Chapter 722 Defending the Motherland with Life
Catherine II took a deep breath, looked at the officers standing around, and said calmly: "So, what is our closest legion to Crimea right now?"
Zubov said without thinking: "Mozyr's Morkov Army..."
Everyone instantly cast a dagger-like gaze at him.
Marshal Repnin hurriedly interrupted him and said: "Your Majesty, the Saratov Army turned south a week ago and may be able to reach Crimea in one and a half months."
The Tsar glanced at him and his voice became cold: "One and a half months. Very good, then tell me, can Bakhchisarai last for one and a half months?"
Repnin lowered his head and remained silent.
He knew that the Polish army in Crimea could even knock down the Kursk Fortress. Even if there was a lack of supplies, Bakhchisarai would never be able to hold them off for so long.
Catherine II patted the table with her fat hand and looked around at everyone again: "Who can tell me who should be sent now to deal with those Poles?"
Marshal Rumyantsev took a step forward bravely and said: "Your Majesty, maybe Count Zubov is right. The safest way at the moment is to move the Morkov Army south. If you march in a hurry, it will only take 20 days. Arrival in Bakhchisarai ”
Catherine II suddenly seemed to be unable to suppress her anger any longer. She stood up suddenly, put her hands on the table, and shouted: "Shame! It is simply a shame for the empire!
"The Polish army of more than 10,000 people can come and go freely in our country! Now it is almost destroying Crimea!"
“You, here two months ago, you told me to ignore these Poles, they would starve to death.
"What now?
“Not only did they not starve to death, they went hundreds of miles deep to besiege Bakhchisarai!”
She looked at Zubov, gritted her teeth and said: "Arrest Korezhennikov immediately. This useless thing!"
She turned to Rumyantsev again: "Is there no other way?"
There was silence in the room.
Catherine II sat back on the chair, waved her hands, and said dejectedly: "Just do what you said and send the Morkov Army to Crimea.
"Send more people and let Kachovsky take command. Don't let me hear any more bad news."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Kakhovsky and Rumyantsev stood at attention at the same time and looked at each other helplessly.
They knew that in order to ensure safety, at least 30,000 soldiers from the Molkov Army had to be transferred south.
As a result, there were only less than 40,000 Russian troops left in the direction of Mozyr.
The Polish army opposite them numbered nearly 50,000.
Not to mention allowing the Russian army to continue to advance. After the Poles gain a strength advantage, they may even organize a counterattack.
The original Polish strategy of quick victory has obviously become unachievable.
With the current financial situation of the empire, it is likely that it will not be able to support a protracted national war.
It has become impossible to predict what the final outcome of the Russo-Polish War will be.
……
25 days later.
Crimea.
Polish Expeditionary Force command post.
Kosciuszko turned over the preparation report in his hand and said to the staff: "Leave these 300 people under the command of Shvehcicz. Many of them participated in the Russo-Turkish War and should be able to play some role."< br>
Yes, during the time when he was besieging Bakhchisaray, local Ottomans came one after another to ask to join his army.
The total number exceeds 600 people. This is still the result of Kosciuszko's careful selection, otherwise he could have assembled an Ottoman army of thousands of people.
At this moment, Dombrowski pushed in the door, looked at the commander-in-chief solemnly, and said only one word: "Here we come." Kosciuszko nodded: "It's later than I expected. How many people?”
"Nearly 30,000." Dombrowski said, "The commander is Kakhovsky."
"Well, it seems that the Russians no longer dare to despise us."
"Still executing according to the original plan?"
"Yes." Kosciuszko stepped forward and patted the cavalry commander's arm, smiling, "We have attracted Mozyr's Russian army, which is considered a success.
"Let's go for the rest. No matter how many results we can achieve, it is God's gift to us."
Dombrowski also laughed: "It's just that with so many enemies, I wonder if we can hold on for two days?"
According to their initial estimate, the Russian army would send up to 20,000 troops, but now there are so many more.
In fact, Kakhovsky transferred 35,000 men from Mozyr to the south. However, due to the rapid march, soldiers continued to fall behind. By the time they arrived in Crimea, there were less than 30,000 men left.
The Polish troops who received Kosciuszko's order immediately took action.
Colonel Shwehzic commanded 2,000 Polish soldiers and 600 Ottoman legions, and continued to storm the city of Bahchisarai - this time it would be a real fight, not just a show.
Kosciuszko led a main force of 10,000 troops to the Simferopol area in central and western Crimea to intercept Kakhovsky's Russian army.
Yes, Kosciuszko knew very well that it was impossible for his troops to return to Poland. What he had to do was to inflict as heavy damage on Russia as possible before being defeated by the enemy.
He gave Švekhzits two days to capture the city of Bakhchisarai and wreak havoc.
In other words, Kosciuszko needed to hold off an enemy force three times his own for two full days.
The central part of Crimea is a plain area with no danger to defend.
We can only rely on face-to-face fighting to stop the enemy.
At noon that day, Kosciuszko had already commanded the army to deploy several infantry lines on the higher gentle slopes south of Simferopol.
In the future, Simferopol, the capital of Crimea, is still just a town for transit supplies, without any usable fortifications.
In less than an hour, the Russian forward appeared in their field of vision.
Kosciuszko rode past the soldiers and did not make an impassioned speech. He just raised his sword and shouted: "Defend the motherland with our lives!"
All Polish soldiers suddenly raised their chests and shouted loudly: "Defend the motherland with our lives!"
"Defend the motherland with your life!"
From the moment they left Poland, all of them had no intention of returning alive.
This sentence has actually been imprinted in everyone's heart for a long time.
For now, it's just a matter of practicing it.
Everything is so natural, yet it burns in my chest like a flame!
At three o'clock in the afternoon, Kachowski took the lead.
Since the Russian army came on a rapid march, they did not have more artillery than the Poles.
So after a brief exchange of fire, the Russians launched a frontal assault.
At the same time, relying on his huge strength advantage, Kachowski also divided seven infantry regiments to double-team the Polish army from both wings.
However, what Kakhovsky did not expect was that Kosciuszko was not prepared to defend at all. The moment the Russian army started to move, the King's Third Division attacked from the front.
With a desperate mentality, accompanied by the sound of military drums, like cold machines, the Poles rushed resolutely until they were less than 60 steps away from the center of the Russian army.
(End of chapter)