Second Siege of Szenttamás

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and Servians, and positioned them a few hundred paces in front of the entrenchments. These Serbs were pushed back into the entrenchments, after a fierce infantry fight, by the Bakonyi brigade. Afterwards, when the fighting against the bridgehead ceased, Bakonyi asked Wollenhofer for a 12-pound battery. This battery was set up on the right bank of the Ferenc Canal in such a way that its shells whipped out the Serb soldiers along the inner side of the Verbas ramparts, whose ramparts were yet incomplete or perhaps not even built at that time. The devastating fire of the 12-pound battery forced the Serbs to retreat from the entrenchments.

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but they could not attack, because Bechtold ordered a halt to the fight. This happened around 10 o'clock in the morning, and as a result, the fighting was over here. Bechtold probably gave this order because the other columns were not yet close enough to engage the enemy in the fight. It is possible that Wolnhoffer misunderstood the order, because he stopped further operations altogether, which, as we will see below, gave Wnorowski the opportunity to rush with the greater part of his troops to the aid of his comrades threatened by the enemy from the direction of Verbász.

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Wollenhofer brigade was directed from Verbász to Kiskér at 3 o'clock in the afternoon of the 18th, where it arrived at 7 o'clock in the evening; from Kiskér it departed towards Szenttamás at 12 o'clock in the night to attack the Pétervárad bridgehead and on the way it had to fight many difficulties, passing through wet and boggy ground until it reached its destination. The Ferdinand hussars and probably the Tolna National Guardsmen were sent from Óbecse to Szenttamás to watch Srbobran (the battlements of Óbecse) and the road to Bácsfeketehegy.

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were 2 battalions of the Alexander Infantry Regiment leaning their left flank on the Krivaya river, while the Bakony infantry was right to the artillery, facing the Ferenc Canal. The 2 battalions of the Pest National Guards were behind the Alexander Infantry, the Imperial Hussars were further back behind the artillery, and finally the Pest National Guard Cavalry was behind the Bakony Infantry.

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Wnorowszki, a Pole who fought alongside the Serbs and served in the general staff, showed exceptional vigor and agility in the using of the artillery. On the hilly terrain south of the western exit of Szenttamás, he positioned several large caliber guns behind the defensive wall, turning them against

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The 1st battalion of the Schwarzenberg infantry regiment represented the actual assault column in the first line. The 5th squadron (the 9th - 10th companies) of the Wasa regiment's 2nd battalion advanced as a support group, the 4th squadron (the 7th - 8th companies) advanced as a reserve in the third

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Wollenhofer ordered the Székely battalion to the vanguard. Its flank approached the Pétervárad bridgehead at 600 paces. The brigade's batteries then advanced in a semi-circle on the west side of the Kiskér-Szenttamás road, with their right flank leaning on the road, deploying at a distance of 800-900

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Sending the National Guards from the troops assigned to Szenttamás to assault entrenchments was a difficult task. Because they were not fully trained soldiers, they could not be counted on in the siege. Surely, they would have been better used in garrison service behind entrenchments. The cavalry was

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At Turia, the 2 cavalry batteries of the Kollowrat brigade were deployed to the south of the village, opposite the ramparts. It is likely that the hussar squadron were positioned to the right and rear of the artillery (to observe Nádalj and the Roman ramparts), while the infantry was deployed to the

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Encouraged by this positive result, the leader of the rebels, Đorđe Stratimirović, launched new attacks against the Hungarian positions. On 26 August, he made three simultaneous attempts in three directions, towards Ókér, Temerin, and Járek, which were, however, thwarted by the Hussar Colonel Máté,

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Neither of the two columns attacking Turia was strong enough to succeed alone. But they were separated by the Ferenc Canal. Thus, if one of the attacking columns was beaten, the other could not come to its aid. In this way, the attack against Turia was totally pointess and had no chance of success.

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The troops of the Bakony Brigade, attacking from Verbász, then climbed on the battlements. On the left flank of the Bakony Brigade, the Alexander infantry seized this opportunity to storm the ramparts at Krivaja. A fierce fight developed between the Hungarians and the Serbs. A significant number of

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The Bakonyi column, which had meanwhile deployed, attacked the so-called Verbász entrenchments, which stretched out between the canal and the marshes, towards the western side of the city, where Biga and Bosnić commanded 4,000-5,000 insurgents, consisting of the Pétervárad and Šajkaši border guards

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The artillery of the Wollenhoffer Brigade eliminated the Serbian guns in the Pétervárad bridgehead, and caused considerable damage also to the entrenchment. If the brigade then would have started a rigorous attack, no doubt, they would have taken the bridgehead. This was admitted also by the enemy.

