The Battle of Tabanovce (, ) was fought between the Serbian Chetnik Organization, a Serbian rebel faction, and an Ottoman garrison from Kumanovo. It took place on 27 March 1905.
The Chetnik band heading for PoreÃÂe, numbering 27 men, descended at dawn on 27 March (O.S. 14 March) into the village of Tabanovce. They carried a load of 101 rifles and 30,000 rounds of ammunition. It was commanded by sergeant Vladimir KovaÃÂeviÃÂ, a nephew of Herzegovinian revolutionary Stojan KovaÃÂeviÃÂ. The band included, among others, sergeant Veselin VeselinoviÃÂ, lieutenant Dragomir ProtiÃÂ (KovaÃÂeviÃÂ's deputy), sublieutenant Dragomir VasiljeviÃÂ, Stojan Koruba, and Stojan RistiÃÂ-GiljanÃÂe. The unit's most experienced fighters were Veselin VeselinoviÃÂ, Stojan Koruba, and Stojan RistiÃÂ-GiljanÃÂe. Immediately upon arriving, KovaÃÂeviÃÂ divided the band, sending a group of six under VeselinoviÃÂ to a house at the opposite end of the village, while the others were placed in two neighboring houses. A Turkish informant saw VeselinoviÃÂ's group and informed the Kumanovo garrison, who already in the early afternoon began searching the houses. VasiljeviÃÂ was seriously wounded, while Vitko Vranjanac was shot dead; Stojan promptly reacted and ran through the yard, killing two soldiers, then took VasiljeviÃÂ to safety. The askeri surrounded VeselinoviÃÂ's house, and reformed Ottoman officer TuriÃÂ informed the besieged that they had been abandoned by their comrades, who had fled before the army, and that he guaranteed them their lives if they surrendered; as resistance in these circumstances would be futile, they surrendered. Around 15:00 KovaÃÂeviÃÂ's groups and the Ottoman army clashed. ProtiÃÂ and VasiljeviÃÂ were killed right away when they attempted to break out. The battle lasted until late at night, with the Ottoman army eventually retreating as they typically avoided nightly engagements with the guerillas. The Ottomans had 60 dead and wounded, while the Chetniks had 11 dead and two lightly wounded. Only one man managed to escape the encirclement -- Stojan Koruba.
After the fights in Tabanovce, Savatije Miloà ¡eviÃÂ, Lazar Kujundà ¾iàand Aksentije BacetoviÃÂâÂÂBaceta left their offices as organizers of the action, wanting to feel the Chetnik lifestyle "from within" as voivodes. Baceta was to replace the then Chief of Upper Staff, Ilija JovanoviÃÂ. Baceta and Savatije, by mid-April, had moved 107 fighters across the border.