Battle of Lemo

Battle of Lemo
Part of Finnish War
Date19–20 June 1808 (J:7-8)
LocationLemu manor in Kaarina, south of Turku
Result Russian defensive victory
Belligerents
 Sweden  Russia
Commanders and leaders
Eberhard von Vegesack Karl Gustav von Baggovut
Strength
2,813[1] 3,600
Casualties and losses
217 killed, wounded and captured[1] 298 killed, wounded and captured[1]

The Battle of Lemo was fought during the Finnish War, between Sweden and Russia on 19–20 June 1808 (Julian calendar 7–8 June) .

On 19 June some 2,500 Swedes landed at Lemu in Kaarina and at the nearby strategic island, Southwest Finland, aided by the Swedish Navy. There, the Swedes intended to liberate the Turku from the Russians. The Swedish landing forces commanded by Major General Eberhard von Vegesack. The Russian had troops about 3 600 men under the military commander Lieutenant General Karl Gustav von Baggovut in Turku area.

Battle forces

Swedish

Battle unit Commander Strength Others
1. Landing Brigade 660 men from the Battalion of the Guards 6 three pound guns
2. Landing Brigade Battalions III and IV Uppland auxiliary reserve 1770 men together in 2nd and 3rd Brigades
3. Landing Brigade Battalions I and IV
Other reinforcements 75 men from the Squadron of the Life Guard, 108 sharpshooter from Sveaborg and 200 yeoman from the Proper Finland.

Russian

Battle unit Commander Strength Others
6 th Libau Infantry Regiment [2] Colonel Yakov Vadkovsky 6 ja ½ companies
49th Brest Infantry Regiment [3] Colonel Pyotr Ivelich ½ company
Finland Dragoon Regiment [4] Major General Nikolay Borozdin 1 squadron
3rd Pernov (Pärnu) Musketeer Regiment [5] Colonel Pavel Choglokov 2 companies
1st Nevski Musketeer Regiment [6] Colonel Alexander Patton 4 companies The Russians had also 8 guns

Overview

Major General von Vegesack started immediately to entrench the landing site. The main defense line was set along the terrain facing the open field. The guns deployed to the front of Ala-Lemu Manor house. The gunboats, who escorted the landing fleet, were in the positions at the strait. They close the straits and they had the visibility to the battlefield.

The Russian troops were deployed in small units along the Turku - Vyborg main road.

Phase 1 (Sunday 19 June (J 7th)

The initial phases of the operation were quite successful for the Swedes, who managed to advance several kilometers, eventually having Turku in sight. The units of the Libau Infantry Regiment with one gun launched the first Russian counterattack and they pulled the advanced Swedish troops back to the main defense line. von Vegesack attacked immediately to Russian center. The Russian commander Baggovut received reinforcements and he attacked with divided forces; 2 companies attacked on the right and 2 companies on the left and 2 companies with the gun in the center. Lieutenant von Vegesack (the son the general) found the Russian left flank open and attacked immediately. The Russians had to withdraw a few kilometers to the defense. The Swedish troops followed.

Phase 2 (Monday 20 June (J 8th)

Major General Nikolay Borozdin had collected more reinforcements, 300 men from the Brest Infantry Regiment, 2 more guns and one squadron of the Finland Dragoon Regiment. In the small hours in the morning the Libau Infantry Regiment make the Swedish troops a retreatagain back to the main defense line. Von Vegesack ordered all the men from the nearby islands to the Lemo battlefield and strengthened the defense line.

Baggovut received Pernov (Pärnu) Musketeer Regiment as the additional reinforces. The Russian launched the whole front attack with bayonets; Pernov Regiment on the right, Libau Regiment in the center and Brest Regiment on the left. The Russian artillery set fire the Ala-Lemo Manor house. The Swedes were forced to pull back and eventually evacuate to their ships. The fortifications at the shore and later the gunboats defended the fleeing Swedes. The Russian artillery moved to the shore and fired the landing fleet. Von Vegesack pulled his land and sea forces back to the Åland Islands.

After the battle the Russian reserve forces at the Yli-Lemo were 2 companies from the Nevski Regiment and ½ squadron Finland Dragoon Regiment.

Others

Summer2008 near the Yli-Lemo Manor house was erected the monument "Kuoleva Soturi" (A dying soldier) by the sculptor Heidi Limnell in the memory of the all the killed soldiers in the battle of Lemo. The monument was inspired by The Tales of Ensign Stål (Part: Den döende krigaren).

References

  1. 1 2 3 Otto Berg, Lars; Norman, Hans (2008), Landsättningen vid Lemo 19-20 juni 1808, Enköping: Upplands regementes historiekommitté. pp. 18-30
  2. ↑ 6-й пехотный Либавский Принца Фридриха-Леопольда Прусского полк
  3. ↑ 49-й пехотный Брестский Его Императорского Высочества Великого Князя Михаила Михайловича полк
  4. ↑ Финляндский драгунский полк
  5. ↑ 3-й гренадерский Перновский Короля Фридриха-Вильгельма IV полк
  6. ↑ 1-й пехотный Невский генерал-фельдмаршала графа Ласси, ныне Его Величества Короля Эллинов полк

See also

Coordinates: 60°23′37″N 22°18′47″E / 60.393632°N 22.312968°E / 60.393632; 22.312968

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