 - 1809:On February 21 1808 the Russian forces crossed the Swedish border in southeastern Finland. No declaration of war preceded the Russian attack.On March 14 1808 Denmark declared war with Sweden. Sweden now had a two-front war; in the east in Finland and in the west with Denmark. This forced Sweden to split its army into two parts.During 1808 the Närke-Värmland regiment was a part of the 1st brigade in the right wing of the Swedish army corps that took position along the Danish-Norwegian border, under the command of general Armfelt. The 1st brigade crossed the border into Norway in the middle of April at Eda, Värmland, across the village Mango and advanced to Norwegian fortified positions in Lier, south of the Kongsvinger fortress. Here the Norwegians were forced to withdraw after an intense battle. In this battle the Närke-Värmland regiment earned great honor for its achievements. The Närke battalion of the Närke-Värmland regiment, under the command of major Cederström, managed to surround the Norwegian position which contributed to the Swedish victory. The brigade then took position in Masterud where on May 1st the enemy attacked them. The Swedes successfully turned back the assault. The Norwegians at the right wing of the brigade launched another attack on May 18 at Mobäck but this was also successfully stopped. A detachment from the 1st brigade under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Adlersparre made a surprise assault on an enemy post at Magnor and Emterud on July 19 1808 and captured many enemy soldiers. Lieutenant-Colonel Adlersparre carried out a similar assault at Magnor on September 22.In the beginning of December 1808 an armistice was signed between Denmark and Sweden and thereby ended all war activities in Norway.The Närke-Värmland regiment participated in the coup d'état against King Gustav IV Adolf. The regiment and some other units were in the forces under the command of George Adlersparre that marched to Stockholm to dethrone King Gustav Adolf.The troops that had been gathered in Karlstad, Värmland began their march on March 8 and 9 1809 and on March 22 they arrived in Stockholm. The distance of 350 km (218 miles) was covered in 14 days.The opponents to the king got their way and King Gustav Adolf was dethroned. The king’s paternal uncle, Duke Karl, became new King of Sweden as Karl XIII.During the summer of 1809 the Närke-Värmland regiment was back in Värmland on guard duty along the Norwegian border.The division of the Närke-Värmland regiment in 1812:In 1812 the Närke-Värmland regiment was divided into two separate regiments, Närke regiment and Värmland regiment.New regimental commander of the Värmland regiment was Carl Cederström while the former Närke-Värmland regimental commander Carl Johan Lejonstedt became new commander of the Närke regiment.The War Against Napoleon, 1813 - 1814:The former French field marshal, Jean Baptist Bernadote, was chosen new heir of the Swedish throne in 1814 as Prince Carl Johan, adopted by the King Karl XIII. Prince Carl Johan was the commander of the Northern Army in the alliance against Napoleon consisting of 155,000 soldiers. The Swedish army was a part of the Northern Army in this war.In the middle of May 1813 the Närke regiment was shipped, via Dalarö outside Stockholm, to Stralsund where they landed in May 14. The regiment was organized in two battalions and was assigned to the 3rd brigade, which was under the command of Major General Brändström in the 2nd division, which was under the command of Lieutenant General Sandels. The regiment participated in all of the army’s campaigns during 1813 including the battles of Dennewitz on August 6, Grossbeeren on August 23 and Leipzig on October 16th to 19th. However, the regiment wasn’t actively involved in the assault of Leipzig. In those battles the Swedish colonel Carl von Cardell and his mounted artillery played an active role. The Närke regiment then marched to Holstein where 112 soldiers from the regiment participated in the capture of the island Femern where they seized a huge store of arms and army supplies. The regiment then followed the army down to Belgium. During the spring of 1814 the regiment was shipped to Sweden.The Värmland regiment didn’t participate in the war against Napoleon.Norwegian campaign 1814:In the war against Napoleon Denmark was an ally of France. During this war Sweden attacked Denmark, which surrendered to Sweden. In the peace treaty after the Napoleonic wars, Danish Norway became a part of Sweden. However, Norway objected to this and Sweden launched an attack on Norway. Norway then ended up under Swedish sovereignty.During the Norwegian campaign the Närke Regiment was a part of the 6th brigade under the command of Bergenstråle in the 3rd division under the command of Boyes who on August 2 1814 crossed the Norwegian border at Svinesund. During the following days the 6th brigade marched to Rakkestad to support Vegesack’s column. The Närke regiment was then a part of the Vegesack column until the armistice in Moss on August 1814. The column was then in Trögstad, 45 km southeast of Kristiania (the old name of Oslo).The Värmland Regiment was organized into 4 battalions, where 3 of the battalions were a part of the 9th brigade under the command of Colonel Klingspor. The 4th Värmland battalion was a part of the 10th brigade under the command of Colonel Gahn af Colqhoun. Both these brigades were a part of the 5th army division under the command of Major General Rosenblad.The 9th brigade crossed the