Battle of Šumatovac

The Battle of Šumatovac (Bitka na Šumatovcu) or Battle of Aleksinac (Aleksinaç Muharebesi) happened in 1876, in central Serbia, near the town of Aleksinac. The outnumbered Serbian army, led by colonel Kosta Protić, won a tactical victory in this defensive battle against the Ottoman forces. In a major tactical blunder the Ottomans spent a whole day frontally attacking a well-entrenched pentagonal redoubt defended by two Serbian companies armed with muzzle loading rifles and 6 cannons supported by about 40 additional artillery pieces positioned on the overlooking hills. The Ottomans finally retreated towards the end of the day having lost 500 men killed and 1500 wounded and captured. The Serbian army did not press the advantage with a counterattack, however so it ended up as just a tactical success.