Battle of Kumlinge

Battle of Kumlinge
Part of the Finnish War (Napoleonic Wars)

Memorial stone over the battle
Date9 or 10 May 1808
Location
Kumlinge, Åland in Finland
Result Swedish victory
Belligerents
Sweden Russian Empire Russian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Henrik Gummerus Russian Empire Colonel Vuich
Strength
450 peasants 450 infantry
Casualties and losses
3 killed
3 wounded		 1 killed
449 captured

The Battle of Kulminge was the culmination of the Åland riots during the Finnish War, fought between Sweden and Russia. The riot started in the Sockenstuga at 19 March 1808[1] and spread all over Åland, to finally culminate at Kumlinge at 9[2] or 10 May.[3] 450 armed peasants, led by Henrik Gummerus, defeated and captured the equally strong Russian force[4] under Colonel Vuitsch at their headquarters, just outside the Kulminge rectory.[3] The peasants sustained three killed and three captured, while the Russians had one killed and eight wounded.[5] After Vuitsch's capitulation, only about 50 Russian soldiers remained on Brändö who likewise, after a brief engagement, were made prisoners; all of Åland had thus been saved from Russian occupation.[6]

References

  1. ^ Westrin 1922, pp. 991–992.
  2. ^ van Suchtelen 1835, p. 23.
  3. ^ a b Schulman 1909, p. 116.
  4. ^ Schulman 1909, p. 117.
  5. ^ Arkistolaitos.
  6. ^ Nordensvan 1898, p. 178.

Sources

  • van Suchtelen, Paul (1835). Kriget emellan Sverige och Ryssland åren 1808 och 1809 (in Swedish). Stockholm: N. H. THOMSON.
  • Schulman, Hugo (1909). Striden om Finland 1808-1809 (in Swedish). Borgå: Werner Söderström Osakeyhtiös.
  • Westrin, Theodor (1922). Nordisk familjebok Uggleupplagan. 33. Väderlek - Äänekoski (in Swedish). Stockholm: Nordisk Familjeboks Förlags Akriebolag.
  • Nordensvan, Carl Otto (1898). Finska kriget 1808-1809 (in Swedish). Stockholm: Albert Bonniers Förlag.
  • "1808-1809 dokument om Finland i krig", Arkistolaitos (in Swedish), Arkivverket