2 
ACHIEVEMENTS OF FIELD ARTILLERY. 
attacks were delivered piecemeal, were allowed to be beaten in detail, 
and the vast preponderance of guns on tbe Russian side was not turned 
to account. 
While, therefore, we are far from wishing to quote Plevna amongst 
artillery triumphs, we would dwell a moment on its incidents. We 
must not allow judgment to go by default, and we may be permitted, 
therefore, ere we proceed to recount more worthy feats, to pause and 
explain how it came about that after mighty preparations, what was 
intended to be a great artillery effort, failed to attain its object. 
Before entering further on any discussion of the eveuts of 1877-78, 
however, it will be well to glance at the numbers and armaments on 
either side. 
The Russians invaded Turkey with some 180 battalions, 200 
squadrons, and 800 guns, in all about 200,000 men, which would be 
reduced to some 180,000 effectives by the time the Danube was reached. 
The Turks at the outbreak of the war may be set down (according to 
Lieut. Greene 1 2 ) as having an effective force of 360 battalions, 85 
squadrons, and 450 guns variously distributed about their dominions in 
Europe. Of these a force of 165,000 men were available for operations 
in Bulgaria. Various reinforcements were, however, subsequently 
added to this total, and the Turkish force in the theatre of war in 
Europe until the collapse in January may be set down as about 
215,000 men. 
Turkey, therefore, will be seen to have been considerably deficient 
in cavalry, and to have had only about half as many guns as her 
opponent. In the quality of their armament her troops were, how¬ 
ever, much superior to their foes. Their batteries were all equipped 
with steel breech-loaders (Krupp's) of 8 and 9 centimetres calibre, 
which in range, accuracy, and lightness were superior to tbe Russian 
field pieces. The great majority of the infantry were armed with 
the Peabody-Martini rifle, *45 bore, which was probably as good as, 
or better than, any other military fire-arm of that time. Those 
who had not the Peabody were armed with our Snyder, a weapon 
at least as good as the Russian Krenk. On the other hand, the 
Turkish cavalry were armed with Winchester repeating carbines, 
which were inferior to the Berdan of the Russian horse. On the side 
of the Russians we find at first only bronze field guns, the muzzle 
velocity of which was but 1000 f.s., and, according to Lieut. Greene, 
it was with these only that the war was fought. Subsequently, 
however, some steel Krupp guns were introduced, 3 and the late General 
Brackenbury has told us that (notably at Aladja Dagh), with the 
newer equipment, and the lessons of experience, the Russian artillery 
practice improved considerably towards the close of the war. The 
greater part of the Russian infantry were armed with the Krenk rifle, 
but the Guard and cavalry had the Berdan. Shrapnel shell were 
made use of by both sides. The Turks used percussion fuzes, the 
Russians both time and percussion. 
1 “The Russian Army and its Campaigns in Turkey in 1877-78,” by Lieut. F. V. Greene, U.S. 
Army. 
2 See “ The War in Bulgaria,” by Valentine Baker. 
