On 9 April, he was promoted to captain on account of his academic achievements and became a senior adjutant of the 1st Guards Infantry Division.

[1] During the course of the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878), Puzyrevskii led the western flank of the units under the command of general Iosif Gurko.

[1] After the end of the war he served as a special assignment officer in the staff of the Saint Petersburg Military District.

On 29 October 1881, Puzyrevskii became an adjutant–professor of military arts at the General Staff Academy without having to submit a dissertation after receiving a recommendation from Mikhail Dragomirov.

For a period of time he also tutored Alexander III of Russia in the subjects of military history and cavalry tactics.