Evacuation of Kolkanpää

The Evacuation of Kolkanpää took place between October 18 and 27, 1708, close to Kolkanpää, in the Swedish Empire during the Great Northern War. The Swedes under the command of Georg Lybecker were evacuating their Finnish-based army consisting of up to 11,279 men back to Finland after their failed campaign in Swedish Ingria in an attempt to recover land previously lost to Russia. Fyodor Apraksin, the Russian commander in the area, decided to interrupt the evacuation with between 3,000 and 3,500 men. He decided to wait until only a portion, between 600 and 800 Saxon ex-prisoners recruited into Swedish service, remained on the beaches not yet evacuated before commencing attack with all his troops. After several assaults the Saxons were soon overwhelmed and almost all of them were cut down or captured by the end of the battle. About 50 Russians were killed and 220 wounded. The Swedes were also forced to slaughter about 4,000 of their horses which could not be evacuated so they would not fall into Russian hands.

Battle of Kolkanpää
Part of the Great Northern War
Date October 16, 1708 (O.S.) October 17, 1708 (Swedish calendar) October 27, 1708 (N.S.) Location Kolkanpää, Swedish Empire, present-day Russia Result Russian victory
Belligerents
Swedish Empire	Tsardom of Russia
Commanders and leaders
Henrik Mattias von Seulenberg	Fyodor Apraksin
Strength
600–800 men	3,000–3,500 men
Casualties and losses
600–800 killed, wounded and captured	50 killed, 220 wounded