Shortly before the war between Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire, the 2nd Brigade of the 2nd Thracian Infantry Division (28th and 40th Infantry Regiments, reinforced by the 3rd Artillery Regiments[REF]) was deployed in the area around Haskovo and had orders to cover the routes to Plovdiv and Stara Zagora.
The Bulgarian Haskovo Detachment numbered 8,700 soldiers with 42 guns [REF].