Siege of Vidin

The Siege of Vidin took place in 1913, when Serbia attempted to capture Vidin while the Bulgarian troops were fighting in the Second Balkan War. Because of their numerous battles in the preceding days, the Bulgarian troops were largely deployed in Macedonia. Objecting to the withdrawal from Ferdinand ordered by the High Command, soldiers of the 9th Infantry Division refused to obey and surrendered to the Greeks. This left much less resistance to the advance towards Vidin and Belogradchik. Bulgarian resistance was left in the hands of individual bands. Belogradchik was captured and devastated without difficulty, and the few remaining Bulgarian military forces withdrew towards Vidin Fortress. The volunteers took up defensive positions around the fortress. Besides the volunteers, its defenders included the remnants of the Timok forces under General Krastyu Marinov. The Serbian troops reached the area and began their siege on 14 June.

The siege lasted a week. Vidin was bombarded repeatedly. General Krastyu Marinov twice rejected Serbian proposals to surrender. On 18 July, the Serbs informed him of the armistice concluded in Bucharest. Hoping this would cause the Bulgarians to lower their guard, the Serbs again tried to attack Vidin, this time from the north, but were repulsed by the Ruse Volunteer Battalion. The Serbs then withdrew from the area for good.