Experiences of a Prussian Officer during the Russo-Turkish War. By
Richard Graf von Pfeil. Translated by Colonel C. W. Bowdler
from the fourth edition. (Stanford.)—We need not wonder that Graf von Pfeil's " experiences " created a great sensation in Germany, and an even greater sensation in Russia. One can hardly realise, and a Prussian officer must have found it hard to do so, the happy-go-lucky way of conducting warfare, the muddle, the riotous living, the extraordinary cowardice of the Russian officers, and last, but not least, the way in which they begged even their Prussian comrade to get them orders of merit. Von Pfeil nearly had a fit when he saw a Russian regiment on the march. Were it not that Turkish courage lies more in defence
than offence, the Russians would have had severer lessons than any the war of 1877.78 gave. Von Pfeil's reminiscences are
interesting only from the light they throw on Russian military and camp life, and have no literary merits. He admired his chief, Prince Mirski, but not Skobelev. The reliance placed on the keen-eyed Prussian by the Prince was very well taken by his comrades on the staff.
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