Chapter 707: Going to Die

Chapter 708 Going to Die

The herald took the order and left. A cavalry officer with a beard and a curved nose passed him and entered Korezhnikov's office. He stood at attention and said, "General, I have expanded the search area to 8 versts as you said, but still haven't found the Polish army."

Korezhnikov waved his hands irritably: "Colonel Bagration, send more people to the direction of Moscow, there should be gains."

"Yes, General."

Bagration stood at attention and responded, then hesitated and said, "But the enemy was still in Bryansk the day before yesterday, it should be impossible for them to run to the vicinity of Moscow I have searched all places repeatedly, except... the direction of Sivilia."

Korezhnikov laughed dryly: "Unless the Poles are crazy, how could they go south? Their goal is obviously Moscow."

"General, I mean... maybe we can try..."

Korezhnikov tapped his forehead: "Use your brain, Peter. Sivilia and Relisk are both endless black forests, and there is the Kursk Fortress ahead. What are they going to do? Hunting wild boars?

"If they really go south, then I'm relieved. They will starve to death if they can't get out of the black forest. "

South of Bryansk is a sparsely populated forest area. The province of Relisk, which is about the same size as the Southern Netherlands, has only 34,000 people.

Even Kursk and Kharkov, further south, are very poor and difficult to get enough supplies.

It is not until Krasnoyarsk, 400 miles to the south, that some people can be seen.

Even if it is a forced march, it will take nearly two months to get there. The Polish army, lacking logistical supplies, would never be able to hold out in an uninhabited area for so long.

Bagration came out of the office somewhat frustrated, thinking carefully about where the Poles had gone.

After a while, he shook his head and said to himself: "Anyway, we have to confirm it. "

That afternoon, a thousand cavalrymen under the Russian Royal Holm Cavalry Battalion quietly left the barracks and galloped towards Sivilia.

They were the troops brought out by Bagration from Kiev. They were not originally under the jurisdiction of Korezhnikov, so they could be transferred privately without the latter's approval.

Brasovo, the southernmost town of Bryansk.

Two rangers caught up with Dombrovsky and said anxiously: "General, a Russian cavalry appeared behind us. We did not dare to approach for reconnaissance, but it is estimated that there are at least 6 squadrons."

Kosciuszko frowned immediately: "Are they chasing us?"

"They are 3 miles to the west and should not have found our traces." Dombrovsky said: "But with so many cavalrymen, we will be discovered sooner or later. "

Kościuszko fell silent.

Once the Russians knew of his intention to go south, even if they could not mobilize a large army to stop him in a short time, even if they sent a small number of cavalry to harass him, it would seriously delay his march.

In addition, the Kursk Fortress would also increase its defense.

His army might starve to death in front of the fortress!

Dombrovsky obviously thought of this, waved his whip, and said, "I will take the cavalry to defeat them."

"Wait!" Kościuszko stretched out his hand to stop him, "The cavalry who escaped back will definitely attract more Russian troops."

The cavalry regiment under Dombrovsky, together with the winged cavalry, had a total of only 1,500 people, and it was impossible to annihilate all 6 squadrons, that is, nearly 1,000 Russian cavalry.

"What should we do then?"

Kościuszko looked at the soldiers who kept passing by him, and after a long time, he said to the messenger with great difficulty: "Order the entire army to turn northeast immediately and pretend to march towards Odeev."

"Yes, General! "

Dombrovsky asked in surprise: "What are you going to do?"

"Let the Russian cavalry think that we are going to go around from Odeev to the south of Moscow."

"Thought?" The cavalry commander shook his head immediately, "But we have to continue to move south, and we will still be discovered by those cavalry."

Kosciuszko looked down at his saddle and said, "So, someone needs to stop the Russian cavalry."

Dombrovsky understood instantly. As long as the cavalry behind him can be stopped for two or three days, they will think that the army is still moving northeast, and their army has already turned south.

As long as these cavalry can be left behind for five or six days, once they get into the dense forests of Sivilia, it will be difficult for them to find their whereabouts.

Dombrovsky said: "Then I will intercept those 'tails'."

He said it very easily, but everyone knew that once separated from the main force, they would soon be surrounded by the Russian army that was constantly coming.

"The cavalry regiment cannot do without you. "Colonel Anthony Madinsky rode over and saluted Kosciuszko, "Please give this task to me. I only need 1,300 soldiers to stop the Russians behind for more than three days." Kosciuszko thought for a moment, nodded silently, stepped forward and patted his arm hard, and said in a low voice: "Poland will always remember your name, and every brave soldier who fought with you." "Look at what you said." Madinsky smiled, "The battles you and General Dombrowski will face later will definitely be more dangerous than mine. I just can't wait to beat the Russians as soon as possible." The next day.

Next to the river valley in the western suburbs of Odif.

Colonel Madalinsky looked at the Royal 37th Infantry Battalion and two squadrons of hussars in front of him, pointed to his chest, and said: "Everyone should already know the tasks we undertake.

"I am not qualified to ask anyone to sacrifice themselves.

“But I still do it at this point.

"Because, apart from this, I really can't think of any other way to save the motherland.

“For the survival of Poland, and for our descendants not to be enslaved by the invaders, I ask you to join me in soaking the land under your feet with blood!

"Please forgive me for my self-assertion, I will repent to everyone in hell forever.

“But, before that, we will tear all enemies to pieces!

"Victory will eventually belong to Poland!"

The 1,300 Polish soldiers fell into a long silence.

Suddenly, someone slapped his chest hard and said loudly: "I am willing to die with you!"

The soldiers immediately burst into roars: "We will die together!"

"Tear the enemy to pieces!"

"For Poland!"

No one flinched in the slightest.

At noon.

The Russian cavalry tracking Kosciuszko found an infantry line in the distance blocking the narrow area between the valley and the woods on the north side.

The Russian officer in charge looked at the flag of the Polish Royal Army in the telescope and hesitated.

The next morning, after confirming that there were only more than a thousand Polish soldiers in the group and they had no intention of leaving, he finally issued the order to attack.