London. The book contains a negative portrayal of Bulgarians. Upon the start of the Russo-Turkish War (1877-78) he formally left British military service and volunteered as an officer in the Ottoman Army under Suleiman pasha's command, later promoted to the rank of Birindji ferik (General). His adjutant was the Englishman John Paget and his deputy - a Pole Konrad bey. After the retreat of the Ottoman army from Sofia and their defeat at Plovdiv, Ottoman troops scattered towards the Rhodope mountains and Istanbul. Saint Clair retreated with Suleyman pasha and found himself in the vicinity of Kardzhali. After the Ottoman Empire's capitulation in the war, he conspired with several Ottoman army deserters to start a Muslim insurgence in the Rhodope mountains. Their propaganda efforts aimed to scare Turkish villagers with the rising "rule of the infidels" and make them believe there would soon be retributions for the massacres of Christians during the April uprising in Bulgaria. The anti-Bulgarian and anti-Russian nature of Saint Clair's activities soon found the implicit support of the Ottoman and the British empires, both of them hoping to revise the Treaty of San Stefano on terms favourable to Turkey. The insurgence led by Saint Clair started in mid-1878 and affected an area in the Middle Rhodopes. The insurgents were first met at the village of Plevun where they were held back by Captain Petko Voyvoda's 9-men detachment. Russian reinforcements soon arrived and the insurgents dispersed, quickly abandoning their cause. Later life and death In 1877 tried in vain to organise a Polish Legion in the Ottoman Army. After the Treaty of Berlin, the autonomous province of Eastern Rumelia was created and Saint Clair applied for the post of Governor General. After he learned he was not considered for the post, he retired from political affairs and left for Belgium without achieving the purpose of his ill-fated "insurgency". He died in his own home in Ligneuville (Malmedy) Belgium, on 24 January 1887. Married twice, left three daughters. References Vasil Dechev, "The past of Chepelare", Sofia, vol. 1 - 1928, vol. 2 - 1936. Radev, Simeon. "The National question", "The Builders of Contemporary Bulgaria", vol 1. 1910–1911. Saint-Clair Stanisław (1835–1887)[Biographical entry], Internetowy Polski Słownik Biograficzny External links A brief bio of Saint Claire at FindAGrave Full text of St. Clair and Brophy's book Residence in Bulgaria. Saint-Clair Stanisław (1835–1887) 1835 births 1887 deaths British Army personnel of the