May 20, 1876 The detachment heads for Mount Okolchitsa in the Balkans after the expected help does not come. Pursued by Circassians, who pushed back, the Chetniks took positions on three peaks - Kamarata, Kupena and Okolchitsa.
The squad heads to Mount Okolchitsa in the Balkans after the expected help does not come. Pursued by Circassians, who pushed back, the Chetniks took positions on three peaks - Kamarata, Kupena and Okolchitsa. The Circassians and Bashibozuk attacked until noon without success. Botev Chetnik recounts: "The fight followed terribly. The Turks attacked now one peak, then others... until the evening." Spas Sokolov remembers the Bulgarian response: "Fight! Fight! Hit it! On meat! Long live Bulgaria!" The forces are unequal, but the Bulgarians inflict defeats without giving casualties. In the evening, the fight subsides. The squad goes to the spring, Botev, Apostolov, Obretenov and the wounded Pero remain. They lean against a rock to discuss the situation, Botev gets up to survey the situation… and falls impaled. The tragic event struck the squad like a thunderbolt. According to Zahari Stoyanov, "He was measured on purpose!"