Norwegian border on July 30 at Bärby and Prestbakke and arrived at Fredrikshall on August 1 where they participated in the siege of fortress Fredriksten. A detachment of the three Värmland battalions was among the troops in Vegesack’s division that marched north a few days later and participated in the battles at Rakkestad on August 6 and at Langenäs and Askim on August 9. In Langenäs one of the regiment’s battalions under the command of Major Lagerlöv withstood with great bravery an enemy assault from the Norwegian bridgehead at Lagenäs.The 10th brigade crossed the Norwegian border at Morast on August 1 and participated in the battle at Lier south of Kongsvinger on August 2 and on August 5 in the battle at Midskog. In the latter battle the 4th Värmland battalion formed in a line just left of the church and the bridge across River Wrangälven and suffered great losses.See map.
In 1626 the Närke-Värmland regiment participated in King Gustav II Adolf’s campaign in Prussia and was quartered in the main camp in Dirschau. The regiment participated in the battle of Mewe on September 21, 1626 under the command of Alexander Lesslie. In the beginning of 1627 one of the regiment’s two Värmland battalions was garrisoned at Braunsberg. The other Värmland battalion and the Närke battalion were in the field army and participated in the battle at Dantzinger-Haupt during the night of May 25 1627. In July all of the regiment’s battalions were reunited at the camp in Käsemarkt. When the army went into winter quarters, Kegg’s battalion returned to Sweden while Lesslie’s battalions were consolidated into a field regiment of 8 companies.During the spring of 1629 Matts Kagg’s battalion returned to Prussia to reinforce the regiment. At the end of 1629, Axel Lilje was commander of the now weak but consolidated regiment with foot soldiers from Närke and Värmland. The regiment was then sent back to Sweden to be reinforced by new soldiers. Prior to 1629 the Närke battalion was sometimes referred to as the Närke regiment and the two Värmland battalions were sometimes referred to as the Värmland regiment. However, from 1629 the three battalions were exclusively referred to as Närke-Värmland regiment.The Thirty Years' War, 1630 - 1648:Sweden participated in the Thirty Years' War between 1630 and 1648 on the Protestant side.During the summer of 1630, one of the Närke-Värmland regiment’s battalions was among the troops sent with King Gustav II Adolf of Sweden (in English known by his Latinized name Gustavus Adolphus) to Germany and they participated in the landing at Peenemünde on the isle Usedom at June 26. They also participated in the conquest of Stettin on July 10, 1630. Later the same year the Närke-Värmland battalion was consolidated with a battalion from the Uppland regiment forming a new field regiment with 8 companies. In May 1631 the regiment was acting garrison crew at the Spandau fortress. They were relieved by other troops in July and joined the field army in Werben where they participated in the battle there when Count Johann Tilly’s forces made an attack on the Swedes on July 24, 1631. The attack was repelled by the Swedes. Tilly was the supreme commander of the Holy Roman Empire's armed forces in the war agains the Protestants.The regiment also participated in the known battle of Breitelfeld, just northeast of Breitelfeld on September 1631. The Närke-Värmland regiment stood in the center of the first line and belonged to the second brigade from the right which was under the command of Colonel Åke Oxenstierna (Regimental commander of Dalregementet (Dal regiment)). This brigade was manned entirely by Swedish soldiers.On August 8 1631 the regiment also participated in the assault of the castle Marienburg at Würstburg where the regiment then was garrisoned.On March 1633 the Uppland battalion of the regiment was consolidated with another regiment. In their place a battalion of Germans was enlisted. The remaining battalion of the Närke-Värmland regiment was by now greatly reduced and was sent back to Sweden during the spring of 1633 to be reinforced.In 1634 the Närke-Värmland regiment was shipped to Pommern (Pomerania) were it was garrisoned. Thomas Thomasson was now the regimental commander. Already in 1635 the regiment was back home again. In 1636 they were sent back to Pommern were they were assigned to Johan Banérs army division as a reinforcement.The regiment participated in the battle of Wittstock in September 24 1636 where they formed a brigade of their own that was located towards the right of the foot soldier section in the second line. The regiment also participated in the siege of Leipzig in the beginning of 1637. During the following years the regiment received reinforcement from Sweden annually. In 1640 one on the Närke-Värmland battalions was in Sweden. In 1642 the battalion at home replaced the battalion in Germany and the battalion in Germany was sent home. The battalion at home was then reinforced to a full regiment of 1,200 soldiers through conscription and in 1644 was garrisoned in Gothenburg.The remaining battalion in Germany probably participated in the siege of Prague in 1648. This battalion didn’t arrive back in Sweden until 1649.King Karl X:s Danish War, 1657 - 1658:In May 1657, during the Swedish war in Poland, Denmark declared war with Sweden. During 1657 the Närke-Värmland regiment, now reinforced, was a part of an army corps of about 6,000 soldiers lead by King Karl X which marched from Poland to Denmark. The force was small, but these