Battle of Ivankovac
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Battle of Ivankovac was the first real victory of the Serbian rebels.
In 1804, Ottoman empire realized that this rebellion was real open war. Because of that they sent Hafis-pasha (commander of Nish) to defeat the rebels. He led an army of 15000 soldiers. Near Cuprija on left bank of river Large Morava, leader of Serbian rebels Karađorđe Petrović was waiting for him. Hafis-pasha passed by him, and attacked Duke Milenko Stojkovic, who was entrenched near Ivankovac village with 2500 soldiers, about 4 km from Cuprija. After an unsuccessful attempt to bribe the Serbian duke (18th August), the Turks attacked. The assault on Serbian trenches lasted the entire day, but in the evening Serbs repelled the attack. The Ottoman army withdrew to the little town Paracin. The Serbs besieged the town, and bombed it with cannons. One grenade smashed Hafis-pasha's leg, and that made him run back to Nish where he died from his wounds.
This defeat showed Turks that quick destruction of rebellion is not possible.