Ž. Milisavac, B. Petrović – Novi Sad, Novi Sad, 1997

Once established here as one of the major Austrian defence barriers, Petrovaradin Fortress remained in that role throughout the existence of the Monarchy, especially in the 18th century. It was one of the 'sources' and the closest background of the Austrian troops that – in 1694, then 1696, as well as in the wars of 1716-18 and 1737-39, and, finally, in the warfare which lasted from 1788 to 1790 – relied on its bastions which are nowadays so quiet and museum-like, romantically decorative bastions overhanging the Danube.

The bridgehead was of great importance under those circumstances. On the dry ridgy strips surrounding it, encircled by swamps rich in willows, reeds and fowl – that is where the Austrian army was usually encamped. It was organized out there before being transferred – over the pontoon bridge, which required dramatic efforts – into the cramped ramparts on the Srem side. While arriving hereto for stationing, it dragged along caravans of provisions suppliers which in those times accompanied every army, the sellers of drinks and meat, a number of artisans that were there to meet particular needs: taylors, bakers, butchers etc. In all likelihood, some of them would stop and remain here, within the protective belt around the fortress, so it can be assumed that it was these people who founded the settlement which was as such in existence as early as in 1694, the same year when the bridgehead was built, yet – in compliance with the current military law – at a prescribed distance from it; understandably, they lived on one of the ridges.

Four years later, in 1698, the well-informed tax collectors – submitting their reports and census lists for the new settlement which had no official name yet – referred to it as suburbium Petrovaradiniense or Rascianica civitas trans Danubium situata (the suburb of Petrovaradin, or the trans-Danubian Rascian town), and what they found there were 32 household heads: 12 soldiers and 20 tradesmen, almost all of them Serbs. They were still at a start-up stage: they had houses and shops, a small number of cattle, and no land at all.

 [...] Petrovaradin, with its imposing fortress and the lower town, where in 1770's there had been only 42 urban people's houses (some quite handsome and solidly built) was a real city as compared to Novi Sad. Viewed from Novi Sad, with the fortress one climbed through a brick-built tunnel, and the large military buildings on top, as well as the 'luxurious and eye-catching' edifices in the Lower Fortress, Petrovaradin was truly impressive; next to Osek [Osijek], it was the most beautiful town in the southern parts of the Monarchy. It was not connected to Novi Sad with a pontoon bridge permanently: in mid-1770's, such a bridge was not there.

 [...] Thus, Novi Sad stood out as a centre of the Serbian movement, but it could not be one, for there was the warning proximity of the fortress. As soon as in June [1848] a Commissar of the Hungarian Government arrived in Novi Sad, and so did some military units at the same time. It was recorded that the cannons on the fortress were aimed at the town as early as in June. Then, in October, when the Hungarian movement finally turned against Vienna having taken hold of the fortress, Novi Sad had to keep passive by the end of the [Hungarian] Revolution.
However, worse than any other Serbian town, it was to suffer the consequences of the Revolution. For, when in the revolt-quelling operation Ban Jelačić arrived in the town with his troops, and in the night of June 11th, 1849 and on the 12th next morning started fire at the fortress, the cannons from the fortress responded with far greater intensity and with full efficiency. Jovan Subotić, who writes in his Autobiography that he watched the bombardment from Kamenica, said that 'our troops', that is, those of the Ban, set the bridge to fire, which resulted in the fortress-based soldiery setting fire – probably by cannons – to some houses in the town. The fire started to spread, and the Ban, who had no artillery for any efficient attack against the fortress – and he had come to the town with his army believing that the fortress was to surrender by itself – ordered retreat from the city, convinced that the move would leave the town free  from danger. However, the abrupt and unexpected retreat caused panic; abandoning their houses, often bare-handed and in the state in which thez had been taken by surprise, the townspeople took to flight immediately. The soldiery from the fortress came down to the town and started plunder, arsony and, ultimately, killing.

 (Ž. Milisavac, B. Petrović – Novi Sad, Novi Sad, 1997)