were probably the best and most experienced soldiers at the time. The majority of the Swedish soldiers had participated in more than 30 battles.The Swedes attacked Denmark from Germany and the fortress Frederiksodde, Jutland, Denmark, was besieged in August. The Närke-Värmland regiment participated in the assault of the fortress during the night of October 24 where they were in the middle assault column. The Swedes now controlled the whole of Jutland.The regiment also participated in the daring crossing of Lilla Bält sound over the ice on January 30, 1658 and the crossing on the ice of Stora Bält sound on February 5 to the island Zealand (Where Copenhagen is located). The Närke-Värmland regiment also participated in the assault of Copenhagen on February 11, where they were in the right assault column, under the command of major general Essen.The crossing on the ice of the two sounds was a risky operation but was very successful. The Danish waters rarely freeze to ice but this was a very cold winter. This opened the way to Copenhagen for the Swedes and forced the Danes to surrender. The peace treaty was devastating for Denmark. In the peace treaty Sweden received all the Danish provinces on the Swedish peninsula: Skåne, Blekinge, Halland, Bohuslän plus the island Bornholm and Trondheim province in today’s Norway. In the peace treaty Denmark lost about 1/3 of its territory.King Karl XI:s War, 1675 – 1679 – A War with Denmark, Brandenburg and the Netherlands:During 1675 and 1676 the Närke-Värmland regiment was on duty in Värmland where the regiment’s regimental commander, Colonel Gyllenspets, was in charge of the defense against attacks from Danish Norway. In the fall of 1676 one of the Närke-Värmland battalions was ordered to Småland to join the field army, then gathered in Ljungby.The battalion participated in the battle of Lund, Skåne, on December 4 1676 where they stood in the left-center part of the first line and sustained heavy casualties.The battalion was reinforced in 1677 and participated in the battle of Landskrona, Skåne, on July 14, 1677 where the battalion stood in the center of the second line. Just before the battle, a second battalion of the Närke-Värmland regiment arrived to the field army and they stood in the left wing of the second line. The third of the Närke-Värmland battalions remained in Värmland where two of its companies were guarding of the frontier to Norway, among other places in Eda parish (Värmland).During 1678 only a small part of the Närke-Värmland regiment was in the main army. Two Närke-Värmland battalions under the command of colonel Hård were part of Admiral Stenbock’s army corps that gathered in Göteborg (Gothenburg). On July 22 1678 this corps rescued Bohus fortress, Bohuslän, and managed to force the Danish force from Norway to withdraw back to Norway. The force from Norway had earlier besieged the Bohus fortress.During 1679, one of the Närke-Värmland battalions was part of Stenbock’s army and participated in the unsuccessful assault on Uddevalla redoubt in Bohuslän.
1700s
The Great Northern War - Det stora nordiska kriget, 1700 - 1721:Just before the war, Russia, Poland and Denmark formed a pact of aggression against Sweden. They were all after Swedish territory. Russia was after the Baltic coast, Poland wanted Livland (a Swedish Baltic province) and Denmark wanted to regain the Skåne provinces in southern Sweden. The three nations of the pact were all convinced that Sweden was weak after the death of King Karl XI in 1697, especially under the young, inexperienced regent King Karl XII. They were now to meet one of the best armies in Europe at this time, the Swedish Carolean Army.The irony is that three of the four kings involved in this war were related. Karl of Sweden, Frederik of Denmark and August of Poland were all first cousins. The fourth ruler was Tsar Peter “the Great” of Russia. Karl XII of Sweden is also known as Charles XII in English.See Sweden's borders in 1700King Karl XII of Sweden decided to first deal with Denmark. Denmark surrendered to Sweden after only 14 days of war.The regimental commander of the Närke-Värmland Regiment at the beginning of the war was Lieutenant General Reinhold Rehbinder. Second in command was Lieutenant-Colonel Carl Gustaf Roos. During the spring of 1700 the Närke-Värmland regiment was mobilized and sent on duty along the Norwegian border (Norway belonged to Denmark then). After the surrender of the Danes in August the Närke-Värmland regiment was sent back home.After the war with Denmark, Sweden turned its attention east towards Russia. The units that had been involved in the war against Denmark were now deployed to the Swedish provinces in the Baltic region. They were shipped from Karlskrona, a naval station in southern Sweden.At this time other regiments also received orders to be transported to the Baltic provinces in order to reinforce the field army. The Närke-Värmland Regiment was one of these regiments.To the right there is a picture of the standard Carolean blue and yellow uniform of the time that all infantry and cavalry regiments wore. There were some regiments though that had uniforms with some variations in color. The Närke-Värmland regiment was one regiment with some differences in color. Their uniform was blue and red. See below to the right.At the end of August 1700 Lieutenant-Colonel Carl Gustaf Roos was ordered to the Baltic provinces together with the three Närke companies of the regiment: Life Company, Major’s Company and Örebro Company. The