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According to the Peace Treaty of Sremski Karlovci signed in 1699, the River Sava became the frontier between the two empires. This caused new migrations of people who went to Bosnia (Moslems) and the settlement of Croats in several stages. These demographic movements ended around 1750 when the establishment of most settlements in this area was completed. (20)
The military authorities encouraged and helped the immigration of the new population from Bosnia and western parts of Croatia since manv settlements were abandoned after the Moslems had left.(21) Around 1760, 170 Catholic and 34 Orthodox families lived in Gradiška and at that time it was the largest settlement of the newly established district of the Gradiška regiment which involved 125 settlements.(22) On the right bank of the River Sava, the settlement continued to develop under Turkish rule, under the name of Berbir, (later Bosanska Gradiška). At that time the River Sava was not a link between these two settlements that had been united. It was a boundary that strictly separateci them, making thcir further development highly specific.
The last significant military battle with the Turks occurred in 1789 when the fortification Berbir, on the Bosnian bank of the River Sava, was conquered. The area of Stara Gradiška became an important military zone in the war between Austria and Turkey which lasted from 1788 to 1791. At the end of the eighteenth century, the Habsburgs tried to renew their success in war and conquered several significant bases such as Dubica, Drežžnik, Cetina, and the fortification Berbir (later Bosanska Gradiška). Berbir was founded by the Turks on the opposite side of Stara Gradiška. As a result of this war, concluded by the Convention of Dubica on 29 December 1795, the district of the Croatian military border lands was extended and 179 families i.e. 1 ,722 persons, came from Bosnia to the district of the Gradiška regiment.
Skirmishes around Stara Gradiška started on 9 September 1789 when 40 Turks crossed the frozen River Sava and came to the Slavonian side. This Turkish company attacked the Croats who were on their regular infantry patrol between the log watch-towers in Strug and Pretrž.
A new incident happened only three days later when the Turks crossed the River Sava again and attacked the mounted courier, Mato Petagić, who was delivering l.etters between the Ocik watch-tower and Janko's field. Thanks to a five member patrol of armed Croats, this attack was soon beaten back and the Turks escaped to the other bank of the river.
These incidents caused a reaction by the Auatrian army that allowed the people of Gradiška to pay the Turks back, by carrying the fight over to the Turkish side. Under the command of Major Kovačević, on 25 March, a unit consisting of hundred men from Gradiška crossed to the right bank of the River Sava and conquered the settlement Berkso which became the starting point for action of mobile companies on the Slavonian side. In this attack, Corporal Blažetić showed particular courage and was given four ducats as an award, together with his other eight soldiers.
After Novi and Dubica had been conquered, the commander of the Austrian army, Marshal Laudon, decided to conquer Berbir as it was a permanent threat to newly acquired areas. The Austrian army, with Slavonian border-soldiers who were important as specialist fast action troops, came to Okučani on 17 June 1789 and conquered the battle ground near Stara Gradiška two days later. During the night of the 23rd-24th June, the people of Gradiška made a pontoon bridge. 270 Slavonian archers crossed it at once and came to the other side of the river under the command of General Gvozdanović who was awarded the Maria Teresa Cross for his service in the war. Their immediate task was to guarantee the security of the bridgehead in order to provide safe crossing for their formations and at the same time to provide covering fire for the soldiers who were digging trenches to prepare for a siege. The remainder of the Austrian army crossed in only two days and a point of command was established near Vrbaška. The Turks tried several times unsuccessfully to break out of their town. After the last attempt on 9 July 1789, they left the town and joined the other units of the Turkish army camped in the surrounding forests. Once they had conquered Berbir, the Austrian army had a few skirmishes with the remaining Turkish units on Kozara mountain where the commanding officer Kovačević, with his soldiers, particularly distinguished themselves for their courage.
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