At the outbreak of the Russo-Swedish War in 1741, he led one of the two divisions of the Swedish Army in Finland, with a strength of 4,000 men. In 1741 at the Battle of Villmanstrand, he was ordered by General Henrik Magnus von Buddenbrock to lead his force into battle against the superior forces of General Peter Lacy. The numerarily superior Russians won the battle and took Villmarstrand, whereupon Wrangel, who lost his right arm during the battle, was captured.