The Battle of Kozludzha (also known as the Battle of Kozludža or the Battle of Kozluca), fought on 20 June (Old Style - June 9) 1774 near the village of Kozludzha (now Suvorovo, Bulgaria), was one of the final and decisive battles of the Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774).[5] The Russians managed to rout the Ottoman army, scoring a major victory.[5] This battle, alongside several others in this campaign, established the reputation of the Russian Lieutenant-GeneralAlexander Suvorov as one of the brilliant commanders of his time.[6][7]
The Ottoman forces are estimated at 40,000.[5][1][2] Russian numbers were much lower,[8] 8,000 men who participated in the battle.[1][2] All in all, Suvorov had about 19,500 men available. This is his corps (14,000), and part of Kamensky's forces (approximately 5,500 out of 11,000).[9] The Ottoman forces were demoralized due to previous defeats and had poor logistics (including a year of withheld back pay).[10]
Monument to the battle of Kozludzha in Suvorovo
Battle
The Russian army under Lieutenant-Generals[3]Alexander Suvorov and Mikhail Kamensky encountered the Ottoman forces of Abdul-Rezak Pasha.[5][11] Although Abdürrezzak Pasha was a bureaucrat, he was one of the rare Ottoman statesmen who commanded a large military force.[12] After scouts reported to Suvorov, he immediately ordered the attack.[13] The Russian army, divided into four squares, attacked the Ottomans.[13] Ottoman cavalry charges were repulsed by the Russians,[14] while a Russian cavalry attack from the rear resulted in the capture of all of the Ottoman artillery.[13] Russian artillery fire is also said to have been highly devastating to the Ottoman forces.[15] Casualties were 3,000 for the Ottomans[4] and 209 for the Russians.[4][13] The Russians captured the Ottoman camp with its supplies, while the Ottomans abandoned Kozludzha[15] and retreated to Shumla, where they were soon blockaded, suffering from further defeats and attrition.[8][11][13][15][16]
Aftermath
The Russian victory was one of the major reasons why a month later, on 21 July, the Ottomans were forced to sign the unfavorable Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca.[5][8][17]
References
^ abcdDuffy C., Younghusband B. Eagles Over the Alps: Suvorov in Italy and Switzerland, 1799.
Emperor's Press. 1999. P. 15
^ abcdDowling T. C. Russia at War: From the Mongol Conquest to Afghanistan, Chechnya, and Beyond. ABC-CLIO. 2014. P. 436
^ abcdPetrushevsky, Alexander (1884). Generalissimus Prince Suvorov (in Russian). Vol. 1 (1st ed.). St. Petersburg: Типография М. М. Стасюлевича. pp. 175–177.
^ abcdDowling T. C. Russia at War: From the Mongol Conquest to Afghanistan, Chechnya, and Beyond. ABC-CLIO. 2014. P. 437
