Battles of Batočina and Jagodina
| Battles of Batočina and Jagodina | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the First Serbian Uprising | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Revolutionary Serbia | Kučuk-Alija's troops | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Karađorđe Dimitrije Parezan |
Musein Ganić † Jusuf-aga Klimentić † Tosun-aga | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 100+ | 500 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 100 killed | 400 killed | ||||||
The Battles of Batočina and Jagodina were several battles fought between 23 and 27 March (4–8 April) 1804 in Batočina and Jagodina (central Serbia) between the Serbian rebels under Karađorđe and part of the troops under Dahije (renegade Janissaries) leader Kučuk-Alija.[1] Some 400 "Turks" were killed after the rebel forces surrounded them.[2]
According to some sources, Kučuk-Alija had left Jagodina with part of his army staying at Batočina while he went to Paraćin and Niš to collect more kırcalı (bandits).[3] After taking over Kragujevac on 4 April, Karađorđe surrounded Batočina where Kučuk-Alija's Albanian kırcalı stayed.[4][5] Meanwhile, Karađorđe ordered Dimitrije Parezan and his troops from Lepenice to set up an ambush at Rogot towards Brzan to await any "Turks", whether they flee Batočina or arrive from Jagodina.[5] Karađorđe's troops fought the kırcalı into the dark,[5] while Karađorđe went to rise up the Levač region.[4] When Kučuk-Alija found out that Karađorđe had left, he sent Tosun-Aga with five hundred cavalry to break through to Batočina at night.[5] After taking up positions, a new Serb attack began on 7 April (26 March O.S.).[5] The "Turks" decided to retreat towards Jagodina, where they were to meet with Kučuk-Alija and continue further towards Belgrade.[5] However, on the way to Jagodina, the troops of Dimitrije Parezan and Đuka Filipović awaited them in the Rogot forest, so the "Turks" decided to look for a way out towards Kijevo through the Kijevo stream.[5] Karađorđe waited for them to move as far away from Batočina as possible, so he followed them and caught up with them at the Kijevo stream between Kijevo and Dobrovodica. About four hundred "Turks" fell, including Musein Ganić and Jusuf-aga Klimentić (known as Daija Koltuk), while Tosun-aga barely escaped and fled to Jagodina. In addition, the rebels gained rich booty, including hundreds of rifles and nine standards.[4][6]
Karađorđe informed Austrian contact Mitesser about the defeat of Turks at Batočina and Jagodina in a letter dated 16 April 1804.[3] Karađorđe then defeated Kučuk-Alija at Paraćin, resulting in the expansion of uprising in that area, under Barjaktarević.[3]
French newspaper Le Moniteur Universel reported on the battles on 12 April 1804:
L'autre jour, une bataille acharnée et sanglante a eu lieu à Batočina. Les rebelles encerclèrent cette ville qui abritait une garnison de 400 Turcs qui combattirent désespérément. Après plusieurs heures de combat, ils furent vaincus et presque tous moururent. Une centaine de rebelles serbes sont également morts.
(The other day a fierce and bloody battle was led at Batočina. The rebels surrounded this town which held a garrison of 400 Turks who desperately fought. After several hours of fighting, they were defeated and almost all of them died. A hundred Serbian rebels also died.)
See also
References
- ^ Milutin Mijušković; Živko M. Andrijašević (2004). Vojnoistorijski spisi. JP Službeni list SCG. p. 88. ISBN 978-86-495-0152-2.
- ^ Miroslav R. Đorđević (1956). Politička istorija Srbije XIX i XX veka. Prosveta.
- ^ a b c Jovanović 2014, p. 15.
- ^ a b c Јеремија Д. Митровић, Баточина и околина у прошлости, Крагујевац 1976. стр. 28.
- ^ a b c d e f g Жика Марковић, Запис о Брзану, Брзан 2000. стр. 69.
- ^ М. Вукићевић, Карађорђе II, Београд 1912. стр. 66.
Sources
- Jovanović, Dobrivoje (2014) [2009]. "ПРВЕ БОРБЕ СА ТУРЦИМА И ОСЛОБОЂЕЊЕ ЈАГОДИНЕ 1804.ГОДИНЕ" (PDF). Прошлост. 3. Историјски архив Јагодина.