The people in these units were called opalchenets-pobornik (опълченец-поборник) roughly meaning "folk-" or "regiment-combatant" .

The Opalchentsi took an active part in the Second and Fourth Battle of Shipka Pass and after the end of the war went on to form Bulgaria's army.

They were armed with the Chassepot rifle, which was bought by the Ministry of Defense and the Moscow Slavic Committee.

In terms of numbers and structure, the militia was comparable to a reinforced wartime infantry division.

The Bulgarian militia units were commanded by: Other independent detachments were: One of the poems in Ivan Vazov's Epic of the Forgotten, namely "Opalchentsite na Shipka", is dedicated to them.