The Swedes, who fought a delaying action to buy time for their provisions to be escorted to safety, were captured as the Russians flanked around and cut-off their way of retreat.

In the aftermath of the Swedish revolution and the Russian attacks on Åland and northern Sweden, in March, the fighting between the two sides ceased, in favor of the ongoing peace negotiations.

On 30 April, Pavel Andreyevich Shuvalov with more than 9,000 men started moving south, in order to occupy northern Sweden all the way to the Ume River.

[2] The Russians arrived on 15 May and immediately engaged the opposing force, but the soldiers out of the Västerbotten Regiment stood their ground well, as they received the first onslaught.

[3] The Swedish outposts became hardly pressed as they retreated and, to stop the Russians from bringing up artillery, 20 Västerbotten men were ordered to destroy the Lejonström Bridge, under enemy fire.