Kristinehamn Company and 54 soldiers of the Karlstad Company were ordered to follow the other companies a few days later.They all marched from Värmland to Stockholm where they were shipped to the Baltic provinces.The force counted 13 officers, 20 NCOs, 12 drummers and pipers, 26 corporals and 674 soldiers.The unit assembled in Stockholm at the end of September and on October 1 they boarded Navy ships. The journey took 6 days: on October 6 they arrived at Pernau in today’s Estonia.On November 20, 1700 the Närke-Värmland detachment, organized into 2 battalions, participated at the battle of Narva. The two battalions were under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Roos and Captain Gideon Fock, respectively, and both battalions stood in the right half of the left wing, which was under the command of Major General Majdell. The Närke-Värmland battalions were among the units that began the assault and they fought on the part of the front where the fighting was most intense. As a consequence, the Närke-Värmland battalions suffered many casualties.1701:After Narva, the Närke-Värmland unit needed reinforcements. On April 1, 1701 a unit of 445 soldiers marched from Örebro to be shipped to the field army. This unit consisted of 328 soldiers from the rotar that had lost their soldiers in the war and now had recruited new ones. 238 of these were from Närke rotar and 90 from Värmland rotar. In this unit there were also the remaining 117 soldiers from Karlstads Company. A few NCOs from the companies at home accompanied the unit to train the fresh soldiers.Now, 5 of the 10 companies were on duty in the field army, while 5 were at home.According to a record from the spring of 1701 the regiment had 816 soldiers in the Baltics and 858 at home.The Närke-Värmland battalions also participated in the crossing of Düna River on July 9 1701, however without being actively involved in the battle.In the fall of 1701 Carl Gustaf Roos was promoted to Colonel and officially the regimental commander of the Närke-Värmland regiment. The detachment was now referred to as Närke-Värmland regiment.Later in the fall 1701 the regiment received a reinforcement of about 90 new recruits plus the Näs Company. Näs Company left Örebro October 5, 1701. So, now 6 of the regiment’s 10 companies were deployed to the field army abroad. The companies at home were: The Lieutenant Colonel's Company, Älvdals Company, Jösse härads Company, and Nordmarks Company (the four companies from the western parts of Värmland facing the Norwegian border). After two years of war in the Baltic provinces with Russia King Karl XII decided to deal with Poland.In 1702 about 88 new soldiers were recruited to reinforce the regiment. They were shipped out in April. July 9 1702 the regiment participated in the battle of Clissow where they stood in the center of the first line.More reinforcement was sent in 1703 (no details about how many). In August 1703, 43 soldiers were sent to the regiment, 15 of those were from Närke. Later in 1703 another reinforcement were sent, 147 soldiers. 63 of these were from Närke and 85 from Värmland. Now it is beginning to be difficult to get hold of new recruits.During 1703 the Närke-Värmland battalions participated in the siege of Thorn. In the fall of 1703 Carl Gustaf Roos got permission from the King to visit Sweden. In January 1704 he held a muster with the 4 companies at home. It is noted in this muster that 66 of the soldiers were discharged (due to old age I presume). He also held a recruiting campaign while at home.Roos returned to the field army in early summer of 1704. He brought new recruits with him, 233 soldiers in total. 109 of those were from Närke and 124 from Värmland. The age of the new soldiers varied from 20 to 25.In 1705 a contingent of 160 new soldiers were sent to the regiment, 77 of those were from Närke and 83 from Värmland. In addition, the contingent also contained 17 officers and NCOs and 36 “baggage hands” (trossdrängar).In 1706 a contingent of 104 new soldiers were sent to the regiment in the beginning of July. In 1706 the regiment was a part of general Rehnskiölds army corps and participated in the victorious battle of Fraustadt, Poland on February 3 1706. In this battle the Närke-Värmland regiment began the attack and managed to make an opening in the enemy line that made it possible for the Swedish cavalry to break through the front.See mapThe musters and records for the field army for the period between 1707 and 1709 are missing since they were destroyed after Poltava in 1709, prior to the surrender to the Russians a few days later.However, from the records kept in Sweden we know that contingents were sent to the regiment in both 1707 and1708.After the peace treaty with Poland in 1708 it was easier to recruit new soldiers again.In May 1708 about 50 new recruits (18 of those were from Närke) were sent to the regiment. In August another 17 soldiers were sent to the regiment.The new soldiers recruited in 1708 never participated in the war with Russia 1708 – 1709 (The Russian campaign). These soldiers were garrisoned in Riga, Livland (Livonia) in the Baltic region (today’s Lithuania).During 1708 the regiment participated in the battle of Malatycze on August 31.In August 1707 the strength of the Närke-Värmland regiment in the field army was 988 soldiers. At the end of the year it was 954. In July 1708 it was down to 919. Within the next three months another 170 soldiers died.Between November 1708 and January 1709 another 65 soldiers died. On June 