Draft:Milos Stojicevic Pocerac

Miloš Stojićević Pocerac (Velika Vranjska, near Šabac, Ottoman Serbia, 1776 - Pocerski Metković, Karađorđe's Serbia, August 1811) was a Serbian hero, duke and great man of the First Serbian Uprising. Miloš and other freedom-fighters in a monumental battle were immortalized by guslar Filip Višnjić, with the epic poem Boj na Mišaru'.

Biography

Miloš Stojićević was born in 1776 in the village of Velika Vranjska near Šabac. His ancestors originated from Herzegovina, from where, under the pressure of the Turks, they first moved to Sremska Mitrovica, and then moved to Serbia, to Velika Vranjska. Miloš's parents were named Ilinka and Filip.

He acquired his literacy in the Radovašnica monastery, which is located under Cer. Learning the basics of a classical education, Miloš spent three years in Radovašnica, because there were no regular schools at that time. Miloš was of medium height, broad shoulders, long brown hair that he braided and wore bent under a kalpak, a long mustache and a sharp look. By nature he was cheerful and ready for a joke.

A scribe

He was the scribe of the obor-knaz of Pocerina, Ilija Marković of Grušić (near Šabac). Then Miloš became a scribe to the great Prince of Pocerina, Mihailo Ružičić of Pocerski Metković (near Šabac), whose scribe died in the meantime. Miloš volunteered for the First Serbian Uprising at a time when he was the duke's scribe.

The first Serbian uprising

Miloš immediately got involved in the fight, went around the villages of Pocerina and recruited people to arms. In the first days of the uprising, Miloš and several insurgents cruised Beca's hill and prevented the Turks from leaving Šabac. Before the attack on Šabac in 1804, Mihailo Ružičić and Miloš Stojićević gathered 500 foot soldiers from Pocerina, including 200 horsemen. That's when Jakov Nenadović made him a regiment commander, buljubaša.

Battle of Mišar

As the duke of Pocerina, Miloš was appointed by Karađorđe before the Battle of Mišar, which took place in the summer of 1806. It was at the time when Karađorđe went from the main insurgent camp in Beljin to the villages of Pocera, Grušić, Desić, Miloševac. He proclaimed Miloš as duke in the village of Dvorište, where Karađorđe spent the night at Miloš's suggestion. Although young, he was highly respected among the dukes. He participated with the most prominent dukes in determining the defense policy before the Battle of Mišar (Karađorđe War Council). In the battle, he led his people from Pocerina and executed Captain Mehmed from Zvornik. He especially distinguished himself in the pursuit of the Turks after the Battle of Mišar. Together with Stojan Čupić and proto Nikola Smiljanić, he cut off the Turkish retreat through the dense forest known as Kitog. On that occasion, Miloš captured the entire equipment of the Kulin-kapetan with a horse and the famous saber, on which were written the Beratlı of the Kulin family. For the saber, Kulin's relatives gave as much gold as it weighed, but Miloš refused to accept their offer.

Later battles

In the following years, he participated in many battles against the Turks in western Serbia and Semberija. His match with Meho Orugdžić, the commander of Bijeljina and part of Bosnia, is particularly well known. In a collision in an open field, Miloš Stojićević was faster, more agile, more dexterous, and he killed the Turk.

He distinguished himself in the Battle of Loznica in 1810.

Miloš Stojićević died, somewhat naively and unexpectedly, at the beginning of August 1811. At that time, the hajduk Petar Prelić, known as Prelo, ran rampant in Pocerina. Miloš surrounded him with his men in the forest of Lipovice (Pocerski Metković). Wanting to capture him alive, he ran towards him, but Prelić did not want to surrender. He knocked Miloš off his horse with one shot. Prelić was immediately shot and killed by Miloš's followers.

He was buried near the village church in Dobić near Šabac.

Literature

• Bogdan Sekendek, The First Serbian Uprising in Podrinje, House of Culture "Vera Blagojević" Šabac, 1999.
• Vuk Stefanović Karadžić, "The ruling Serbian Soviet" during the time of Karađorđe, or the usurpation of power by the great men of that time, Vienna, 1860.