Chapter 1573 - 1479: The Great Escape to Victory
Chapter 1573: Chapter 1479: The Great Escape to Victory
When the snowflakes covered the last ray of sunlight, outside Kozelrets Town erupted a tsunami-like shout, "The Russians are fleeing!"
"We’ve won, charge!"
"Maintain formation, don’t chase recklessly."
Madalinisky personally led the Grenadier Battalion into the town, while hundreds of Winged Cavalry continued to pursue Samoylov’s routed troops.
Kosciuszko put down the telescope and let out a long sigh of relief.
Kutuzov’s main force hasn’t chased after them yet, and he has already opened the road to the Dnieper River. The Polish Army’s foundation is finally preserved...
He suddenly remembered something, turned towards the southeast, and asked the adjutant beside him, "It seems General Kilinsky has stopped the Russians coming from the Caucasus."
The adjutant hesitated for a moment, then in a low voice said, "Marshal, according to the Guard Cavalry Camp’s report, it was the wounded soldiers recuperating in the rear who desperately stopped Good维奇’s surprise attack."
"Wounded soldiers?"
"Yes, and also sick soldiers, altogether more than 3,800 people. They held off the enemy until General Kilinsky reached the battlefield."
Kosciuszko’s lips trembled.
The wounded soldiers totaled just over 5,000. Meaning, aside from those with broken legs and those delirious from illness, almost all participated in the left-wing defense battle...
Given these soldiers’ physical state, being able to stand in place for 3 hours is a miracle, yet they engaged in fierce battle with the enemy for 3 hours!
What he didn’t know was that many of the wounded soldiers were shooting while kneeling in the snow.
Many didn’t even have the strength to lift their Caplock Guns, requiring two people to collaborate, with one in front resting the gun on their shoulder, and the one behind pulling the trigger...
Kosciuszko took off his hat, made a cross facing southeast: "They are Poland’s most fearless warriors, it’s they who saved all of us. May their souls rest in peace in Heaven."
Saint-Cyr hurried over with several guards. He had been commanding the defense in the north—at noon, Bagration’s vanguard unexpectedly bypassed Vavretsky’s interception and appeared on the west side of Nosovka, posing a huge threat.
"Patrice told me you’ve broken through the Russian defensive line."
Kosciuszko pointed to the flag on the town’s Clock Tower: "General Madalinisky charged in half an hour ago."
With a bit of lingering fear, he bowed to Saint-Cyr: "If it wasn’t for your timely retreat plan, we might have frozen to death in Smolensk by now."
"I’ve already ordered the soldiers to rest in the town and set off at dawn, aiming to start crossing the river by afternoon."
He was naturally referring to the Dnieper River.
Saint-Cyr asked, "Are there any troops still able to fight?"
Kosciuszko looked at the adjutant beside him.
The latter hurriedly said: "The Vladimir Infantry Brigade and the Seventh Skirmisher Regiment executed last night’s harassment mission, currently the longest-rested."
"Over 7,000 men, roughly enough." Saint-Cyr nodded, "Plus all artillery, have them prepare overnight to launch a surprise attack on Nizhyn tomorrow."
Nizhyn lies over 20 kilometers northwest of Kozelrets Town, the main camp of Prince Bagration’s army. This is just in the opposite direction of the Polish Army’s retreat.
Kosciuszko exclaimed, "This is too dangerous!"
If not for Saint-Cyr’s impeccable command throughout, Kosciuszko might have rebuked him for sending soldiers to their doom.
Saint-Cyr replied: "Once the Russians find out Samoylov has been defeated, they will certainly think we will continue to retreat west.
"Then the most likely thing they will do is rush to the Dnieper River to intercept us.
"And they would never expect us to launch a counterattack.
"This will give us ample time to cross the river..."
After detailing the battle plan, Kosciuszko finally dismissed his concerns and signaled the Order Officer: "Proceed with the Colonel’s plan immediately."
"Yes, Marshal."
The next noon, the Bagration Army Corps hurriedly crossed the Jesna River tributary, when suddenly cannon fire erupted from the high ground on the opposite bank.
Soon, the "appearing out of nowhere" Polish skirmishers began shooting at the Russian troops just across the river.
Over 13,000 Russian soldiers crowded messily together, unable to form ranks, were shot dead by dense bullets, numbering in the hundreds.
The Russian army panicked backwards, but they then realized that the Polish cannons hadn’t directly attacked them, but targeted the river surface behind them instead.
Continuous barrage from eight Six-pound Cannons shattered the river’s thin ice, causing soldiers nearest the riverbank to fall into the icy water immediately.
The Russians crossing the river were unsure whether to retreat or advance to the opposite bank for support, soon crowding into a chaotic mass.
The Polish artillery adjusted their angles, pouring shells towards the river center.
The shells weren’t dense, as there were only eight cannons, directly killing few soldiers, but the ice under the Russians’ feet shattered into several large chunks.
Over a hundred Russian soldiers fell into the water, those surviving nearby screamed as they fled without regard for drums or officers’ orders.
In just about an hour, the Bagration Army Corps lost nearly 3,000 soldiers, over 2,000 who crossed the river surrendered to the Polish Army, others scattered away.
The Polish Vladimir Infantry Brigade executing the surprise task didn’t stall, ordered captives to throw their weapons and coats into the river, then immediately turned to retreat.
Not until two o’clock the next afternoon did the Russian Tolmasov Corps finally arrive near Kozelrets Town.
While Kosciuszko had been given a day and a half to leisurely retreat from the frozen Dnieper River back into Polish territory.
Due to having abundant time, he even instructed engineers to build a temporary floating bridge, transporting conscripted logistics materials and hundreds of horses from Rome back to the country.
Poland Demel Town.
Kosciuszko watched the exhausted, filthy military uniformed soldiers pass by him, feeling both heavy-hearted and thankful.
The 90,000 troops who ventured into Russia, at this moment only 56,000 returned with him to the homeland.
But most lower and middle-grade officers were preserved, which means the army’s foundation is still intact.
In fact, since Kutuzov dispatched the main forces south of Smolensk to chase him, he loosened the encirclement of Polish troops stationed in Russian cities like Orsha and Borisov. These locations still have three or four thousand men gradually escaping to Minsk.
Kosciuszko took another look at the icy Dnieper River behind him, turned to Saint-Cyr: "Colonel, we should quickly deploy a defensive line along the river, the Russians could attack at any time. I’ve already ordered the Minsk garrison to come, over 17,000, likely enough to hold off the enemy until the main force completes its rest."
Saint-Cyr arched an eyebrow: "You have so many soldiers left?"
"They are newly trained recruits from Warsaw and places like Drosczin."
Saint-Cyr smiled: "This is really timely. Let them divide some to reinforce Mozhili, the others immediately move south to attack Kyiv!"