Do Ozore 1848.: Bojni pohod brodskih graničara

To Ozora 1848: The Battle of the Brod Border Guards is an early and relatively rare work by Croatian historian and archivist Josip Matasović (1892–1962). The book follows in detail the fate of the Brod (Slavonian) border guards during the Croatian campaign against the Hungarian revolutionary forces in the autumn of 1848.

The work begins with the context of the Revolution of 1848/49, the appointment of Josip Jelačić as ban and the mobilization of the Slavonian border guards from the area of ​​Brod, Vinkovci and the surrounding area. Matasović meticulously reconstructs the recruitment, equipping and march of the regiment through Slavonia, Baranya and southern Hungary all the way to Ozora (present-day Hungary). He pays special attention to the enthusiasm of the border guards, their loyalty to ban Jelačić and Croatian national interests, but also to the real problems – poor equipment, lack of experience, logistical difficulties and the age structure of the unit.

The culmination of the book is the event at Ozora September 11, 1848, known as the surrender of Croatian forces (the so-called Surrender at Ozora). Matasović presents these events from a Croatian perspective, using archival documents, participant reports, and contemporary newspapers. The book ends with an appendix – a polemic by Fran Kurelc against Hungarian accusations against Croatian units.

The style is typical of the time of its creation (immediately after World War I): patriotic, clear, and military-historically precise. Matasović, then a young scholar, demonstrates solid work with sources here, which he would later develop in his cultural-historical studies. The work is an important contribution to the regional history of Slavonia and the study of the role of the Military Border in 1848.

The book contains 7 images and 1 map, which was a solid illustration for that time. Today it is rare in antiquarian books and represents a useful source for researchers of 19th-century Croatian military history.