Battle of Vučji Do

Battle of Vučji Do
Part of Montenegrin–Ottoman War (1876–78) Herzegovina Uprising (1875–78)
From the illustrative magazine Orao (1877)
Date 18 July 1876 Location Vučji Do, Sanjak of Herzegovina (now Montenegro) Result decisive Montenegrin-Herzegovinian victory
Belligerents
Principality of Montenegro Herzegovinian rebels	Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Prince Nikola I Bajo Bošković Jole Piletić Peko Pavlović Petar Vukotić	Ahmed Muhtar Pasha Osman Nuri Pasha  (POW) Selim Pasha  †
Strength
17 Montenegrin battalions 11 Herzegovinian battalions 4 cannons	24 battalions 12 cannons
Casualties and losses
70 deaths 118 wounded	4000 deaths and wounded

The Battle of Vučji Do (Serbian Cyrillic: Битка код Вучјег дола) was a major battle that took place on 18 July 1876 in Vučji Do, Sanjak of Herzegovina, fought between the combined forces of Montenegrin and Eastern Herzegovinian tribes (battalions) against the Ottoman Army under Grand Vizier Ahmed Muhtar Pasha. The Montenegrin-Herzegovinian forces heavily defeated the Ottomans, and managed to capture two of their commanders. In addition, they captured a large consignment of armament.

Background

As the Uprising in Herzegovina continued, Germany, Russia and Austria-Hungary proposed a two-month truce at the meeting held in mid-May. At the same time negotiations between the Serbian and Montenegrin governments result to the two declaring war on the Ottoman Empire on 30 June 1876.

Battle

The battle took place in Vučji Do, near Bileća in Herzegovina (modern Republika Srpska), then part of the Bosnia Vilayet of the Ottoman Empire.

Selim Pasha was cut down by Đoko Lazarev Popović (Ћоко Лазарев Поповић), from Cuce, while Osman Pasha was captured by Luka Filipov Dragišić (Лука Филипов Драгишић), from Piperi.^[1][2]

Gallery

• 

  Montenegrin flag used in the battle, damaged by Ottoman soldiers' bullets.

References

Sources

• Gavro Vukotić, Rat 1876 Crne Gore sa Turskom, Cetinje 1929. (COBISS.SR-ID:30379271)
• Lj. Poleksić, Boj na Vučjem Dolu 28. jula 1876, Ratnik, X/1940
• Dimitrije Trifunović, Vučji Do, Military encyclopaedia (second edition), том X, p. 626, Vojnoizdavački zavod Belgrade, Belgrade 1975
• Мilutin Miljušković Velike crnogorske bitke: Vučji do i Fundina, Podgorica 1997. (COBISS.SR-ID:121793031)

Coordinates: 42°56′38″N 18°24′28″E / 42.94389°N 18.40778°E / 42.94389; 18.40778