Obviously he should have concentrated the Turkish forces so as to deal a timely and decisive blow either on the Lom or on the Sofia-Plevna road.

When he proved his incapacity both as commander-in-chief and as commander of his own force, Turkish jealousy against the _quondam_ German flared forth; and early in October he was replaced by Suleiman.

The change was greatly for the worse.

Suleiman's pride and obstinacy closed the door against larger ideas, and it has been confidently stated that at the end of the campaign he was bribed by the Russians to betray his cause.

However that may be, it is certain that the Turkish generals continued to fight, each for his own hand, and thus lost the campaign.
It was now clear that Osman must be starved out from the position which the skill of his engineers and the steadiness of his riflemen had so speedily transformed into an impregnable stronghold.