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8o2 COXE’S ‘TRAVELS IN RUSSIAe)»
Rendered defperate by thefe repeated defeats, and defirous of again fignalizing his
arms by fome brilliant exploit, he fuddenly dire&ted his march towards Cafan, .com-
mitting in his progrefs the moft dreadful devaftations. Having burnt the fuburbs, he
laid fiege to the citadel, whither Major-General Pau! Potemkin the Governor, and all
his attendants, had retired. - Forced to raife the fiege, by the approach of Colonel
Michaelfon, at the head of only twelve hundred troops, he was routed near Cafan,
after feveral obftinate engagements, which continued with little interruption during
three days. In thefe engagements fix thoufand were taken prifoners, and fo many
killed, that the peafants employed fix days in burying the dead; and Pugatchef, ac-
companied by only three hundred well-armed Coflacs of Yaitfk, who were the moft def-
perate rebels, fled acrofs the Volga. But he was afterwards joined by large bodies of
Coffacs and Bafhkirs ; while ill-armed peafants flocked to his ftandard from confidera-
ble diftances. In this manner the impoftor feemed to gain ftrength.from his loffes ;
and derived fuch delufive hopes from the number of his troops, which occafionally
amounted to feventy thoufand men, that he even formed the refolution of proceeding to
Mofcow, where one of his emiffaries had railed a fpirit of fedition among the common
people. But apprehentive, left, as peace was concluded with the Turks,, part of the
army on the Danube might be employed againft him, he changed his plan of opera-
tions. :
He marched down the Volga, routed at Dubofka a party under the command of
Baron Dies, ftormed Penfa and Saratof, where the Governor efcaped only with fifty
foldiers, obtained pofleflion of Demitreffk by treachery, and executed the commander.
Near that fortrefs, the aftronomer Lowitz, who was employed in levelling the projected
canal between the Don and Volga, was murdered in a molt inhuman manner. In this
inftance, infult was added to cruelty ; being informed that hé was an aftronomer, Pu-
gatchef wantonly ordered him to be transfixed upon pikes, and raifed in the air, that he
might be nearer the ftars ; and in that fituation ordered him to be maflacred.
But the enormities of this monfter were foon clofed by a fate which he had long de-
ferved. The court, no longer embarraffed with a Turkifh war, was able to turn its
whole attention towards crufhing this diftant rebellion; and Count Peter Panin, who
had diftinguifhed himfelf by the capture of Bender, “was fent again{ft the impoftor.
Panin, moving towards the Volga, detached feveral troops to the affiftance of Colonel
Michaelfon, who compelled Pugatchef to raife the fiege of Tzaritzin, drove him towards
Tchernoyarfk, cut off his provifions, and finally attacked him unawares as he was march-
ing with his half-{tarved multitude, embarrafled with a large train of loaded carriages
and women. ‘The rebel army, furprized in a defile between two ridges of mountains,
which run towards the Volga, was entirely routed; many were cut to pieces ; more,
endeavouring to efcape, were forced down the fteep precipices with their horfes and
carriages, and the greater part of the remainder furrendered at difcretion. Pugatchef,
after many defperate efforts of valour, efcaped, with a few of his principal followers, by
fwimming acrofs the Volga, and retired through the defert towards the river Ufem,
where he began his expedition. “Here he was gradually deferted by his followers, who
were worn out with mifery and hunger, and was at laft betrayed by thofe.in whom he
placed the greateft confidence. Tvogorof, a Coflac of Iletz, and Tchumakef and
Fidulef, Coflacs of Yaitfk, were induced by the promife of a pardon to betray him.
One of them reprefented to the impoftor, that furrounded as he was by the enemy, ‘he
could entertain no hopes of fafety; and he advifed him to refign himfelf into the hands
of the Ruffians, on condition of pardon. Pugatchef, enraged at this propofal, drew his
dagger, and attempted to ftab the author of fuch daftardly advice; but his companions
- inftantly
Y
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