Battle of Kumlinge | |||||||
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Part of the Finnish War (Napoleonic Wars) | |||||||
Memorial stone over the battle | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Sweden | Russian Empire | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Henrik Gummerus | 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]