Battle of Karpenisi

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Karpenisi
partof=the Greek War of Independence


caption=Botsaris and his men engage the Ottomans
date=August 8, 1823
place=Karpenisi, central Greece
result=Costly Ottoman victory
combatant1=flagicon|Greece|old Greek revolutionaries
combatant2=flag|Ottoman Empire|1453
commander1=Markos BotsarisKIA
commander2=Sultan Mahmud II
strength1=450 Souliotes
strength2=13,000 troops
casualties1=under 10
casualties2=1,000

The Battle of Karpenisi took place near the town of Karpenisi (in Evrytania, central Greece) on the night of August 8, 1823 between revolting Greek irregulars and Ottoman troops. The Greeks were being led by the Souliote hero Markos Botsaris.

Battle

Botsaris with a force of 450 Souliotes assaulted the Turkish camp. The Turks were overconfident and had not taken proper defensive measures. The sleeping Turks suffered many casualties as the Souliotes sneaked into their camp. The Souliotes thought they had won a great victory when Botsaris was shot through the head as he was scouting Turkish positions. He died immediately. The Souliotes retreated when they saw their leader's body being carried away to safety. The Turkish casualties were extremely large. They had lost 1,000 men while the Greeks had only lost several men.

ources

*Paroulakis, Peter Harold. "The Greeks: Their Struggle for Independence". Hellenic International Press, 1984. ISBN 0-9590894-0-3.