Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-02-04
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HE plans or Ivan Ogaren
1 had been laid with the
greatest care, and, unless
l. some unlikely circum-
IN5SMMWI stance should occur, they
uSESSEI must succeed. It was
necessary that the Bol-
chaia gate should be without defend
ers at the moment when he should de-
liver 1t up to the Tartars. Thus at that
moment 1t would be indispensable that
the attention Of the besieged should be
drawn to another point Of the city;
hence a diversion agreed upon with the
emir. That diversion had to take place
along the suburbs of Irkutsk. up and
down the right bank Of the river.
The attack on those two points would
be made very earnestly and at the same
time q feigned attempt to cross the An
CARA on its left bank. The Bolchaia
gate would then be probably abandoned,
especially as on that side the advance
posts, which were said to be at some
distance of, would seem to have been
CollecteQ togetnet.
The fifth day Of October had come.
Before twenty-four hours the capital OF
eastern Siberia ought to be in the hands
of the emir and the grand duke In the
power Of Ivan Ogaref. During all that
day an unusual movement was taking
place in the camp of the Angara. From
the windows of the palace and from the
houses Of the right bank one could see
distinctly that important preparations
were being made on the opposite
heights.
Numerous Tartar detachments were
seen moving toward the camp and thus
hourly reinforcing the troops OF the
emir. This was the preparation for
the diversion which had been agreed
upon. and it was being made In the
most ostentatious manner. Moreover,
Ivan Ogarefr did net conceal from the
grand duke that some attack was TO be
feared on that side. He knew, he saio,
that an assault would be made at the
two extrerities Of the town along the
river, and he counseled the grand duke
to re-enforce those two points more d.
rectly menaced.
The preparations that had been no
ticed. coming to the support OF Ivan
Ogareffs recommendations. 1t was nee
essary to take some account OF them.
Thus after a council Of war which was
held at the palace orders were given to
concentrate the defense on the right
bank Of the Angara and At the two ex-
tremities uf the town. where the forti-
fed terraces rested on the river.
This was precisely what Ivan Oga-
ref wished. He evidently did not reck-
on that the Bolchaia gate would re-
main without defenders. but they would
be there only In small number. Be
sides, Ivau Ogareff was about to give
to the diversion such importance that
the grand duke would be obliged to op-
pose it with all his disposable forces.
And indeed an incident Of an excsp-
tionable gravity. devised by Ivan Oga-
ref, was to powerfully aid in the &C.
complishmcnt of his projects. For even
il Irkutsk had not been attacked at
points distant from the Bolchaia gate
and along the right bank Of the river
that incident would have sutticed to
draw the chief body Of the defenders
to the place where Ivan Ogareff wish
ed precisely to bring them. 1t would
cause at the same time most terrible
catastrophe.
All the chances were then that the
gate, being free at the hour fixed. would
be given up to the thousands OF Tar
tars who were waiting under the thick
cover Of the forest on the east. During
that day the garrison and population OF
Irkutsk were constantly on the alert.
All the measures which were required
to repel an attack on points never be-
fore threatened were taken.
The grand duke and General Voran-
zofr visited the various posts which had
been strengthened by their orders. The
picked corps of Wassili Feodor occu-
pied the north Of the town, but with
the Injunction to march at once to
where the danger should be most press
ing. The right bank of the Angara was
protected by the only artillery a. their
disposal.
With these measures taken In time,
thanks to the opportune recommends
tions Of Ivan Ogareff, there was every
reason to hope that the prepared attack
would not succeed. In that case the
Tartars. discouraged for the time. with
out doubt would defer for few days
any new attack against the town. Be-
sides. the troops expected by the grand
duke might arrive any hour. The safe-
ty or the loss of Irkutsk hung on
thread.
On that day the sun, which had risen
at twenty minutes past 9, had set at
$40. Twilight would still have to strug-
gle with night for two hours. Then
space would be filled with thick dark
ness. for heavy clouds hung still In the
air, and the moon would not appear.
This profound obscurity would favor
more completely the plans Of Ivan Oga'
ref.
Already. for some days, an extremely
keen frost had come as prelude to
the rigors Of the Siberian winter, and
on that night the cold was still more
piercing. The soldiers posted on the
right bank Of the Angara. being forced
| to hide their presence, had not klndled