On September 13 the Emperor held a council of war at which the Prince of Roumania, the Grand Duke Nicholas, General Milutin (Minister of War), and three other generals were present.

The Grand Duke declared that the only prudent course was to retire to the Danube, construct a _tete de pont_ guarding the southern end of their bridge and, after receiving reinforcements, again begin the conquest of Bulgaria.

General Milutin, however, demurred to this, seeing that Osman's army was not mobile enough to press them hard; he therefore proposed to await the reinforcements in the positions around Plevna.

The Grand Duke thereupon testily exclaimed that Milutin had better be placed in command, to which the Emperor replied: "No; you shall retain the command; but the plan suggested by the Minister of War shall be carried out[151]." [Footnote 149: For an account of the battle, see Greene, _op.

cit._ pt.
ii.chap.