The Battle of Sofia ( bg, Битката при София) was the culmination of
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
n General
Iosif Gurko
Count Iosif Vladimirovich Romeyko-Gurko (russian: Граф Ио́сиф Влади́мирович Роме́йко-Гурко́, Iósif Vladímirovič Roméjko-Gurkó; — ), also known as Joseph or Ossip Gourko, was a prominent Russian ...
's Western Squad for the defeat of the Orhaniye army in the
Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)
The Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878 ( tr, 93 Harbi, lit=War of ’93, named for the year 1293 in the Islamic calendar; russian: Русско-турецкая война, Russko-turetskaya voyna, "Russian–Turkish war") was a conflict between th ...
. It led to the
Liberation
Liberation or liberate may refer to:
Film and television
* ''Liberation'' (film series), a 1970–1971 series about the Great Patriotic War
* "Liberation" (''The Flash''), a TV episode
* "Liberation" (''K-9''), an episode
Gaming
* '' Liberati ...
of
Sofia
Sofia ( ; bg, София, Sofiya, ) is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria. It is situated in the Sofia Valley at the foot of the Vitosha mountain in the western parts of the country. The city is built west of the Iskar river, and ha ...
from
Turkish rule.
Battle of Sofia
Location of power
In early January 1877, the West army group Gurko successfully crossed the
Balkan Mountains
The Balkan mountain range (, , known locally also as Stara planina) is a mountain range in the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula in Southeastern Europe. The range is conventionally taken to begin at the peak of Vrashka Chuka on the border betw ...
. Parts of the group was to focus on Yana village. The Orhaniye Ottoman army after the
Battle of Tashkessen
The Battle of Tashkessen or Battle of Tashkesan ( Turkish: ''Taşkesen Muharebesi'') was a battle of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878. It was fought between the Ottoman Empire and the Russian Empire on December 31, 1877, in what is now Bulg ...
retired to the Sofia area. Western group Gurko passed to operation Orhaniye to defeat the Ottoman army, according to the plan for final action in the war. General
Iosif Gurko
Count Iosif Vladimirovich Romeyko-Gurko (russian: Граф Ио́сиф Влади́мирович Роме́йко-Гурко́, Iósif Vladímirovič Roméjko-Gurkó; — ), also known as Joseph or Ossip Gourko, was a prominent Russian ...
said: "''Probably we would not have crossed the mountain, were it not for these silent and strong Bulgarians who brought us bread and hot food. They prompted us to remove the horses to harness their oxen to the guns and so went the first party to pass through snowdrifts and freezing cold.''"
Part of the forces of the West group Gurko with 20,000 soldiers and 46
cannons
A cannon is a large-caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder during ...
commanded by Major General Otto Rauch were directed into Sofia field. They were grouped into two columns: the right column of Lieutenant General Nikolai Velyaminov attacked from the north, and the left column of Major General Otto Rauch from the east. The opponent was Sofia's Ottoman holding force, 15,000 soldiers under Commander Osman Nuri Pasha, who occupied the approaches to the city and fortifications around the city.
Battle of Gorni Bogrov
On 19/31 December Ottoman forces (5000 soldiers) were directed against the column of Lieutenant Velyaminov (4200 soldiers). The Ottomans burned Dolni Bogrov and Botunets villages. This led to a gun battle. The next day, December 20 / January 1, attacking frontally, they made two attacks and attempt to attack the Russian flanks. After Russian counterattack the Ottomans abandoned Dolni Bogrov and by nightfall fled and were pursued.
Fight at Vrazhdebna
On December 21 / January 2 the column of Major General Rauch came from
Sarantsi
Sarantsi (Bulgarian: Саранци) is a village in western Bulgaria. It is in the municipality of Gorna Malina, Sofia Province.
The village is 37 km northeast of Sofia and has its own railway station, which is 2 km away from the vill ...
village and headed to Gorni Bogrov. They crossed the river Iskar, causing a skirmish at the bridge near
Vrazhedbna
Vrazhdebna Air Base ( bg, Авиобаза Враждебна, Aviobaza Vraždebna) or 16th Transport Air Base is a military air base, located on the site of Sofia Airport. The air base functions as a hub for the 16th Transport Squadron of the BAF. ...
