Battle of Fundina

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Fundina
partof=Montenegrin-Turkish War of 1876-1878


caption=Depiction of the Battle of Fundina
date=2 August 1876
place=Fundina, Montenegro
casus=
territory=
result=Decisive Montenegrin victory
combatant1=
combatant2= flag|Ottoman Empire
commander1=Ilija Plamenac
Marko Miljanov Popović
commander2=Mahmud Pasha
strength1=5,000
strength2=40,000Fact|date=April 2007
casualties1= about 600
casualties2=10,000-13,500
Fact|date=April 2007

The Battle of Fundina took place on 2 August 1876 in Fundina, a village in Kuči, Princedom of Montenegro.

The Montenegrin Army was led by the two Montenegrin dukes, Ilija Plamenac and Marko Miljanov, who had about 5,000 people uder their direct command. Days before the battle, a Montenegrin Muslim, Mašo-Hadži Ahmetov revealed Ottoman plans to Marko Miljanov, so that Montenegrins knew where the attack was going to come from.

The Ottomans advanced from the Southwest towards Kuči, planning their final attack for 3 August. But, since Montenegrin commanders knew of their plans, they counterattacked a day before. Most of the fighting occurred at the bottom of Heljam hill, where Ottomans were defending from the trenches. While Marko Miljanov was in the front lines, Ilija Plamenac was commanding the Montenegrin army from the back, developing a strategy. After the victory was secured, Montenegrins captured the Ottoman leaders, put them in a house and burned it to the ground. The rest of Montenegrins chased the remaining Ottomans soutward, forcing them into a fast retreat.

The importance of this Montenegrin victory was that it stopped the Turkish advance, and secured Montenegrin victory in the Montenegrin-Turkish War of 1876-1878.

Trivia

*The exact number of Montenegrin casualties is unknown, but it is certain that Ceklin battalion suffered the greatest losses.
*Number of Ottoman casualties is more than twice greater than the number of Montenegrins who fought in the battle.
*The most successful part of the Montenegrin Army was Martinići battalion, which killed 2,000 Ottomans, and captured 6 enemy flags.
*Novak Vujošević from Kuči tribe was the biggest hero of the battle, killing 17 enemy soldiers. Later he received an award from the Russian emperor.
*After the battle, Montenegrins sent a "gift" to Mahmud Pasha - an alive wolf, as a symbol of Montenegrin pride and freedom.
*Marko Miljanov, one of the two Montenegrin commanders, was awarded the best captured sword and a house in Medun, which is today a museum.
*After the battle, Kuči clan was awarded a medal for bravery by the King Nicholas I.
*The battle was fought on St. Elijah's Day by the Eastern Orthodox calendar.

Sources

*"William H. Guttenberg; History becomes alive"
* [http://www.dan.cg.yu/?nivo=3&rubrika=Ljudi%20i%20dogadjaji&datum=2006-01-07&clanak=42861 "Heroism in the stories of descendants"] (in Serbian)

See also

*Montenegrin-Turkish War of 1876-1878
*Battle of Vučji Do
*Principality of Montenegro
*Marko Miljanov Popović