Did you know about the feat of the soldiers and Vidin volunteers in the battles near the Vidin Fortress on November 10-16, 1885, decisive for the outcome of the Serbo-Bulgarian War?
The associations related to the Serbo-Bulgarian War, even for specialists, end with the feat of the young Bulgarian army, which showed military art at Slivnitsa, and also with the panic that gripped the capital when, according to foreign diplomats, the only man in Sofia was Ekaterina Karavelova.
For historians, it seems as if the defense of Vidin did not exist. And the city was an extremely important strategic object for the Serbs. After they passed through Kula like a knife through butter (the defense was brave, but the enemy - numerous), Captain Atanas Uzunov, appointed commander of the North-West Sector, gave up resistance in the open field and concentrated his troops in the Vidin fortress. This is recalled by the Vidin Municipal Council.
But the forces remained unequal. According to various sources, the advancing commander of the Timosh Division and other military units - General Leshanin, led between 16,000 and 30,000 soldiers and officers, well-trained by Russian soldiers, some hardened in battles.
Against them, Captain Uzunov had 2,000, most of them reservists, 800 volunteers and as many militiamen. Historian Andrei Kudin claims that the defenders of Vidin were only 750 fighters and about 1000 volunteers, mostly students.
As early as November 9, General Leshanin surrounded and isolated Vidin by land, capturing Vidbol, Gamzovo and Bela Rada. In a dispatch to King Milan, he beat his chest that he would pass through the city as if on a parade and with a vigorous march he would strike the Bulgarians in the back near Sofia. It is close to the mind that this was the strategy of Suleiman Pasha at Shipka. Therefore, what would happen near Vidin in 1885 would be the same as what had already happened at Shipka, "where the Balkans still roar and transmit its glorious glory... from century to century". In the evening, the head of the Timosh detachment, Lieutenant Colonel Dimich, sent a letter through negotiators to Captain Uzunov, in which he offered him to surrender the fortress or he would reduce it to dust. The Bulgarian officer tore up the letter and did not respond either verbally or in writing to the threat.
The Serbs met this with hearty laughter. In addition to their experience, they also had spies in Vidin who had reported to them the strength and disposition of the Bulgarian army. This was a frivolous defense, according to the traditionalist general. The "sbirotaka", as he would call the gathering of students, pupils and officials, were especially unimportant. As for the artillery, Leshanin knew that it was made up of old, long-out-of-use cannons abandoned by the Turks, and the shells were almost useless...
“According to the rules of military art– writes Andrey Kudin– General Leshanin surrounded the fortress and gentlemanly suggested that Captain Uzunov surrender. The captain replied that he was undisciplined as a cadet, often ran away from lectures and did not attend the “Transmission of fortresses“, but he happened to be at the lecture “Defense of Fortresses“.
The Vidin fortress has two fences - outer and inner. But due to the expansion of the city, the inner one is already half-destroyed and has partly lost its purpose as a citadel.
The outer fortress is a bastion that surrounds the city in a semicircle, with an embankment, one and a half meters high and 4 meters thick. The fortress wall also has two forts.
Captain Uzunov orders the requisition of food for a month for 15,000 people.
After General Leshanin orders an offensive, two wide chains set off towards the defenders of Vidin and encircle the entire front. The confusion among the Bulgarians, expected by the Serbs, occurs. Novoseltsi, Alibegovo and Tatardzhik (all villages around Vidin) fall into the hands of the enemy. The Serbs are already a hundred paces from the fortress...
As if that was all they were waiting for: two long, two short 24-foot guns, a six-inch mortar (this is the prototype of the famous Katyushas half a century later, b.a.), 26 Polish guns... This is according to data from the Ministry of War, but Kudin writes about about 200 guns.
A completely incomprehensible to General Leshanin, a murderous artillery fire begins. The Serbs' offensive is not only stopped, but they even turn to flee!
