Battle of Kokonsaari facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Kokonsaari
Part of the Finnish War
Drömmen före Lapposlaget, by Gunnar Hallström
Date 11 July 1808 Location Kokonsaari, Finland 63°12′N 24°24′E / 63.200°N 24.400°E / 63.200; 24.400 Result Russian victory
Belligerents
Sweden	Russian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Otto von Fieandt	Generalmajor Jankovitj
Strength
1,200 4 guns	3,100 4 guns
Casualties and losses
200–250 killed, wounded or captured	316 killed, wounded or captured

The Battle of Kokonsaari was a fight between Swedish and Russian armies. It happened in Kokonsaari, Finland, on July 11, 1808. This battle was part of a bigger conflict called the Finnish War.

What Led to the Battle?

After an earlier fight at Lintulaks, the Swedish commander, Otto von Fieandt, got more soldiers. His army grew to about 1,200 men with 4 cannons. Their job was to protect the main road leading to Kokkola.

The Russian army also grew, reaching about 3,100 soldiers. On July 11, the Russians attacked the Swedes. The Swedish soldiers were spread out in a long line, about two kilometers long. They had gaps and no backup soldiers. Their right side was protected by the Perho river. Just like in the previous battle, the Russians kept many soldiers in reserve. They still greatly outnumbered the Swedes in the attack.

Swedish Forces in the Battle

Here's a look at the Swedish groups that fought:

• Åbo Infantry Regiment (1 Battalion)
• Nyland Infantry Regiment (1 Battalion)
• Tavastehus Infantry Regiment (2 companies)
• Savolax Infantry Regiment (2 companies)
• Savolax Jäger Regiment (2 companies)
• Nyland Dragoon Regiment (20–50 soldiers)
• Finnish Artillery Regiment (4 cannons)

In total: The Swedish side had about 1,200 men and 4 cannons.

The Battle Itself

The Swedish soldiers fought very hard. Cannons on both sides fired near the main road. The foot soldiers fought fiercely in the swampy area. Some Swedish groups even counterattacked, pushing back several Russian lines. But the Russian reserve soldiers were too strong and pushed the Swedes back.

The Russian commander, Jankovitj, sent two more groups from his reserve to his right side. This was to try and surround the Swedish left side. He wanted to get to the main road from behind them. At the same time, his other soldiers fought harder at the front. This forced Fieandt, the Swedish commander, to pull his troops back about one kilometer.

He stopped briefly at the edge of a forest to gather wounded soldiers. Then, he ordered a full retreat towards Tunkkarin Silta, which was five kilometers away. The fight at Kokonsaari was one of the most intense battles of the whole war.

The Swedish report said 159 regular soldiers and seven officers were killed or wounded. This number does not include those who were captured. So, it's likely that about one-sixth of their fighting force was lost. The Russians lost 16 officers and about 300 regular soldiers. Even though they were outnumbered, the Swedish forces fought well. Their retreat was also carried out in an organized way.

What Happened After?

The Russian army was getting closer to Kokkola and the Swedish supply routes. This was a big problem for the Swedes. So, Field-Marshal Wilhelm Mauritz Klingspor sent a whole new group of soldiers to help Fieandt.

However, the main Swedish army then defeated the Russians at the Battle of Lapua on July 14. This victory cut off the Russian connection between Kuopio and Vaasa. But Klingspor didn't fully use this win to his advantage.

Because of the Battle of Lapua, the Russians pulled back. The Swedish soldiers who had been sent to help Fieandt returned to the main army. Fieandt could then move forward as far as Karstula. This place was still protecting the road to Kokkola. Fieandt had also received more soldiers. But he was defeated again by Jegor Vlastov at the Battle of Karstula on August 21.

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