Battle of Pancsova

The Battle of Pancsova (now Pančevo, in the Pančevo municipality in the South Banat District Serbia) was a battle in the Hungarian War of Independence of 1848-1849, fought on 2 January 1849 between the Hungarian Army under the command of Lieutenant General Ernő Kiss against the Serbian insurgents led by Colonel Ferdinand Mayerhofer von Grünhübel. Pancsova was the last important Serbian stronghold in the Bánság/Banat region of Southern Hungary, after the Hungarian victories at Alibunar and Jarkovác. Because of the bad timing of the attack, the insufficient numbers of soldiers, and their clothing inappropriate for the very cold weather, Kiss's army was defeated, and forced to retreat. After this battle, due to the order of the Hungarian National Defense Committee to the troops fighting in southern Hungary, to retreat on the Maros's line, the Serbians occupied the whole Délvidék, and were able to extend their power to most of the territories they claimed to belong to their unilaterally proclaimed Serbian Vojvodina. This situation changed only in March when the Hungarian troops led by Mór Perczel counter-attacked.