1, 1709, a few weeks before the battle at Poltava the regiment counted 20 officers, 33 NCOs and 638 soldiers. Many officers and NCOs were transferred to Närke-Värmland regiment from disestablished temporary field regiments and dissolved Finnish units. Several NCOs were promoted to officer ranks. The vacancies among the NCOs were filled with promoted soldiers. The regiment now numbered 1200 soldiers.The battle of Poltava, Ukraine on June 28, 1709 was in reality two battles, one in the morning and one a few hours later. The following text of the battle only contains the Närke-Värmland participation of the battle.The main target for the Swedes when they attacked was the Russian main camp. However, the camp was guarded by 9 separate redoubts (built in a T-shape), which the Swedes had to pass in order to get to the main camp.The redoubts were a kind of fortification (earthwork). The redoubts were manned by 4,000 Russian infantry soldiers (8 battalions) and 6 guns. These redoubts were located in a narrow passage, which the Swedes had to pass in order to charge the Russian main force.The Russian cavalry was located behind the earthworks, about 9,000 cavalrymen (85 squadrons). There were 9 more guns at the cavalry location. The Russian main force (in the camp) was about 25,500 soldiers forming 51 battalions plus the artillery with 73 guns. The Russians had about 40,000 men in total.The Swedes numbered about 25,000 soldiers of which 8,000 was cavalry.The Swedish army had been outnumbered in many previous battles, so being outnumbered this time did not bother them.The Swedes plan was to engage the Russians in the redoubts with a smaller force while the main part of the Swedish army would pass on both sides. The plan was not to destroy the redoubts, just to pass them. The Swedes were therefore not formed in a battle line but in 4 columns.The first two battalions in the 2nd and 3rd columns (in total 2,600 soldiers) received orders to attack and contain the redoubts so the other battalions could pass on either side.The first Närke-Värmland battalion was under the command Lieutenant-Colonel Rehbinder and the second battalion was under the command of George Henrik Wrangel.The first of the Närke-Värmland’s two battalions was in the force that attacked the redoubts. The commander in charge of this mission was Major General Karl Gustav Roos.The first and second redoubts were easily taken but the third one was tougher. Roos made several attempts to take this redoubt but failed each time with great losses.Meanwhile the main force passed the redoubts on each side.What happens now is still a mystery. Even though the main force had passed the redoubts, Roos kept on charging the redoubts, each time with great losses of men.Maybe he misunderstood his orders and thought he was supposed to secure the redoubts at any cost instead of follow the main force after they had passed. About two thirds (2/3) of his men were killed before finally he withdrew from the scene and took a defensive position east of this place. This meant that the main force was now deprived of 2,600 soldiers.The Russians sent both cavalry and infantry to find Roos. Roos lined up his men for a last battle but finally he had to surrender. Meanwhile the Swedish cavalry caused the Russian cavalry great losses.Later this day stood the main battle where the Swedes had severe losses and had to retreat. The second battalion of the Närke-Värmland regiment fought in this battle. The second battalion stood in the left wing of the infantry line. This wing suffered severe losses in the beginning of the battle and had to withdraw. The Russian artillery caused great damages to the Swedish lines. The Swedes had no artillery at the battle scene to support the infantry.The previously victorious Swedish army was finally defeated at Poltava. Roughly 6,900 Swedish soldiers were killed in the battle. About 2,760 soldiers were taken prisoner of war. In total the Swedish army lost 9,600 soldiers in the battle.Russian casualties were 1,345 dead and 3,290 wounded.
A great many of the Närke-Värmland soldiers died in the battle and the rest were taken prisoner a few days later in Perevoloczna on July 1 1709 when the Swedes surrendered to the Russians. Of the Närke-Värmland regiment’s 1200 soldiers before the battle only 416 remained after the battle.After Poltava a new Närke-Värmland regiment had to be recruited. This was accomplished relatively quickly. Lieutenant Colonel Fabian Hastfehr was appointed the new regimental commander.When the Danes attacked Sweden after Poltava, the Norwegian border was guarded by the four Närke-Värmland companies that had remained at home.This force was now reinforced with newly recruited companies.A muster roll from 1711 shows that the strength of the regiment as 1,652 soldiers.So, there were not many vacancies at the rotar at this time.Lieutenant Colonel Christer Horn was promoted new regimental commander in the spring of 1711.In May 1712 the regiment received orders to march to the south of Sweden with 6 of the companies. The detachment was then shipped to northern Germany (in September). The Närke-Värmland force consisted of 988 soldiers.In Germany the regiment was a part of general Stenbock’s campaign and participated in the victorious battle at Gadebusch December 9 1712. The battalions were under the command of Colonel Adlerfelt and Major Starkenflycht, respectively, and stood in the center of the right wing in the first line.The Närke-Värmland force was among the units that surrendered to