. The opposing forces were subjected to artillery shelling and bypassed on the left flank by the Life Guards
Preobrazhenski Regiment. They did not withstand the pressure and set fire to the bridge and retreated to Sofia.
Liberation of Sofia
The forces of the West group Gurko attacked in total offensive on 22 December / January 3. Column Lieutenant Velyaminov captured
Kubratovo and
Birimirtsi
Birimirtsi ( bg, Биримирци ) is a neighbourhood in Sofia, Bulgaria
Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of ...
villages and went to
Orlandovtsi
Orlandovtsi ( bg, Орландовци , also transliterated as ''Orlandovci'' or ''Orlandovtzi'') is a neighbourhood of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. It lies in the northeast of the city and is administratively part of the Serdika municipality ...
village. The column of Major General Rauch captured the bridge at Chardakli farm (today, of the
Tsarigradsko Shose
Tsarigradsko shose ( bg, Цариградско шосе, lit=Tsarigrad (Istanbul) Chausseé (Road)) is the largest boulevard in the capital of Bulgaria, Sofia. The boulevard provides grade-separated dual carriageway in almost its entire length of ...
over the
Iskar river
The Iskar ( bg, Искър, ; la, Oescus) is a right tributary of the Danube. With a length of 368 km it is the longest river that runs entirely within Bulgaria.[Vrana Palace
Vrana Palace ( bg, Дворец "Врана", translit=Dvorets "Vrana"; formerly ; ) is a former royal palace, on the outskirts of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. It is today the official residence of former royal family of Bulgaria. While the ...]
) and blocked the retreat route from Sofia towards Plovdiv. The Caucasian Cossack Brigade (commanded by Colonel Ivan Tutolmin) advanced in the direction Dărvenitsa -
Boyana
Boyana ( bg, Бояна ) is a neighbourhood of the Bulgarian capital of Sofia, part of Vitosha municipality and situated 8 km south of the city centre, in the outskirts of Vitosha. Boyana is one of the most expensive parts of Sofia to l ...
. Faced with a real threat of encirclement, Osman Nuri Pasha started a fast retreat in the direction of
Pernik
Pernik ( bg, Перник ) is a town in western Bulgaria (about south-west of Sofia) with a population of 70,285 . Pernik is the most populated town in western Bulgaria after Sofia. It is the main town of Pernik Province and lies on both banks ...
-
Radomir, abandoning on the road 6000 wounded and sick soldiers. The foreign consuls (Vito Positano and Leander Lege) intervened, preventing an attempt to set fire to Sofia. On 23 December / January 4, 1878 into Sofia entered the first Russian units: Caucasian Cossack brigade and Grodno Hussar Regiment. Large military ammunition depots and supplies were captured. In the cathedral, a service was celebrated in the presence of Lieutenant General Iosif Gurko and Major General Otto Rauch.
Results
After the Battle of Sofia the Orhaniye Ottoman army ceased to exist as an organized military force. The Ottomans suffered irreparable human and material losses. This opened for offensive the direction of Sofia - Plovdiv -
Edirne
Edirne (, ), formerly known as Adrianople or Hadrianopolis (Greek: Άδριανούπολις), is a city in Turkey, in the northwestern part of the province of Edirne in Eastern Thrace. Situated from the Greek and from the Bulgarian borders, ...
. Plovdiv was liberated on January 16 and Edirne was conquered on 20 January.
Notes
References
* Освободителната война 1877–1878, С., 1986, с. 59,64,122
* Освободителната война 1877–1878, С., 1978, с. 94
External links
Освобождението на София–
137 години от освобождението на София от османска власт: На 4 януари 1878 г. Западният руски отряд под командата на генерал-лейтенант Гурко освобождава СофияArticle from December 1927 of the newspaper "Fatherland", organ of the Union of Reserve Officers. The occasion is the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the city.
BulgariCA: BULGARians In CAlifornia
{{coord missing, Bulgaria
Sofia
Sofia ( ; bg, София, Sofiya, ) is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria. It is situated in the Sofia Valley at the foot of the Vitosha mountain in the western parts of the country. The city is built west of the Iskar river, and ha ...
History of Sofia
December 1877 events
January 1878 events