Robert Nisbet Bain

“ In his youth Johan Kristoffer served in the Seven Years' War, and then, exchanging the military for the civil service, became head ranger of the county of Kristianstad. During the riksdag of 1771-1772 the dominant “Caps” deprived him of his post, and Toll, shrewdly guessing that the king was preparing a revolution, almost forced his services on the conspirators, Göran Magnus Sprengtporten (q.v.) declaring that a man who knew so much of their most secret plans must either “be killed or squared.” To Toll was assigned by far the most difficult part of the enterprise. ”

“ It was he who persuaded the king to summon the riksdag of 1786, which, however, he failed to control, and in all Gustavus's plans for forcing on a war with Russia Toll was initiated from the first. In 1786 he had already risen to the rank of major-general and was Gustavus's principal adjutant. It was against Toll's advice, however, that Gustavus, in 1788, began the war with Russia. Toll had always insisted that, in such a contingency, Sweden should be militarily as well as diplomatically prepared, but this was far from being the case. ”

“ It was his business to secure the important southern fortress of Kristianstad. Two days after the Coronation, on the 31st of May 1772, he set forth from Stockholm with twenty-two pounds wherewith to corrupt a garrison and revolt a province. ”