the Danes in Tönningen in May 1713. The Swedes held the fortress in Tönningen but ran out of supplies and ammunition during the Danish siege and had no other option but to surrender.Once again, the Närke-Värmland regiment had to recruit new soldiers to replace the missing ones.The 4 companies that had been at home were still in good shape and they were once again sent to guard the Norwegian border. The recruiting campaign started immediately but by now there was a shortage of men of suitable age.In Karlstad, January 1714, 27 new recruits were refused due to their young age.There was a general muster in December 1714 with the 4 old companies and another muster in September 1715 with the 6 new ones. The regiment now counted 1418 soldiers. The regiment was once again at roughly full strength but also had 256 vacancies. Furthermore, the recruits at the 6 rebuilt companies were badly equipped.In the spring of 1715 the 6 new companies were ordered to the Stockholm area to participate in a force that was gathered there to meet a possible Russian attack.In 1716 Sweden made an attack into Norway. The army was divided into two forces. The King led the southern one and the Närke-Värmland regiment was in this force of 3,000 soldiers. The attack was launched into Danish Norway from Holmedal in Värmland to Kristiania (Oslo) in Norway but was aborted due to bad winter weather.See mapIn 1718 all Swedish units were mobilized and an army of 40,000 soldiers was again launching an attack on Danish Norway. The army was divided into one northern and one southern army corps. The northern army attacked Norway from Jämtland and the southern army from Dalsland and Värmland.Before the attack the Närke-Värmland regiment was at full strength. There was a general muster in May 1718.The Närke-Värmland regiment was in the southern force that attacked from Värmland. This force attacked Norway on November 4, 1718. However, at November 30, King Karl XII was killed in action and the whole campaign was aborted.See map1 and map2For the rest of the war the Närke-Värmland regiment was posted north of Stockholm during the summer, together with other forces, to prevent a possible attack from Russia.On August 30, 1721, a peace treaty finally was signed in Nystad, Finland between Sweden and Russia. The treaty ended the Great Northern War.See also a summary in English of the Great Northern WarThe War of the Hats, 1741 - 1743:After the Great Northern War, which ended in 1721, Sweden lost not only the Baltic provinces but also a part of southeastern Finland.During the 1730’s plans was formed to recapture the lost land, primarily the lost parts of southeastern Finland on the Karelian Isthmus. At this time there were two dominating political parties in Sweden, the Hats (Hattarna) and the Caps (Mössorna). The Hats were in favor of war and when they got into power, preparation for war began. In 1739 troops were sent to Finland. A declaration of war was sent to Russia on July 28, 1741.In October 1739, 988 soldiers from the Närke-Värmland regiment were shipped from Rådmansö, Uppland, to Finland where they were quartered in the south. This force formed a battalion consisting of the three Närke companies (Life Company, Major’s Company and Örebro Company) and three Värmland companies (Kristinehamn, Karlstad and Näs companies), lead by regimental commander, Lieutenant-General Henrik Magnus von Buddenbrock, and seconded by Lieutenant Colonel Silfversvärd.When the war broke out in August 1741 they were quartered in the camp at Kvarnby near Fredrikshamn town where the main army had gathered. In August the Russians advanced into Finland along the road to Villmarstrand. On August 23 1741 the Swedish main army marched under the command of Lieutenant-General von Buddenbrock to Martilla (Davidstad) to assist a Swedish detachment there commanded by Major General Wrangel. However, General Wrangel did not wait for the main army to arrive. Instead he marched with his force to Villmarstrand where they engaged the Russian force. The Russians outnumbered the Wrangel force and won the battle.Buddenbrock then returned with the army to Kvarnby where they stayed for the rest of the autumn.Field diseases broke out in the camp and many soldiers died. The weather was bad and there was also a shortage of supplies. In December 1741 the Swedes made a raid into Russia and thereafter went into winter quarters in southern Finland.The following year, 1742, the Närke-Värmland battalion participated in the Swedish withdrawal to Helsinki and was shipped back to Sweden on the galley fleet (Army Fleet) after the surrender in Helsinki on August 20 1742. The battalion arrived at Vaxholm on September 2, 1742.See map.The Pomeranian War, 1757 - 1762:In September 1757 two battalions of the Närke-Värmland regiment were shipped to Pomerania where they were a part of the field army. On September 28 1757 the Närke-Värmland battalions participated in the battle of Fehrbellin and on September 30 in the battle at Löckenitz under the command of Major General von Hessensteins. During 1760 one of the battalions was a part of Lieutenant-General Ehrensvärd’s division that crossed the border at Anklam and advanced to Pasewalck where they withheld a Prussian attack from Stettin.See map.King Gustav III:s Russian War, 1788 - 1790:The Swedish King Gustav III started a war with Russia in 1788. His purpose was to gain domestic and international advantages. King Gustav III was strengthening his position. A war would direct the public attention away from