Draft:Battle of Trešnjevo

Battle of Trešnjevo
Part of the Macedonian Struggle
Date2 April 1907
Location
Trešnjevo
Result Serbian Chetnik Victory
Belligerents
Serbian Chetnik Organization Bulgarian committees Ottoman Empire Ottoman Troops
Albanian Kachaks
Commanders and leaders
Vasilije Trbić Stefan Dimitrov Ottoman Empire Unknown
Strength
14 Chetniks 50-60 Comitees Ottoman Empire 60-100 Troops
40-80
Casualties and losses
None 5 Killed Ottoman Empire 4 Killed
6 Killed

the Battle of Trešnjevo was a battle during the Macedonian Struggle between Turkish, Bulgarian and Serbian Forces, after some fighting the result was a clear victory for the Serbian Chetniks, Albanians (which were fighting on the Ottoman side) were forced to retreat from the area completly, and so were Bulgarians.

Prelude

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On the eve of Easter, the Bulgarian village of Trešnjevo invited Vasilije Trbić to come to them, carry out Serbian organization and collect rifles. At the same time, the people of Trešnjevica promised to hand over the arsenal and immediately go over to the Serbian side.

the Battle

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On April 2nd, on the third day of Easter, Duke Vasilije Trbić came with 14 Chetniks to the mountain above Trešnjevo and Bistrica. After learning that the Bulgarian dukes Stevan Dimitrov and Dačo were in Trešnjevo, he realized that the goal of the Trešnjevo population was not to move to the Serbian side, but to lure them into this village and destroy his company. That is why he informed the Trešnjevo Government that he was with his company in their fields, on the opposite side of the place where he had taken up his position.After receiving Trbić's letter, the Bulgarian duke Dačo with 50-60 men (comitas and peasants) set off in the direction of the mountain, shooting with the intention of attracting the Turkish army. He expected that the Serbs would retreat towards the mountain and that he would thereby cut off their retreat. When they approached Trbić's company at around 3 in the afternoon, they were met by platoons. The peasants ran away, and Dača was left with 13 comitees and the rocks above Bistrica. At around 6 o'clock in the afternoon, the Turkish crew from Papradište and Bogomila arrived from the Nežilovo side, and the Teov and Nežilovo Turkish Police from the Bistrica side arrived. The Bulgarians tried to get hold of the forest three times, but the Chetniks always drove them back into the rock with fire.[1] The seven Bulgarians still managed to reach the forest where they hid, waiting for the night. The Chetniks had no losses in this battle. The Bulgarians had five comitees killed and the Turks had 4 Ottoman soldiers killed and 6 Kachaks. The fight with the Turks continued until dark, when Trbić's company retreated towards Nežilovo. Even tho the retreat was seen as a loss,later on the Chetniks returned to the village and established their control after proudly beating the Bulgarian Comitees out,including the Turks and Albanians.[2][1]

References

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  1. ^ a b В. Трбић, рукопис, 1. део, стр. 215-216
  2. ^ Владимир Илић: Српска четничка акција 1903-1912, стр. 120