Battle of Nummijärvi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Nummijärvi
Part of the Finnish War
Memorial of the Battle in Kauhajoki, Finland.
Date 28 August 1808 Location Nummijärvi, Finland Result Swedish victory
Belligerents
Sweden	Russian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Carl von Otter	Colonel Koslov
Strength
1,250 4 guns	1,500 2 guns
Casualties and losses
94 killed or wounded	206 killed or wounded 48 captured

The Battle of Nummijärvi was a fight between Swedish and Russian armies. It happened in Nummijärvi, Finland, on August 28, 1808. This battle was part of a bigger war called the Finnish War. In the end, the Swedish forces won this battle.

How the Battle Started

The Finnish War was a big conflict between Sweden and Russia. After a Swedish army won a battle at Alavus, the new Russian commander, Nikolay Mikhailovich Kamensky, changed his plans. He decided to focus on the Swedish main army.

At the same time, smaller Russian groups were sent to attack the sides of the Swedish forces. One Russian group, led by Colonel Koslov, marched towards Nummijärvi. Their goal was to fight the Swedish forces there, led by Carl von Otter. Nummijärvi was an important spot near the Kauhajoki church.

Who Fought for Sweden?

The Swedish forces at Nummijärvi were led by Carl von Otter. His group was made up of about 1,250 soldiers. They also had four cannons.

Here's a breakdown of von Otter's forces:

• Österbotten Infantry Regiment (one battalion with five companies)
• Björneborg Infantry Regiment (one battalion)
• Finnish Artillery Regiment (four cannons)
• About 100 men from the Landwehr (a type of local defense force)
• Some dragoons (soldiers who rode horses but fought on foot)

In total: 1,250 men and 4 cannons.

What Happened During the Battle?

Colonel Koslov led about 1,500 Russian soldiers and two cannons to Nummijärvi. He wanted to defeat von Otter's Swedish forces and take control of the important road junction near the church.

The Swedish army set up their defense across the main road. Their right side was protected by the Nummijärvi lake. A small stream helped protect their front line.

At 5:00 p.m., the Russian army attacked along the entire Swedish line. However, Colonel Koslov had kept many of his soldiers in reserve. This meant his attack wasn't strong enough to break through the Swedish defenses. The Russian attack soon stopped.

Seeing this, von Otter quickly decided to counterattack with all his forces. The Swedes pushed back hard. By 9:00 p.m., the Russian soldiers were forced to retreat.

The Russians lost about 200 regular soldiers and six officers who were killed or wounded. They also had 46 regular soldiers and two officers captured. The Swedish forces had 90 regular soldiers and four officers killed or wounded.

What Happened After the Battle?

Even though the Swedes won at Nummijärvi, they left their position there soon after. This happened because of another battle nearby at Lappfjärd.

The Swedish headquarters ordered the 2nd Swedish division to join the main Swedish army. This was for upcoming battles at Salmi and Ruona. However, due to confusing orders, the 2nd division didn't arrive in time for those battles.

Meanwhile, the road junction at Kauhajoki was easily taken by Russian forces under Usjakov. The 150 Swedish defenders there had to retreat. They lost 25 men, while the Russians lost 40.