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COXE’s TRAVELS IN RUSSIA. 8or
He was even advancing to Catharinenburgh, where he would have found copper coin
to the value of 200,000l. ; but a delay, occafioned by a falfe report that a fuperior force
was marching again{ft him, fortunately afforded time to colleé the foldiers ftationed on
the Siberian frontiers, and cover the place.
The people were fo greatly attached to the caufe of Pugatchef, that he never wanted
provifions or forage. Colonel Michaelfon, to whofe fpirit and aétivity the defeat of
Pugatchef was principally owing, fuddenly entering a large village at the head of his
corps, the inhabitants taking him for the impoftor, flocked about his ftandard, and ex-
claimed, ‘* We have long expected Your Majefty’s prefence as that of agod*!? The
Colonel obferved before each houfe a table fpread with bread, milk, honey, and other
provifions, for the purpofe of regaling the followers of Pugatchef, which were unwil-
lingly refigned to the imperial troops.
At firft Pugatchef affected the appearance of uncommon fanétity : he frequently wore
the epifcopal drefs, gave benediétions to the people, renounced all ambitious views for
himfelf, and expreffed a refolution that, as foon as he had raifed his fon the Great Duke
to the throne, he would again retire into the monaftery, in which he had found an afy-
lum. He was alfo aétive and enterprizing, eager to fignalize his arms, and ready to
{eize every advantage which the fituation of the enemy prefented; but incapable of fup-
porting with equanimity his rapid fucceffes, he began to confider all further diffimula-
tion as unneceflary ; and his natural temper broke out into the moft unwarrantable
exceffes. He maflacred, with the moft favage barbarity, all the officers and nobles who
were brought before him; and openly avowing an intention of exterminating the whole
Ruffian nobility, he {pared neither fex nor age. His conduct was as imprudent as it
was barbarous. Though already married to Sophia, the daughter of a Coflac, by whom
he had three children, he efpoufed a common woman of Yaitfk, delayed his march
againft the enemy for the celebration of his nuptials, and exhibited continued fcenes of
intoxication and riot.
He was fupported by no perfons of rank or confequence ; but, to impofe upon his
army, fome of his moft confidential adherents aflumed the names of the principal
Ruffian nobles, and wore the orders of knighthood. By a fignal to his attendants, he
ordered all the German officers who were brought into his prefence, to be mailacred,
ne order to prevent his ignorance of their language from being obferved by his fol-
owers.
During thefe tranfaCtions, General Bibikof, advancing at the head of a very con-
fiderable army, detached his Major-General, Prince Peter Galitzin, againft the rebels,
who furprifed Pugatchef with his whole force near Tatifcheva, and worlted him for the
firft time t. He was clofely purfued and overtaken by Prince Galitzin near Kargula,
upon the river Sakmara, about the diftance of twelve miles from Orenburgh; he was
completely routed, his troops were difperfed, and he himfelf, with a few followers,
narrowly efcaped into the Uralian mountains. Notwithftanding this difcomfiture, he
colleéted his fcattered men, and foon re-appeared with a formidable force on the eaft
fide of the mountains. He carried feveral fmall fortreffes, and burnt ‘Troitzk; but
being attacked by Lieutenant-General de Colm, was obliged to retreat a fecond time
into the mountains.
* This anecdote 1 had from Colonel Michaelfon himfelf.
+ This firft defeat of Pugatchef himfelt in perfon happened on the 23d of March, but on the 22d, Colo-
nel Michaelfon, with only one thoufand troops and fix cannon, had routed his general, who called himfelf
Colonel Tchernichef, at the head of fixteen thoufand men, and took forty-two cannon and eight mortars,
Pugatchef offered a reward of 100,000 roubles for the head of Colonel Michaelfon.
VOL. V3. 5K Rendered
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