Serb-Turkish war 1876

[dibo]

This is an interesting war, which happened just before the Russo-Turksih war of 1877-1878. This topic is intended to publish some links and materials about it.

[dibo]

Link from the Balkan military history site:

http://members.aol.com/balkandave/serb1876.htm

[dibo]

The battle of Aleksinac (Adrovac), a bad GSM copy of the original article in the Vojna Encyclopedia, vol. 1.

[Гост]

On the Serbs language:

http://www.raskaoblast.com/udruzenjeras/javorskirat.htm

http://www.srpsko-nasledje.co.yu/sr-c/1998/08/article-04.html

[The Edge]

Failed Balkan War

This war had its own "Bulgarian connection" - Serbia was aware that it can't war with Turkey alone, but expected that other Balkan nations would join the fight (and eventualy Russia). Only Montenegro went to war; Greece was not ready for war and didn't joined.
Serbians also expected another national uprising in Bulgaria, too, so a few thousand rifles are prepared to arm Bulgarian rebels. Few units are actually armed, but most of them deserted and hand over their arms to Turkish authoritatives (Hardly suprising, without strong leadership and Serbs went to defense on their teritory so early in war).

Does anybody has something about the role of Bulgarian volunteers in this war?
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Btw, this war is one of my specialties.

Unfortunately, almost all of my literature is on Serbian. :not:

However, info about army organization, TOE, armament and uniforms available. :nod:

[Dinain]

If it's your specialty, how come you don't have information about the bulgarian volunteers?
Furthermore, what the serbian leadership hoped to achieve by distributing (mere)few thousand rifles to bulgarian population?

[dibo]

Does anybody has something about the role of Bulgarian volunteers in this war?

I do. Will post.

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Btw, this war is one of my specialties.

Unfortunately, almost all of my literature is on Serbian. :not:

However, info about army organization, TOE, armament and uniforms available. :nod:

Please go ahead and post. Even in Serbian. It is more or less understandable.

[The Edge]

If it's your specialty, how come you don't have information about the bulgarian volunteers?
Furthermore, what the serbian leadership hoped to achieve by distributing (mere)few thousand rifles to bulgarian population?

1) maybe I'm not such a big specialist? :shrug:

2) Bulgarian people started previous uprisinig almost WITHOUT any help. So few thousand rifles is, at least, something to start with (guerilla type warfare, for example). Serbia also planned similar quantity for Serbian volunteers from Turkish teritories. At the same time, Serbian Army lack rifles for at least 33% of its regruits. (In any case, all actions were prepared badly, even naive :sm186: )

[Dinain]

2) Bulgarian people started previous uprisinig almost WITHOUT any help. So few thousand rifles is, at least, something to start with. Serbia also planned similar quantity for Serbian volunteers from Turkish teritories. At the same time, Serbian Army lack rifles for at least 33% of its regruits. (In any case, all actions were prepared badly, even naive )

Ok, thanks for the info! I'll be looking forward to further information on the bulgarian volunteers. All I know about them is from a bulgarian book called "Suedinenieto 1885", which is more a novel than a precise historic source. There was written that serbian veterans from the 1876 war remembered well the "bulgarian courage and fearsome style of fighting"

[Гост]

Bulgarian volunteers russian general Chernjaev command. About his name the march bulgarian volunteers is connected also: " Chernjaev a march " - after liberation Bulgaria the song became a hymn the state (though also name became another).

[The Edge]

Please go ahead and post. Even in Serbian. It is more or less understandable.

Name the first topic, please.

(I’ll tray to scan short article from “Vojna enciklopedija” for a whole war)

[dibo]

For example: Serbian OOB, beginning of the war and after the formation of the Russian-Bulgarian Volunteer Brigade.

[The Edge]

Serbian Army at the start of the war:

- 6 operative divisions of 1st ban troops: Dunavska, Sumadijska, Timochka, Drinska, Juznomoravska and Zapadnomoravska.
(Each of divisions had 3 brigades, artillery regiment, cavalry regiment, engineers battalion, hospital company and supply column – in practice, most of support units lacked men & equipment; Brigades had 3 to 6 battalions, depending of region where they are formed; 1st ban brigade have also battery of 4 light guns; divisional artillery regiment had 3 batteries of 8 guns).
- 18 brigades of 2nd ban troops; they didn’t formed divisions and were used separately; no light battery in these brigades.
- 18 battalions of 3rd ban troops.
(1st ban: men aged 20-35; 2nd ban: men aged 35-50; 3rd ban: men over 50 years old; this was so-called "Peoples' Army", i.e. militia type organization).
Mobilized: 158 battalions operative troops, 18 battalions of 3rd ban troops for rear service; 33 cavalry squadrons, 39 operational artillery batteries (over 200 guns) plus extra batteries of “positional artillery”, 18 engineers battalions, 6 hospital companies. Total: 100,000 men, 22,000 horses, 6,000 oxen. (Later, during war, Army had 130,000 men enlisted, for the total population of Serbia 1,300,000).
Before war started two extra brigades of volunteers were formed, mostly of Serbs from Austro-Hungarian Empire (2,729 men); one unit of 300 volunteers of Serbs from Turkey (commanded by archimandrite Nichifor Duchic), and Bulgarian Committee organized 400-500 volunteers in Kladovo.
(Most of Russian volunteers came to Serbia later, when the war already started; first of them, general Cherniaev, one month before hostilities began).

It was planned that majority of troops would be concentrated south, towards Nish, for decisive battle with Turkish main force. Later, on politicians intervention, more troops were diverged to secondary military, but primary political aims, towards Bosnia and Old Serbia (and Montenegro). This proved to be one of costly mistakes, because in this way Serbian forces were weak for offensive actions in all directions, and too strong for defense in some of them (on Drina River and towards Old Serbia).

Main Serbian formations and their disposition:
- Moravska Army, commanded by Russian general Cherniaev, was in Morava River walleye, towards Nish, 68,000 troops;
- Along Drina River, towards Bosnia, Drinski Corps, 15,000 troops, under general Alympic;
- Towards Old Serbia: Ibarski Corps, 24,000 troops, under general Zach (ex-Czech nationality);
- Along Timok River, towards Vidin, Timocki Corps, 25,000 troops, under general Leshyanin.
(Note: this numbers are men in total, not only combat troops)

Turkish forces and their disposition:
- Main Army, around Nish: Eyub-Pasha’s Corps (35,000 nizams & redifs, 10,000 Circassians, 30,000 Bashi-Bazouks. Marching towards Nish, Saib-Pasha’s Corps, another 25,000 nizams & redifs.
- Around Vidin, Osman-Pasha’s Corps (30,000 troops);
- In Bosnia, Zefir-Pasha’s troops, about 25,000 men;
- In Syenica-Nova Varos region (Old Serbia) Muktar-Pasha’s division, 15,000 men;
- Around Novi Pazar (Old Serbia), Mechmed Alli-Pasha’s division, 18.000 men.

[The Edge]

Sorry, folks, hardware problems (no scanner at home)

[The Edge]

As a bonus, next war (1877-78) too.

Any new requests? (to dig something during weekend - I'm hard working company man )