Grandmother Tonka's daughter - Petrana Obretenova sews the flag for the Chervenovod detachment. It was formed in 1875 in connection with the preparation of an all-Bulgarian uprising by the BRCC in Bucharest led by Hristo Botev.
The flag of the Chervenovod squadron
Grandmother Tonka's daughter - Petrana Obretenova sews the flag for the Chervenovod detachment. It was formed in 1875 in connection with the preparation of an all-Bulgarian uprising by the BRCC in Bucharest led by Hristo Botev. We know what the flag looked like from the description of Velko Abadjiev, a Chetnik from the Chervenovod detachment:
"...the flag of satin cloth, about two meters long, trimmed with gold tinsel as follows: on one side a crowned lion enraged, standing on its hind legs, above it the inscription "Liberty or Death", below it 1875; on the other side "Karan" (the committee name of the village)..."
The flag was stored in Obretenovi's home and was brought to the ship "Radetsky" by Petrana's brother, Nikola, to lead Botev's squad. Nikola Obretenov remembers the handover of the flag:
"... I took the flag out of my bow and handed it to Botyova. He was delighted with it. The captain gave orders to the sailors to bring one of those rods with which they measured the water, and with some nails to nail the cloth to it. I handed the unfurled flag to Botyova. He called Nicola Curuto, handed him the flag and said: "I hand you this flag, kiss it once and hold it so that you die with it - and the enemy cannot take it from your hands!"
The battles at Milin kamak, Kamarata and Yolkovitsa were fought with this flag. After the death of Nikola Simov in the battle at Milin kamak, the voivode passed the flag into the hands of Dimitar Stefanov - the Cossack from Sliven. On May 20, in the clash on the Kamarata hill, the standard-bearer was still next to Botev. When the fighting subsided, the voivode ordered the flag to be untied from the handle and the Cossack to bury it on his cross. The flag has not been preserved.
After the battle at Rashov Dol on May 21, his tracks were lost. It is supposed to be buried in the ground so as not to be captured by the enemy. The enemy does not succeed in battle and acts with meanness. On Mount Okolchitsa, Hristo Botev achieves victory over death, because "He who falls in the fight for freedom, he does not die!"