Battle of Cetate (1853-1854)

The Battle of Cetate was fought during the Crimean War. In this battle a large Ottoman force under Ahmed Pasha attempted to capture the village of Cetate in Wallachia, controlled by the troops of Colonel Alexander Baumgarten, but were unsuccessful.

Background

This battle took place during the Danube campaign of the Crimean War. In the build-up to war, RussiaRussian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. The rise of the Russian Empire coincided with the decline of neighbouring rival powers: the Swedish Empire, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, Qajar Iran, the Ottoman Empire, and Qing China. Russia remains the third-largest empire in history, surpassed only by the British Empire and the Mongol Empire.Russia had occupied the Danubian Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, positioning troops on the left (northern) bank of the Danube, which formed the border with Ottoman territory. The Ottoman EmpireThe Ottoman Empire, also known as the Turkish Empire, was an empire that controlled much of Southeast Europe, Western Asia, and Northern Africa between the 14th and early 20th centuries. The Ottomans ended the Byzantine Empire with the conquest of Constantinople in 1453. The Ottoman Empire's defeat and the occupation of part of its territory by the Allied Powers in the aftermath of World War I resulted in its partitioning and the loss of its Middle Eastern territories.Ottoman Empire had responded by moving troops to the right bank to face them.

In the west, on the border with Austria Flag of Austrian Empire Austrian Empire was a Central-Eastern European and multinational great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the realms of the Habsburgs. During its existence, it was the third most populous monarchy in Europe after the Russian Empire and the United Kingdom. Along with Prussia, it was one of the two major powers of the German Confederation. The empire was proclaimed by Francis II in 1804 in response to Napoleon's declaration of the First French Empire.Austria and Serbia, Russian troops in Cetate were faced by Ottoman forces in the fortress of Vidin.

Following the Ottoman ultimatum on 4 October 1853 to withdraw within 2 weeks, Ottoman forces under Ahmed Pasha crossed the river and occupied the town of Calafat, which they fortified as a bridgehead.

Action

On 31 December 1853 Ahmed Pasha and a force of several thousand cavalry, supported by infantry, advanced to attack Cetate, which was held by a Russian detachment, under Colonel Alexander K. Baumgarten. This attack was repulsed, after which both sides called up reinforcements.

On 6 January 1854 (Christmas Day in the Russian Orthodox calendar) Ahmed renewed his assault with a force of 18,000 men. The Russians repelled several attacks but were running out of shells and losing a significant number of the troops. However, Russian reinforcements arrived during the day, and Ahmed, fearing an assault on his base and being cut off himself, abandoned the town and retreated to Calafat.

Aftermath

The battle at Cetate was ultimately indecisive. After heavy casualties on both sides, both armies were back at their start positions. The Ottoman forces were still in a strong position and barring contact between the Russians and the Serbs, to whom they looked for support, but were themselves no nearer driving the Russians from the Principalities, their stated aim.

HISTORY

Battle of Cetate (1853-1854)

The Battle of Cetate was fought during the Crimean War. In this battle a large Ottoman force under Ahmed Pasha attempted to capture the village of Cetate in Wallachia, controlled by the troops of Colonel Alexander Baumgarten, but were unsuccessful.