Post by Emperor AAdmin on Jul 3, 2009 12:07:27 GMT -5
Stevan Sinđelić
Stevan Sinđelić (Serbian Cyrillic: Стеван Синђелић) (1770 — May 19, 1809) was a commander (vojvoda) of the First Serbian Uprising. His name became synonymous with courage among many Serbs.
Sinđelić led the rebels from Resava and, in the initial battles, he defeated part of the Ottoman Turkish Army near Medveđa. He also fought courageously in the Battles of Ivankovac 1805 and Deligrad 1806.
On the day of Holy Trinity, May 19, 1809 (during First Serbian uprising), the Ottoman Turks marched out of Niš and headed towards Sinđelić's trenches with 3,000 strong cavalry and four cannons.
When Sinđelić saw the trenches were filled, he opened the trench gates and told his soldiers they were free to attempt avoiding certain death by leaving the field of battle if they so wished. His famous words were: Save yourselves brothers, who wants and who can! Who stays will die! He himself took a position in the middle of the trench where the gunpowder was stored. When the Turks swarmed the trench from all sides and headed for him, Sinđelić fired his handgun into the gunpowder container, triggering a huge explosion that shook the surrounding fields and hills. The Serbs that were still in the trench with Sinđelić and the attacking Turks were all blown into the air and killed.
Every single one of Cegar Hill 952 defenders as well as all the Ottoman Turkish troops attacking it were killed in this battle. Soon after, as a warning to Serb population, the Turks erected the famous and still standing Ćele-kula by the side of the road towards Constantinople, built out of Serbian soldiers' skulls. It was done by order of Hurşid Paşa, commander of the town of Niš at that time.