Ottoman Invasion of Montenegro (2)

The border between the Principality of Montenegro and the Ottoman Empire

After the deadline has passed and no response from the Principality, thousands of Ottoman soldiers started to march toward the borderline of the Ottoman Empire and the Principality. The Ottoman soldiers are all armed and equipped with their rifles and bags filled with necessities. Hundreds of horses and carts carrying the Ottoman army’s supplies are also part of the long column of Ottoman invasion forces. The Ottoman army is so vast and large that large columns of men and supplies are forming at the border.

Even in the tense situation, the Ottoman soldiers are just relaxed and didn’t seem to mind that they are now crossing into enemy territory. The Ottoman soldiers' column looks like more of a procession than a military march as the soldiers are scattered and there is no formation whatsoever. A lot of Ottoman soldiers are just chatting with one another and others are singing.

The officers also didn’t mind such disorder as they see this campaign as easy and the Montenegrins would not resist their invasion. Some are even boasting and having bets on how fast would they be able to accomplish each of their objectives and tasks.

“General, there are no enemies on the border sir.”

“Good, it seems God is on our side.”

General Ekber is happy to know that there are no any Montenegrin soldiers standing at the border. As long as they don’t need any enemy soldiers, they would be able to move to their objectives more covertly as much as possible. If the enemy could not spot them, then they could gain the initiative in the engagement and this is what he wants to achieve. It further reinforced his thinking that the Montenegrins are not a threat to the Ottoman forces.

But unknowingly to them, Montenegrin forces are shadowing their movements secretly. Waiting for the moment that the Ottomans would be caught in their trap.

** ** **

On the top of a mountain, a Montenegrin officer is looking down furiously at the Ottoman troops who are swarming to cross the border. The Ottomans had really dared to invade his country again and now they are in tens of thousands, larger than any invasion force the Ottomans had mounted to attack the Principality.

Colonel Janson Cuman Jr can only grit his teeth and issue an order to his men to prepare for war. He had only a few hundred men and dozens of artillery under his command as the Principality is still mobilizing the citizens for the impending invasion of the Ottomans. They know that the Ottomans would inevitably return to take their country but they didn’t expect that the Ottomans would dare to invade right now while they are in a tense position with the Austrians and a lot of internal rebellions going on. It seems it's different if the country is a large power because it can withstand a lot of pressure with more energy to spare.

“Sir, everyone is in the position, sir. We only await your command for the attack.”

The young officers with Colonel Cuman can feel the tense pressure among their ranks as they are outnumbered by the enemy. The Ottoman forces in front of them is like an ant swarming to war while they are only a hundred of them to defend a large area in their position. They might hold for a few days but they would need reinforcements after a few days.

“How is the artillery? Are they in position?”

“Yes sir.”

“Wait for my command. I want the main enemy column would be in plain sight of our artilleries.”

“Yes sir.”

Colonel Cuman and his men are secretly positioned in one of the mountains that can see the Ottomans who are marching inside their border. For a few days, the Montenegrins prepared traps and defenses in case the conflict would escalate into a full-blown war and the Ottomans would march inside the Principality’s territory.

For most of the Montenegrin soldiers' life, their entire training is focused on facing the Ottoman in a defensive manner and now everything would be tested in this war. They might have trained intensively for this time to come, but they realized it is really different from the training they had.

Many of the Montenegrin soldiers are sweating profusely and some of them are even trembling nervously. They’re totally opposite to those Ottoman soldiers who are excited in this conflict, the Montenegrins know that they are hopelessly outnumbered and outgunned by the Ottomans who are invading them. But there are also a lot of Montenegrin soldiers who are furious with the Ottomans who dare to invade their homeland. They see these Ottomans are invaders and looters who would violate and ransack their homes and families.

They heard horrifying stories and accounts from those fleeing refugees of the barbarity and evilness the Ottoman soldiers inflict on their fellow citizens. The madness of killing their own people from the command of the higher-ups and the willingness of the soldiers to commit, such uncivilized and barbaric action should have been not allowed, but the Ottomans did so, and they did it with full consent.

If the Ottomans can do that to their own citizens, what more to those who are not their own people like the people of the Principality? What would happen to those who would be captured by the Ottomans? The Montenegrin soldiers can’t just imagine how horrifying that future would be. They would rather die than be under the rule of tyranny and chaos.

After a while, the main Ottoman column is now on site in Colonel Cuman’s position, which is a long trail of carts and carriages with the marching Ottoman soldiers. They’re carrying most of the necessary heavy weaponry like field artilleries and heavy equipment used for building forward bases and many more. The logistics for the Ottoman Army for the first few weeks are with the main Ottoman column.

“Soldiers, hear me! Today, we would fight against an invader so strong that the world has already declared our defeat. But my men, don’t falter and be discouraged, as we are defending our turf. No one knows more about this land than us and we shall use that.

Every time you feel disheartened, remember your loved ones who are just behind us. We are the only wall that separates our loved ones and country from these tyrants. Remember who we are fighting for, even if hope seems dim and non-existent, never give up.”

The officers and men present all look up to their commander who is their shining light and guide in this darkness. Most of the men around have been with Colonel Cuman in training and duty, so they trust that their commander would not sacrifice and deploy them recklessly and knows that he is capable and composed. That he would them to victory and find a solution to every problem that they would encounter.

“Lieutenant, prepare and aim the cannons now. Wait for my signal to fire”

Colonel Cuman orders one of his officers, the one who is commanding the fifteen field artillery that they possess, to load and aim the artillery at the main enemy forces. Colonel Cuman wants to have the best time to launch their surprise attack on the unsuspecting Ottoman soldiers below the mountains. The enemy still doesn’t know their positions as they didn’t send any forward units as they believe that the enemy is unprepared for the fight.

“Fire!”

Then the Montenegrin artilleries roar and reverberate across the battlefield. It successfully hit its intended targets, hitting positions where the Ottoman soldiers or supplies concentrated the most. It is not only the artillery that launched their attacks, hundreds of Montenegrin soldiers who are also hiding around started to shoot and kill the unprepared Ottoman soldiers. Every Montenegrin soldier is positioned and entrenched in a position where he can shoot freely and easily at the Ottoman soldiers. The soldier is also assisted by at least one person who would reload the guns while he is firing, to ensure that they can have continuous rounds of fire on the enemy and not give them time to reorganize against them.

The entire Ottoman column is in pandemonium as they were hit by a surprise attack. Their supply column is hit, many logistical pieces of equipment and weaponries destroyed, their army is in disarray, and the panic further escalates. Some of the officers rallied their men and formed some rank and file to fire back against the hidden enemy while others have gotten the artilleries who are loaded in carriages and are not destroyed by artillery fire. General Ekber is mortified and furious by what he had just witnessed, it seems his officers are incompetent when are under pressure and heavy bombardment and attack.

He immediately rode with his horse towards the largest reorganized position and ordered the men to forward attack to the Montenegrins. They didn’t know the size of their enemy but it is sure that the enemy is fewer as the enemy didn’t have a lot of firepower launched against them. The Ottomans shouted as they charged forward, fixing their bayonets in their rifles and charging towards the enemy lines who are in a higher position. The Ottomans would not go down without giving a fight against the Montenegrins.

Both the Montenegrins and Ottomans know that blood will be shed and many would die today. But they can only grit themselves and throw themselves on the battlefield.

-- -- -- -- --

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