domestic affairs.At the end of June 1788 the third battalion of the Närke-Värmland regiment was shipped on the galley fleet to Helsinki, Finland. From there they marched towards the Russian border and crossed into Russia where they were quartered at Pyttis. In October, when the army went into winter quarters, the battalion was a part of the coastal division which stood under the command of Lieutenant-General Mejerfelt.When Danish troops from Norway crossed the border into Sweden in September 1788 and advanced into Bohuslän one of the two Närke-Värmland battalions remaining at home was assigned to Colonel Armfelt’s brigade in Värmland. Parts of the Närke-Värmland regiment were garrisoned in Göteborg.The battalion in Finland was also in 1789 a part of the coastal division and participated on July 8 to 9 in the battles at Suttula and on July 19 in the battle at Högfors.In the middle of August 1789 the battalion received order to march to Anjala to reinforce the division there which stood under the command of Colonel Pauli. Here they participated in a battle on August 14. In September 1789 the two Närke-Värmland battalions in Sweden were shipped to Finland where they were inserted into Colonel Armfelt’s brigade at the Nyland coast. The brigade had been ordered to prevent Russian landings there. About 100 soldiers from the Närke-Värmland battalions participated in an assault on Russian earthworks at Elgön during the night of September 39, 1789. When the army went into winter quarters in 1789 the three Närke-Värmland battalions were united at St. Michel.During 1790 the Närke-Värmland regiment participated in several battles in Savolax, Finland. In the battles of Partakoski and Kärnakoski on April 15 1790, the regiment was a part of the main army. When the Russians on April 30 1790 tried to regain their lost positions the 1st and 2nd Närke-Värmland battalions together with about 1,000 soldiers, defended the pass (gorge) at Kärnakoski with great bravery against a Russian force three times their size. One of the Närke-Värmland battalions was surrounded but managed to break through the enemy lines with a bayonet charge. One of the Närke-Värmland battalion commanders, Captain Rinning was killed in the battle, while the other battalion commander Captain Rayalin was wounded.The 3rd Närke-Värmland battalion was the same day involved in the battle of Kärnakoski. Their bayonet charge during the battle forced the Russian right wing to withdraw and thereby regained a cannon that had fallen into the hands of the Russians.On June 4 1790, one of the Närke-Värmland battalions, together the regiment’s commando unit, participated in the battle at Savitaipale. During the assault of the Russian batteries the Närke-Värmland battalion sustained heavy casualties. At one point a single Russian bomb killed 30 soldiers of the battalion.See map.
1800s
The Pomeranian War, a War with France, 1805 - 1807:In January 1807 one of the Närke-Värmland battalions was shipped to Stralsund, Pomerania and soon thereafter a second Närke-Värmland battalion was shipped to the same destination. In Pomerania the battalions were assigned to the 4th brigade, which was under command of Colonel Vegesack, who had orders to guard the southern border, the so-called “Franken front”. The Närke-Värmland commando soldiers participated on February 12 1807 in an assault where an enemy earthwork was captured and later defended against the French who attempted to recapture it.The Närke-Värmland Life battalion (1st battalion) was among the Swedish troops in Stralsund that on April 1 launched an attack on French forces and engaged in the battle at Lüdershagen.The following day the battalion together with the left wing of the Swedish army advanced from Anklam to Stettin. In Stettin the Life battalion was reunited with the second battalion. When the French launched an offensive on April 16 1807, both Närke-Värmland battalions, along with some cavalry units and artillery, were in Alt-Kosenow. The Närke-Värmland battalions were in the rear-guard when the Swedes withdrew. The battalions were involved in several hours of combat with the French but managed to retreat to Anklam.The Närke-Värmland battalions later participated on July 14 in the battle of Steinhagen when the Swedes had to withdraw to Stralsund.The Närke-Värmland commando soldiers were involved in combat with a French outpost on July 15 at the Franken front.In September the Närke-Värmland battalions were shipped with the rest of the Army from the island Rügen, just north of Stralsund, to Sweden after the Swedish surrender to the French on September 7 1807.See map.The Russian War, 1808 - 1809:On February 21 1808 the Russian forces crossed the Swedish border in southeastern Finland. No declaration of war preceded the Russian attack.On March 14 1808 Denmark declared war with Sweden. Sweden now had a two-front war; in the east in Finland and in the west with Denmark. This forced Sweden to split its army into two parts.During 1808 the Närke-Värmland regiment was a part of the 1st brigade in the right wing of the Swedish army corps that took position along the Danish-Norwegian border, under the command of general Armfelt. The 1st brigade crossed the border into Norway in the middle of April at Eda, Värmland, across the village Mango and advanced to Norwegian fortified positions in Lier, south of the Kongsvinger fortress. Here the Norwegians were forced to withdraw after an intense battle. In this battle the Närke-Värmland regiment earned great honor for its