Battle of Lintulaks facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Lintulaks |
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| Part of the Finnish War | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Sweden |
 Russian Empire |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Otto von Fieandt |
Jegor Vlastov |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 600 2 guns |
1,400 4 guns |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 141 killed, wounded or captured | 143 killed, wounded or captured | ||||||
The Battle of Lintulaks was a fight between Swedish and Russian soldiers in Finland on July 3, 1808. It was part of a bigger conflict called the Finnish War. This battle happened near a place called Lintulaks.
Why the Battle Happened
After a small victory at Perho, Swedish Major Otto von Fieandt was sent to Lintulaks. He had about 600 men with him. His job was to watch an important road crossing. This crossing was key for protecting Swedish supply lines. Supply lines are like delivery routes for food, weapons, and other important things. Another Swedish commander, Johan August Sandels, had left the area earlier. This was because a Russian army, led by Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly, was getting close.
Swedish Soldiers at Lintulaks
Major Fieandt's group had about 600 soldiers and 2 light cannons. They were made up of different types of troops:
- Soldiers from the Tavastehus Infantry Regiment
- Soldiers from the Savolax Infantry Regiment
- Hunters (Jägers) from the Savolax Jäger Regiment
- A few cavalry soldiers from the Nyland Dragoon Regiment
- Artillery (cannon operators) from the Finnish Artillery Regiment
The Battle Begins
On July 3, Major Fieandt's small force was attacked. A Russian army of 1,400 men, led by Jegor Vlastov, moved in. Fieandt's soldiers spread out in a long line to meet the attack. They had no extra soldiers (reserves) to help them. The Russian commander, Vlastov, kept some of his soldiers and all his cavalry (soldiers on horseback) in reserve.
Around 2:00 PM, it started to rain. As the fighting slowed down, Fieandt ordered a bayonet charge. This meant his soldiers fixed long knives (bayonets) to their rifles and ran at the enemy. The first Russian lines pulled back from the Swedish attack. But then, the Russian reserve soldiers stepped in. They pushed the Swedes back. This forced the Swedish army to retreat towards Perho. A small group of Swedish soldiers managed to stop the Russians at a stream. This helped prevent a complete disaster for the Swedes.
After the battle, the Swedes had lost 141 men. This number includes those killed, wounded, or captured. The Russians lost 143 men, including 19 who were captured.
What Happened Next
When the Swedish field-marshal, Wilhelm Mauritz Klingspor, heard about the loss, he sent help. He sent two groups of soldiers and more cannons to Fieandt. This made Fieandt's force bigger, with 1,200 men. The goal was to stop the Russians from moving north. If the Russians went north, they could cut off the Swedish supply lines to Kokkola.
Fieandt moved his soldiers to a new position. This was behind a marsh called Kokonsaari mosse, about 4 kilometers northwest of Perho Church. The Russians also received more soldiers. Their army now had at least 3,100 men, led by Generalmajor Jankovitj. The Russian army advanced again. The two sides met for another battle at Battle of Kokonsaari on July 11.
