Skobelev, MICHAEL DMITRIEVITCH, Russian soldier, born in 1841, entered the Russian guards when twenty, fought through the war of the Polish rising (1863), and in 1866 was called to join the general staff. During the years 1871-75 he was on active duty in Asia, preparing for and then taking part in the conquest of Khliva and conquering Khokand. In the Russo-Turkish war of 1877-78 he bore a conspicuous part: in the stormings of Plevna he commanded the left wing and entered that position at the head of his army corps; and he took prisoners the so-called Shipka army of the Turks and captured Adrianople. In 1880 he was back again in Asia; and it was he who commanded at the storming of the Turkoman stronghold Geok Tepe (24th January 1881). Skobelev was one of the recognised leaders of the aggressive and militant wing of the Panslavist agitators; but he died suddenly on 7th July 1882, at Moscow, before he could put his ambitious schemes into execution.
See Personal Reminiscences of General Skobelev, by Nemirovitch-Dantchenko (Eng. trans. 1884), and the Life in German by Ossipovitch (Hanover, 1887).