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To the left of the artillery, initially, about 1000 paces from the bridgehead, stood the 1st battalion of the Székely Border Guards Regiment, with its left flank near the small woods. Behind the right flank of this battalion, towards the road to Kiskér, the two Honvéd battalions had to stand in the

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On the road to Bácsfeketehegy, as the extreme left wing, deployed on the other bank of the Krivaja, were deployed on the first line the Tolna National Guards, and in the second line the Ferdinand Hussars. The purpose of this group was to watch the Serbs, and to warn the Bakony Brigade if the enemy

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A reliable general reserve was not assured, with which the high command could have intervened decisively here or there, and as a result, the Alexander infantry was forced to give up the advantages gained with a great shed of blood. The troops besieging Turia would have been just the right reserve

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More than a third of the troops under Bechtold's command were diverted from their proper purpose and were used for garrison and communications between the garrisons. It is also incomprehensible that Bechtold, despite the successful artillery attack of the Wollenhofer brigade, withdrew the brigade

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In mid-August, out of the 26,000-28,000 troops, organized in of 10 line regiment and 6 Honvéd battalions, 17 Hussar companies, 8 1/2 batteries (51 guns) and 2 mortars at Lieutenant General Bechtold's disposal, only 8 line regiment and 3 Honvéd battalions took part in the siege of Szenttamás - not

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The artillery of the Bakony Brigade, a half 6-pounder, and half 12-pounder batteries with a total of 6 guns, with the 12-pounder on the northern side of the road, deployed on the two sides of the Verbász-Szenttamás road, approached the entrenchments to 800-900 paces. To the left of the artillery,

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Petar Biga. The Hungarians did not keep in secret their plan to attack, so the Serbs prepared the defense. The second cause of the failure of the siege was the errors in communication between the commandment and the leaders of the brigades, and the wrong placement of the troops. This victory gave

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River early in the morning of 19 August. The battalion, under the command of Major Müller, was to go immediately to support the troops fighting at Turia. What caused the battalion's delay is not known, but before it arrived at its destination, the siege of Turia was interrupted. As a result, the

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The southern group of the Kollowrat Brigade under the command of Colonel Castiglione (1 battalion of the Schwarzenberg infantry regiment, 1 battalion of the Wasa infantry, 1 squadron of the Ferdinand Hussar Regiment, and 2 cavalry batteries) left Temerin on 18 August. They spent the night at the

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battalions, 4 Imperial Hussar companies, and 1 1/2 six-pounder batteries. In Óbecse: 1 Franz-Karl, 1 Wasa, 2 Honvéd, and 1 Pest volunteer battalions, 4 Ferdinand Hussar companies, and a six-pounder battery. In total, there were 19 infantry battalions, 17 cavalry companies, 8 1/2 batteries, and 2

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Meanwhile, the defenders were reinforced by Wnorowski's troops and pushed back the Bakony brigade. The Wollenhofer Brigade retreated, and it was probably at this time that the Tolna National Guardsmen ran away from the fire of their Serbian guns in the direction of the Bácsfeketehegy road. The

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In the first line, on the eastern side of the road to Kiskér, also 1000 paces from the bridgehead, the 1st battalion of the Alexander infantry regiment was deployed. Behind this, in the second line, were 1 battalion of the Pest Volunteer National Guards and 1 battalion of the Veszprém National

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Naturally, only 2 battalions of the Schwarzenberg and Wasa infantry could be involved, because the Honvéd battalion and the battalion of the Pest volunteers could not cross the Ferenc Canal after the Serbs picked up the only bridge over it. This shows that the deployment of these two infantry

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Each brigade as an assault column left its station early in the morning of the 19th of August. The Bakony brigade started from Óverbász and moved along the left bank of the Ferenc Canal, against the Verbász main trenches (called like this because they were in the direction of Verbász). The

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The Serbs did not stand idly either when the Hungarians were gathering forces, they even surpassed the Hungarians in the increasing of their forces, but especially in the proactive training of their troops. While the offensive preparations were being made, the Serbian commander-in-chief,

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counting the 3rd Wasa Battalion, which arrived too late on the battlefield. From his batteries only 5 artillery batteries were used. The cavalry and national guards were sufficient. But these could only be used as observers and reserves, or to pursue the enemy in case of its defeat.

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At this time, the defenders of Szenttamás, relieved after the Hungarian attack had failed, came to the aid of the besieged Turia, and forced Kollowrat's brigade to retreat to Kiskér. The Pest volunteer battalion and the Honvéd battalion retreated to their previous position.

