Battle of Koljonvirta

Battle of Koljonvirta
	Part of the Finnish War
	; Sandels at Koljonvirta, by August Malmström
Date	27 October 1808
Location	near Idensalmi, northern Savonia, Finland
Result	Swedish victory
Belligerents
Sweden	Russian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Johan August Sandels	Nikolay Tuchkov ; Mikhail Dolgorukov †
Strength
Swedish accounts:; 1,200–1,800; ; Russian accounts:; 4,000	Russian accounts:; 5,000–6,000; ; Swedish accounts:; 7,000–8,000
Casualties and losses
Swedish accounts:; 312–316	Russian accounts:; 764–773; ; Swedish accounts:; 1,106

The Battle of Koljonvirta (Finnish: Koljonvirran taistelu, Swedish: Slaget vid Virta bro) i.e. the Battle of the Virta Bridge, also known as the battle of Idensalmi (Russian: Иденсальмское сражение), was fought between Swedish and Russian troops on October 27, 1808, in the course of Finnish War, with the Swedes prevailed in the engagement despite Russian numerical advantage.

The Swedish force consisted of troops from Savolax and Östergötland. After the main Swedish army had been defeated at the Battle of Oravais the army under Johan August Sandels in Savonia had to retreat in order not to be outflanked by the Russians. Sandels found a good defensive position north of Idensalmi (now Iisalmi) and decided to resist the Russian advance there. The Russians were led by Lieutenant General Nikolay Alexeyevich Tuchkov, who was bringing his troops to the Idensalmi strait,—towards Sandels' position locations.