Second Battle of Shipka Pass

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Date	August 21–26, 1877
Location	Shipka Village, Bulgaria
Result	Russian-Bulgarian victory

Combatants

Russia, Bulgaria

Ottoman Empire

Commanders

General Darozhinsky

Suleiman Pasha

Strength

5,000
27 guns

30,000

Casualties

3,600

10,000

Russo-Turkish War, 1877-1878
Kızıl-Tepe – Simnitza – Svistov – Nikopol – 1st Shipka Pass – 2nd Shipka Pass – Lovcha – 3rd Shipka Pass – Gorni-Dubnik – Kars – Pleven – Tashkessen – 4th Shipka Pass – Plovdiv

The Second Battle of Shipka Pass took place in 1877.

After taking the pass in July, 1877 the Russian forces built up a defensive position there. Russian General Darozhinsky placed his 5,000 defenders on three positions at St. Nicholas, Central Hill and the reserves in between these two points.

Suleiman Pasha gathered 30,000 Turks and was determined to retake the pass instead of simply bypassing it. On August 21 the Turks bombarded the Russian positions and then made an attack against St. Nicholas. The attack was repulsed and the Turks dug in 100 yards away. The next day the Turks moved their artillery up the mountain side and bombarded the pass while the infantry moved around the Russian flank. On August 23 the Turks attacked all Russian positions with the main attack again aimed at St. Nicholas. One Russian unit began to retreat on Central Hill but rallied when the 4th Rifle Brigade arrived and all Turkish attacks were repulsed. On the 26th a Turkish attack on St. Nicholas reached the Russian trenches but was repulsed by a bayonet charge. More Russian reinforcements arrived and on the 26th an attack was made against the Turkish position but driven back to Central Hill. This ended the battle for all practical purposes.

The Russians and Bulgarians had made a gallant stand. Suleiman would attempt to retake the pass one more time in 1877.