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the Alexander infantry regiment climbed the battlements. But they did not receive any support. There was a lack of consistency in the battle plans of the besieging troops, a lack of vigor in the leadership, and a lack of determination and resolve to achieve the goal.

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at each station, so the total number of the Hungarian troops in Bácska must have been at least 30,000-35,000, which in any case represented a considerable force, and so the government was indeed justified in urging Bechtold to launch a decisive and forceful attack.

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battalions of 150 men in each company, a total of around 5000 soldiers, 3 Honvéd battalions of circa 200 men in each company, a total of around 3000 soldiers, 8 Hungarian National Guard battalions of 200 men in each company, a total of around 5,000 men, altogether

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On 18 August, Lieutenant-General Bechtold sent General Wollenhofer with 4 infantry battalions, Lenkey's Würtenberg's Hussars company, and the two 12-pound batteries to Kiskér with the aim of marching from there the following day against the Pétervárad bridgehead.

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Kollowrat (Castiglione) brigade - it departed from Temerin and Óbecse. It was composed of 1 battalion of the Schwarzenberg infantry regiment, 2nd battalion of the Wasa infantry regiment, 1 battalion of the Honvéd infantry, 1 battalion Pest volunteer infantry, 1

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At the urging of the Hungarian government, Lieutenant General Bechtold set the siege of Szenttamás for August 19; but in the same way as before the siege of 14 July, this time also they did not keep secret of it, and naturally, the Serbs were informed of it.

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natural consequence of this was that the Serbs not only poured from the bridgehead and the trenches of Óbecse (which, from the start of the battle, was not a target of the Hungarian attacks) to the Verbász entrenchments, driving back the Alexander infantry.

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Szöreg farm, while the Serbs from the "Na Sirigu" redoubt had retreated earlier. At dawn on the 19th, they continued their way to Turia. At the same time, 1 Honvéd battalion and 1 battalion of volunteers from Pest were sent to Turia from Óbecs.

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The Wollenhofer Brigade - marched out from Kiskér: It was composed of 1 battalion of the Alexander infantry Regiment, 1 infantry battalion of the Székely border guard regiment, 2 battalions of Honvéd infantry, 1 infantry battalion of the

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The 2nd battalion of the Pest National Guards, which was in reserve behind the Alexander infantry, instead of pushing forward, retreated to the rear. While on the right flank of the Bakony Brigade, the infantry remained inactive.

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The artillery of the Kollowrat brigade attacking at Turia silenced the Serb guns, but the infantry charge collapsed under fire from the Serb defenders, who were shooting at them from the trenches and the attics of the houses.

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According to official figures, the fighting cost the Hungarians 40 dead and a hundred or so wounded, but the rumors concerning the battle, put the death toll at 200, which is perhaps more likely than the official figure.

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second line of battle while in the third line stood Colonel Fack's National Guard troops (2 battalions of Kunság, 1 National Guard battalion from Bácska and finally 3 companies of the mounted National Guards of Kunság.

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The Bakonyi brigade - marched from Verbász. It was composed of 2 battalions of the Alexander (formerly Bakonyi) infantry regiment, 1 battalion of the Gyula (33rd Infantry Regiment) regiment, 1 battalion of the King of

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The Pétervárad bridgehead: there were 1 company of Pétervárad border guards under the command of Gavrilo Živanović, 250 armed inhabitants of Szenttamás, 2 guns. According to historian Mihály Horváth, the Polish

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who was in command in this area, until finally, on August 29, Stratimirović managed to make his way towards Pétervárad, which isolated this Hungarian fortress from the rest of the Hungarian held territories.

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In order to maintain communication with Pétervárad and to keep an eye on the Serbian troops stationed in the Roman entrenchments, some of the line and national guard troops were left at Óbecse, Temerin, and

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national guards, 1 battalion of the Pest volunteer infantry, 1 company of Würtemberg hussars, a half 6-pounder battery with 3 guns, one and a half 12-pounder batteries with 9 guns, two 30-pounder mortars.

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A Hussar company numbered around 100 cavalrymen, the National Guard cavalry companies 120, but the number of cavalry companies present at the siege is not known. The artillery carried 5 batteries with

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The Verbász main trenches: under the command of Captain Petar Biga there were 2 1/2 companies of the Pétervárad border guard regiment, 400 armed inhabitants of Szenttamás, and 5 guns.

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paces from the flank in front of the bridgehead - with the two 30-pound mortar guns on the left, and with the 6-pounder half battery and the 12-pounder 1 1/2 batteries on the right.

