| Conflict: | Battle of the Assem |
| Place: | Adwa, Tigray Province, Ethiopian Empire |
| Result: | Victory for Kassa Mercha |
| Combatant1: | Loyalists to Tekle Giyorgis II |
| Combatant2: | Loyalists to Kassa Mercha |
| Commander1: | Tekle Giyorgis II |
| Commander2: | Kassa Mercha John 'J.C.' Kirkham |
| Strength1: | 60,000 |
| Strength2: | 12,000 |
| Casualties1: | 24,000 captured, many more killed and wounded |
| Casualties2: | Unknown |
The Battle of the Assem River was fought in 1871 between the forces of Kassa Mercha of Tigray and Emperor Tekle Giyorgis II. It resulted in victory for Kassa, allowing him to eventually become crowned as Emperor of Ethiopia.[1] This battle has been noted by some as one of the first 'truly modern' battles in Ethiopian history, given that the tactics used by Kassa of Tigray revolved around the use of gunpowder weaponry.