achievements. The Närke battalion of the Närke-Värmland regiment, under the command of major Cederström, managed to surround the Norwegian position which contributed to the Swedish victory. The brigade then took position in Masterud where on May 1st the enemy attacked them. The Swedes successfully turned back the assault. The Norwegians at the right wing of the brigade launched another attack on May 18 at Mobäck but this was also successfully stopped. A detachment from the 1st brigade under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Adlersparre made a surprise assault on an enemy post at Magnor and Emterud on July 19 1808 and captured many enemy soldiers. Lieutenant-Colonel Adlersparre carried out a similar assault at Magnor on September 22.In the beginning of December 1808 an armistice was signed between Denmark and Sweden and thereby ended all war activities in Norway.The Närke-Värmland regiment participated in the coup d'état against King Gustav IV Adolf. The regiment and some other units were in the forces under the command of George Adlersparre that marched to Stockholm to dethrone King Gustav Adolf.The troops that had been gathered in Karlstad, Värmland began their march on March 8 and 9 1809 and on March 22 they arrived in Stockholm. The distance of 350 km (218 miles) was covered in 14 days.The opponents to the king got their way and King Gustav Adolf was dethroned. The king’s paternal uncle, Duke Karl, became new King of Sweden as Karl XIII.During the summer of 1809 the Närke-Värmland regiment was back in Värmland on guard duty along the Norwegian border.The division of the Närke-Värmland regiment in 1812:In 1812 the Närke-Värmland regiment was divided into two separate regiments, Närke regiment and Värmland regiment.New regimental commander of the Värmland regiment was Carl Cederström while the former Närke-Värmland regimental commander Carl Johan Lejonstedt became new commander of the Närke regiment.The War Against Napoleon, 1813 - 1814:The former French field marshal, Jean Baptist Bernadote, was chosen new heir of the Swedish throne in 1814 as Prince Carl Johan, adopted by the King Karl XIII. Prince Carl Johan was the commander of the Northern Army in the alliance against Napoleon consisting of 155,000 soldiers. The Swedish army was a part of the Northern Army in this war.In the middle of May 1813 the Närke regiment was shipped, via Dalarö outside Stockholm, to Stralsund where they landed in May 14. The regiment was organized in two battalions and was assigned to the 3rd brigade, which was under the command of Major General Brändström in the 2nd division, which was under the command of Lieutenant General Sandels. The regiment participated in all of the army’s campaigns during 1813 including the battles of Dennewitz on August 6, Grossbeeren on August 23 and Leipzig on October 16th to 19th. However, the regiment wasn’t actively involved in the assault of Leipzig. In those battles the Swedish colonel Carl von Cardell and his mounted artillery played an active role. The Närke regiment then marched to Holstein where 112 soldiers from the regiment participated in the capture of the island Femern where they seized a huge store of arms and army supplies. The regiment then followed the army down to Belgium. During the spring of 1814 the regiment was shipped to Sweden.The Värmland regiment didn’t participate in the war against Napoleon.Norwegian campaign 1814:In the war against Napoleon Denmark was an ally of France. During this war Sweden attacked Denmark, which surrendered to Sweden. In the peace treaty after the Napoleonic wars, Danish Norway became a part of Sweden. However, Norway objected to this and Sweden launched an attack on Norway. Norway then ended up under Swedish sovereignty.During the Norwegian campaign the Närke Regiment was a part of the 6th brigade under the command of Bergenstråle in the 3rd division under the command of Boyes who on August 2 1814 crossed the Norwegian border at Svinesund. During the following days the 6th brigade marched to Rakkestad to support Vegesack’s column. The Närke regiment was then a part of the Vegesack column until the armistice in Moss on August 1814. The column was then in Trögstad, 45 km southeast of Kristiania (the old name of Oslo).The Värmland Regiment was organized into 4 battalions, where 3 of the battalions were a part of the 9th brigade under the command of Colonel Klingspor. The 4th Värmland battalion was a part of the 10th brigade under the command of Colonel Gahn af Colqhoun. Both these brigades were a part of the 5th army division under the command of Major General Rosenblad.The 9th brigade crossed the Norwegian border on July 30 at Bärby and Prestbakke and arrived at Fredrikshall on August 1 where they participated in the siege of fortress Fredriksten. A detachment of the three Värmland battalions was among the troops in Vegesack’s division that marched north a few days later and participated in the battles at Rakkestad on August 6 and at Langenäs and Askim on August 9. In Langenäs one of the regiment’s battalions under the command of Major Lagerlöv withstood with great bravery an enemy assault from the Norwegian bridgehead at Lagenäs.The 10th brigade crossed the Norwegian border at Morast on August 1 and participated in the battle at Lier south of Kongsvinger on August 2 and on August 5 in the battle at Midskog. In the latter battle the 4th Värmland battalion formed in a line just left of the church and the bridge across River Wrangälven and suffered great losses.See map.