The next morning it is renewed. And Leshanin is confident that after the impressive artillery barrage, the Bulgarians have used up, if not all, then at least most of their ammunition. This time the division advances in a triple chain. They reach about 300 meters from the fortress, supported by their artillery.
And at that moment the guns of Vidin "sing". More deadly and more active than the day before. "Yesterday was the rehearsal" – Captain Uzunov would say later.
The entire first wave of attackers was swept away as if by a broom. The second followed. And the natural continuation - the indiscriminate retreat. Again under incessant artillery fire. Leshanin went berserk - where did the Bulgarians get so many shells?!
On the morning of November 13, our army and mostly volunteers, using the thick fog, left Vidin and attacked the assembled Serbian regiment. The enemy's flight was panic-stricken. But Leshanin was also a brave man - he himself went to the front line, brought back those who had fled, and after two hours of fighting, mostly at the knife, the Bulgarians retreated, leaving 70 dead on the battlefield, and taking dozens of prisoners to Vidin.
The surprises that day for Leshanin did not end. The Vidin artillery was stronger than the day before - Serbian batteries were also hit, then the field kitchens, tents, even toilets. The accurate fire was due primarily to experienced military scouts sent to the Serbian camp.
It was Captain Uzunov's turn to show his gentlemanliness. He sent a letter to Leshanin, which the general would consider humiliating - he was offered a truce. But he gave the order to reinforce the forward troops.
And again he made a mistake, deciding that the Bulgarians were being helped by the Romanians from Calafat. His scouts reported that for days on end, the inhabitants of that place sat on the opposite bank and shouted "Hurray!" and "Bravo!" at the top of their voices to the Bulgarians. And at night, five or six boats with huge chests crossed the Danube from Calafat to Vidin. "These are shells!" – decided Lešanin and informed King Milan.
A protest note was sent from Belgrade to Bucharest, to which it was replied that the Romanians strictly observed neutrality. As for the mysterious chests, these were not shells at all, but another type of “ammunition“ – brandy (cujka), wine and champagne. After the solid treats, the Romanians simply went home to prepare the next portion of “ammunition“. On November 15, Captain Uzunov organized a sortie with the aim of destroying the leading Serbian group and its batteries. The detachment, commanded by Second Lieutenant Todorov, passed through the gate of the “Strashen Bryag“ fortress and set off on the road to Bregovo in two columns, the second of which was made up of volunteers.
The Serbs were surprised. The Bulgarians attack not with fire, but with swords. The battle lasts an hour and a half. According to Serbian sources, 150 Bulgarians fall in the fierce battle. It is logical that the Serbs' losses are greater. Second Lieutenant Todorov is killed and the Bulgarians retreat into the fortress in battle formation.
And once again the artillery takes the floor. The cannonade lasts - incomprehensibly for Leshanin - for five hours!
The day is already November 16 and the armistice imposed by Austria-Hungary comes into force. Behind the scenes, however, Vienna turns a blind eye to this supposedly diplomatic decision and unofficially orders Leshanin to capture Vidin and advance towards Sofia with an accelerated march. Apparently, this is a strong support for King Milan's ambitions to still annex the Bulgarian lands along the Lom line to Greater Serbia - The Sofia field, all the way to Ihtiman and the relocation of the Bulgarian capital to Veliko Tarnovo.
Leshanin gathers an army and artillery into a fist and begins artillery preparation for an assault. The Bulgarian guns immediately return fire. The Serbs are swept away. Captain Uzunov leads soldiers and volunteers in an infantry attack...
Meanwhile, he sends a telegram about the violation of the truce to Petko Karavelov, who, in turn, sends Vasil Radoslavov, still his favorite (very soon they will become fierce enemies), to the Austrian agency.
The Austrian agency replies that they have no idea about General Leshanin's actions. Radoslavov is still a brave and resourceful man (he is also a poet) and replies sharply that Captain Uzunov is a crazy daredevil and a clever soldier, he will act according to his will without worrying about Austrian diplomatic decisions and will not stop until he enters Niš, and then the diplomats will have to consider him, not him theirs!