Battle of Loznica

Battle of Loznica or the Battle of Tičar Polje is a battle that was fought on 5 and 6 October according to the old calendar, and on 17 and 18 October 1810, according to the new calendar. [1]

Introduction

About 30,000 Turks under the command of Ali-pasha Vidajić descended along the Drina in shakes to Tičar polje, near Loznica. The fortified city walls were defended by 1,200 Serbs, led by the Duke of Loznica, Antonija Anta Bogićević. Assessing that he would not be able to resist the Turkish attacks, Duke Anta turned to Luka Lazarević for help. [2]

After he was informed about the siege of Loznica and when he rejected Hasid-pasha from Morava, Karađorđe sent a letter to Petar Dobrnjac, asking him for reinforcements.

"Don't hesitate for a minute. It's worth every minute, I really care if the army arrives on the Drina a minute earlier."

About 10,000 fighters arrived to help - Luka Lazarević and Jakov Nenadović with the army of Šabac and Valjevo Nahiya. The decisive battle began on the morning of 6 October 1810. The battle with swords lasted about two hours. In the end, the Serbian army won. During the last two days, 121 Serb fighters were killed and 178 were wounded, while according to historical records, there were three times as many Turks killed and wounded. [2]

Karađorđe later informed Miloš Obrenović about the battle: [3]

"Both the Turks and we went out into the field, and we fought terribly with cannons and rifles, in eight hours that there was no bigger battle than this."

The famous guslar Filip Višnjić recorded this battle in the song of the same name "Battle of Loznica". This victory of the Serbian army is one of the most significant in the First Serbian Uprising.

Cincar Janko Popović was wounded in this battle, his square on Tičar was sung by Sima Milutinović Sarajlija in the song "Serbijanka". [4]

Trench

After the liberation of Loznica from the Turks in the spring of 1807, on the orders of Jakov Nenadović, a trench of irregular square shape was built, measuring 120 by 105 meters. The trench had a well, an ammunition depot, a dormitory, a church, a food store, a tunnel leading to the river Styra, five cannon positions facing the Drina and could accommodate up to 2,000 soldiers. There were two defensive walls on it, up to 12 meters high and about 10 meters thick. The Loznica moat is almost completely preserved and is one of the few fortification works that have been completely preserved. It can be considered the best-preserved chance from the period of the uprising. Today, the old church in Loznica, the tomb of Duke Ante Bogićević and the primary school, which bears his name, are located on the same site. [2]

200th anniversary celebration

The central celebration of two centuries since the battle of Loznica, in addition to the representatives of the Republic of Serbia, the Government, the National Assembly, the Serbian Army and the diplomatic corps, was enhanced by the arrival of His Holiness the Serbian Patriarch Irinej on 6 October 2010 in Loznica. On that occasion, the Serbian Patriarch stated: The battle of Loznica, in which the Serbian army won one of the greatest victories in the First Serbian Uprising in 1810, is a shining example of Serbian harmony, unlike some other battles [1][5]

References

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