Skirmish at the Chukchi Peninsula: Difference between revisions

{{infobox military conflict

| image = SS Vega.jpg

| image_size = 300px

| caption = the Swedish ship ''[[SS Vega]]''.

| conflict = Skirmish at the Chukchi Peninsula

| date = 1878

| result = Inconclusive

| place = [[Chukchi Peninsula]], Russia

| combatant1 = {{flagicon|Sweden|1844}} [[Sweden]]

| combatant2 = [[Chukchis]]

| commander1 = [[Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld]]

| commander2 = Unknown

| strength1 = 1 [[Steamship]]

| strength2 = 30 <br> 3 boats

| casualties1 = None

| casualties2 = Unknown

}}

The '''Skirmish at the Chukchi peninsula''' was a brief altercation between the Swedes onboard the ''SS Vega'' and the local Chukchi people. While stranded due to the cold conditions of the Arctic, a small party of local Chukchis would make their way to the ship, expecting that the Chukchis would in some way be a threat to the crew members, the Swedes would open fire upon them. However, the Chukchis were only there to offer their help and things would de-escalate quickly.

==Background==

{{Main article|Vega Expedition}}

On the 4 of July 1878, the ''SS Vega'' departed on her expedition through the north of Russia. The purpose of the expedition was to collect scientific material from the Arctic and to circumnavigate Asia.<ref name=":3" /> The expedition had been approved by the Swedish king himself [[Oscar II of Sweden|Oscar II]] in 1877 and was to be led by the Swedish-Finnish explorer [[Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld]].<ref name=":4">{{cite web|url=https://omk.kulturhotell.se/files/original/bb3e705c047bf6b67e70afacf9ef4eae.pdf|title=Vegaexpeditionen 1878–1880|lagnuage=SV}}</ref> The crew was made up of 30 persons of which around 10 were scientists and the rest mostly sailors.<ref name=":3" />

In September 1878, the SS Vega was traveling by the Chukchi peninsula which was inhabited by the local [[Chukchis]], the temperature affected the engines making the ship stop in its tracks.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" /> During the stop near the [[Pitlekaj]] settlement, some of the local Chukchis were, however, now traveling towards the ''Vega'' with seemingly malicious intent.<ref name=":1" />

==Skirmish==

3 boats with an estimated 30 Chukchis were now embarking towards the ''Vega'' while shouting.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" /> The Chukchis attempted to board the Swedish ship, though, the Swedes had by now grabbed their guns and had started firing upon the natives who had climbed on board as well as those still on the boats.<ref name=":2">Nordenskiöld (1880)</ref><ref name=":1" /> The crew member Vega-Sven recounts the event:

"''I dag på morgonen så kom där till oss 3 båtar med människor, de var vilda, de ville gå ombord men vi måtte ta oss ett gevär och skjuta innan vi kunde styra dän. Deras båtar var av sälhud, de var en 30 stycken människor, ludna, bruna fulingar.''"<ref name=":1">{{ cite web|url=https://sjohistoriskasamfundet.se/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/fn67-hag.pdf|title=Svensk-arktiska relationer - Vegabesättningens möte med tjuktjer i nordöstra Sibirien 1878–1879|website=Sjöhistoriska samfundet|page=10|language=SV}}</ref><ref>Andersson</ref>

However, the intent of the Chukchis was not malicious, and tensions shortly thereafter de-escalated. The Swedes would accept the Chukcih's offer of hospitality.<ref name=":1" />

==Aftermath==

As the winter progressed, the Swedes spent their time east of the Chukchis town of Pitlekaj in the bay of Koljutjinskaja, thus delaying the expedition by around a year.<ref name=":3" /> However, the relationship between the Swedes and the Chukchis dramatically improved in contrast to the previous skirmish between them and they would celebrate birthdays and holidays with each other.<ref name=":1" /> The discovery of the Chukchis by the Swedes would greatly contribute to the knowledge and awareness about them, one crewmember even learned the Chukchi language to such a degree that he managed to make a dictionary from Swedish to Chukchi.<ref name=":1" />

When the SS ''Vega'' eventually departed in the summer of 1879, the crew would successfully conduct their voyage and would return home back to Sweden.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://popularhistoria.se/vetenskap/upptackare/aventyr-i-arktis|title=Adolf Erik Nordenskiölds äventyr i Arktis|language=SV|website=Populär historia}}</ref>

==See also==

*[[Vega expedition]]

*[[Capture of Manuel Briones]]

==References==