Kozludzha, Battle of

Battle of Kozludzha (also known as the Battle of Kozluca) fought on 20 June (Old Style - June 9) 1774 near the village of Kozludzha (now Suvorovo, Bulgaria) is one of the final and decisive battles of the Russo-Turkish War (1768–74).

The Russians manage to rout the Ottoman army, scoring a major victory.

This battle, alongside several others in this campaign, establishes the reputation of the Russian general Alexander Suvorov as a brilliant commander of his era.

The Ottoman forces are estimated at about 40,000.

Russian numbers are much lower, eight thousand men in total.

The Ottoman forces are demoralized due to previous defeats and had poor logistics (including a year of withheld back pay).

The Russian army under Generals Alexander Suvorov and Mikhail Kamensky encounters the Ottoman forces of General Abdul-Rezak Pasha.[

After scouts report  to Suvorov, he immediately ordersthe attack.

The Russian army, divided into four squares, attacks the Ottomans.

Ottoman cavalry charges are repulsed by the Russians, while a Russian cavalry attack from the rear results in the capture of all of the Ottoman artillery.

Russian artillery fire is also said to have been highly devastating to the Ottoman forces.

Casualties are thee thousand for the Ottomans and two hundred and nine for the Russians.

The Russians capture the Ottoman camp with its supplies, while the Ottomans abandon Kozludzha and retreat to Shumla, where they are soon blockaded, suffering from further defeats and attrition.

The Russian victory is one of the major reasons why a month later, on 21 July, the Ottomans will be forced to sign the unfavorable Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca.

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