During the [[Battle of Slivnitsa]], Stepanović commanded the 1st Company of the 2nd Battalion of the Šumadija division. His unit attacked the village of [[Vrapče]]{{Disambiguation needed|date=December 2014}} and forced Bulgarian forces to retreat. In a report that Stepanović sent to the commander of the 12th Regiment a lack of coordination between divisions, regiments and battalions of the Serbian Army is perceptible.{{harvnp|Skoko|Opačić|1990|pp=121–122}}
En la [[batalla d Slivnitsa]], Stepanović manó la 1.ª Compañía del 2.º Batallón de la División Šumadija. Su unidad atacó el pueblo de [[Vrapče]] y obligó al enemigo a retroceder. En un informe que Stepanović envió al jefe del 12.º Regimiento, se percibe la falta de coordinación que existía entre las divisiones, regimientos y batallones del Ejército.{{harvnp|Skoko|Opačić|1990|pp=121-122}}
WithComo Serbianlas forcesfuerzas beingserbias pushedestaban outteniendo ofque retroceder en Bulgaria, el rey [[Milan Obrenović IV|King Milan]] orderedordenó afinalmente generaluna retreatretirada ofgeneral thedel Serbianejército Army towardshacia Pirot onel 19 Novemberde noviembre. ThreeTres daysdías laterdespués, Bulgarianunidades forcesbúlgaras marchedatacaron towardsesta the town and launched an attack onen Neškov vis. Stepanović’sEl 12th12.º RegimentRegimiento was forced to retreat.de Stepanović later reported: "...I moved along to the hospital towards where bulks of our troops retreated. No effort of the elders could bring them back. More soldiers followed them and then that ridiculous mob pushed away officers who tried totuvo stopque themreplegarse."{{harvnp|Skoko|Opačić|1990|pp=132–133132-133}}
