from the 30th. He was to assault the Turkish left from Radisova, and had one brigade of the 30th division in reserve at Pelisat. Skobeleff was on the flank of the left attack with one brigade of Cossacks, a battalion of infantry, and a battery, to watch the line between Plevna and Loftcha, and prevent a movement of the Turks for outflanking Schahofskoy. General Lazareff occupied a similar position on Baron Krudener's right to prevent a flanking movement in that direction. The odds against the Russians were very great, as they were inferior to the Turks in number, while the latter had the advantage of fighting behind defences and their arms were superior to those of the Russians. But the order had been given and it must be obeyed.
Another circumstance to the Russian disadvantage was that a wide gap existed between Krudener and Schahofskoy, and another between the latter officer and Skobeleff. Krudener and Schahofskoy were fully two miles apart, too far for prompt communication, especially when it is remembered that the Turkish position was in the form of a horse-shoe, and a courier riding between the two attacking columns would be compelled to make a wide detour to be out of the Turkish line of fire. Thus the two assaulting forces were practically independent, and a disaster to one could not be promptly known to the other, while the Turks, with their short interior line, would have great advantages.
Plevna stands in the hollow of a valley with a general trend from north to south, except where it falls off in a plain on the old Sophia road. It is surrounded by hills and rugged ravines at all points of the compass, and every inch of ground had been utilized by the Turks for the construction of breastworks and rifle-pits. Generally speaking, there were three lines of defence, one within the other, so that if the Turks should be driven from the outer line, they would by no means be conquered. The
