It began August 2nd (Ilinden) 1903 in the largest part of Macedonia.
The most robust oscillatians were in the revolutionary circles of Bitola.
The revolutionists cut off telegraph/telephone communications and assaulted
the fortresses and land of the Ottoman Beys, the local posts, demolished
bridges. Resen was liberated at the end of August; the center Nakolec
was attacked in the Prespa milieu; in the vicinity of Demir Hisar the
garrison in the village of Pribilci was attacked; in Kostur the rebels
attacked the the village of Viseni, the towns of Klisura and Neveska.
In Lerin milieu, Staro Neredski and Nidzenski were attacked. In Ohrid
milieu Malsia, Upper and Lower Dedartsa and Ortakol. Kichevo was also
attacked, as well as Izvor. In Prilep the largest operation was the
attack on the village of Caniste. Krusevo was liberated by an organised
attack on the military barracks, postal offices, municipality and other
objects of significance. The Command Center was then located there,
military rule was established, and a Council of the Republic called
upon its 60 members. The greatest role in the proclamaition of the Republic
was played by Nikola Karev (1877
- 1905). The Krusevo Manifesto was also procliamed, which represented
the declaration of the goals and objectives of the revolutionists of
Krusevo and their democratic aspirations of conformity amongst the peoples.
The Turkish authority overwhelmed by the magnitude of the rebellion
enforced a counter-offensive on Smilevo and then Demir Hisar. On August
10 an army of 20.000 soldiers accompanied by an armored division and
basibuzuk, under the command of Bahtiar - pasa surrounded Krusevo. The
1200 revolutionists of Krusevo took their defense positions. On August
12 Bahtijar-pasa urged the revolutionists to surrender but the Gorsko
leadership denied to do so. After intensive bombing of the town, the
Turkish asker occupied Krusevo from all sides confronting an intense
resistence. Every single soldier of the army of Pitu Guli was killed
in the epic battle at Sliva and Meckin Kamin. The
Command Center with its leader Nikola Karev infiltrated the Turkish
cordon. The Turkish basibozuk slaughtered the inhabitants of Krusevo
and a campaign to cleanse the rebels was launched which lasted three
months. The consequences were catastrophical: more than 16 domiciles
kazi with 210 inhabited areas, 12,400 houses burnt to the ground, 70,836
people homeless, 30.000 refugees, 8,816 slaughtered men, women and children.
