Page "Battle of Adwa" Paragraph 10

Estimates for the Ethiopian forces under Menelik range from a low of 73, 000 to a high of over 120, 000, outnumbering the Italians by an estimated five or six times.

The forces were divided among Emperor Menelik, Empress Taytu Betul, Ras Welle Betul, Ras Mengesha Atikem, Ras Mengesha Yohannes, Ras Alula Engida, Ras Mikael of Wollo, Ras Makonnen Wolde Mikael, Fitawrari Gebeyyehu, and Negus Tekle Haymanot Tessemma.

In addition, the armies were followed by a similar number of traditional peasant followers who supplied the army, as had been done for centuries.

Most of the army was composed of riflemen, a significant percentage of which were in Menelik's reserve ; however, the army was also composed of a significant number of cavalry and infantry only armed with lances.

Also, in the Ethiopian Army there was a small team of Russian advisers and volunteers of the officer the Kuban Cossack army N. S.

Leontiev.

On the night of 29 February and the early morning of 1 March three Italian brigades advanced separately towards Adwa over narrow mountain tracks, while a fourth remained camped.

David Levering Lewis states that the Italian battle plan