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Regiment, under the command of Captain Petar Biga, entered Szenttamás. Biga took over the command from Lieutenant Teodor Bosnić and divided the troops for the defense as it follows:

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National Guards. The cavalry was composed of the Imperial Hussars, while the artillery of a half 6-pound battery with 3 guns, and a half 12-pound battery with 3 guns as well.

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broke out on the corn-covered terrain and prevent them to get into the rear of the Bakony Brigade on the Óbecse-Óverbász road, and also to observe the Óbecse entrenchments.

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The guns of the Bakony Brigade were firing at the Verbász entrenchments until noon because Bechtold sent the order to retreat here a few hours later than to Wollenhofer.

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here, while, during the siege of Szenttamás, Turia would been kept in check with smaller forces, followed by an attack against it after the success at the main theater.

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Following the experience of the siege of Szenttamás from 14 July, the Hungarian command sought to deploy the majority of its troops to the west and south of Szenttamás.

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Each of the three brigades, when they arrived at their destination after they deployed their artillery, immediately started firing against the entrenchments.

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bridge, under National Guards Captain Novak Dunđerski there were 1/2 company of Pétervárad border guards, 150 armed inhabitants of Szenttamás, and 5 guns.

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The purpose of this group here on the right flank was to keep watch towards the Roman ramparts so that no aid would be received by the Serbs from there.

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from 14 July 1848, prompted the government to do everything possible to resolve all the problems, which they thought were preventing the crushing of the

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and sometimes with one or two guns, from one place to another, to help the Hungarian villages and town threatened by the sudden Serbian attacks.

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Kollowrat then put his guns into action, and the village was hit until 4 p.m. Several houses were destroyed and most of the village burnt down.

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mortars at the three stations, with about 15,000 soldiers. In addition to these regular troops, there were at least the same number of

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Consequently, only infantry troops and artillery from the line regiments and the Honvéds could take part in siege operations.

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with the Sándor infantry and Major János Lenkey with the Bakony infantry, covered the retreat in a respectful manner.

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Petar Jovanović, 200 border guard infantry troops of Pétervárad, 30 Servians, 600 armed inhabitants of Turia, and 4

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Fülöp Bechtold against the Serbian fortified encampment in Szenttamás and Turia held by the Serb insurgents led by

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Manor) entrenchment, National Guard officer Marko Nikolić was in command. The artillery was provided by the

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the Hungarian 12-pounder battery operating on the southern bank of the Ferenc Canal to counter its firing.

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It is noteworthy that at the same time as the siege of Szenttamás and Turia, a Hungarian troop attacked

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region. In Verbász: one battalion from each of the Gyulay, Prussian King, Wasa, Schwarzenberg, and the

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During the siege of Szenttamás, the cannons shot for 7 hours along the Tisza. At the same time, at

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So, the Second Siege of Szenttamás had failed, and this gave this place a myth of impregnability.

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only suitable for reconnaissance service, for charging and pursuing the enemy in the open field.

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Eastern exit (Praedium Tuk): under Hadžić Senior 300 armed inhabitants of Szenttamás and 2 guns.

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National Guards, 1 battalion of the Bácska National Guard, 3 companies of the Kunság cavalry.

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Wnorowski defended it with about 1,500 troops, several hundred Servians (volunteers from the

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National Guard infantry and 1 squadron (Ferdinand or Imperial?) of hussars were assigned.

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defensive works from the ancient times, stretching between the Danube and the Tisza from

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line, while a Honvéd battalion and a Pest volunteer battalion deployed north of Turia.

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Szenttamás with the surroundings, military encampments and troops in the summer of 1848

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Siege of Szenttamás of 19 August 1849 (the image is upside down, left to right)

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of the Ferdinand hussars, and two 6-pound cavalry batteries with 12 guns.

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border regiments, 3 battalions from each of the imperial, Alexander, and

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To keep an eye on the Bácsfeletehegy road and Srbobran, 1 battalion of

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On 19 August the Hungarian attacking columns were composed as follows:

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By mid-August, the following Hungarian forces had been gathered in the

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Szenttamás - Srbobran and Turia at the middle of the 19th century

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The Óbecse entrenchments (Srbobran): under the command of Büyük

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camp - tried to cross the Tisza by boat to demonstrate against

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The Bakony Brigade withdrew at about 1 p.m. Lieutenant Colonel

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Thus, the number of attacking Hungarian troops was 7 Hungarian

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squadrons north of Turia was pointless and incomprehensible.

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On August 18, the distant troops of the 2nd Battalion of the

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morale to the Serbians to continue and widen their revolt.

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A magyar függetlenségi harc 1848-1849-ben a Délvidéken

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Tábornokok és törzstisztek a szabadságharcban 1848–49

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