Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1903-03-23

Tartars, discouraged for the time, with
out doubt would defer for a 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 q
thread.
On that day the sun, which had risen
at twenty minutes past 6, 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 a 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 kindled
any fires. They therefore suffered
dreadfully from great lowering of the
temperature. At some feet below them
the ice blocks floated past, following
the current of the river.
During all that day they had seen
them in close ranks floating rapidly
between the two banks. That circum-
stance, observed by the grand duke and
his officers, had been considered as for
tunate. 1t was evident that if the bed
OF the river became obstfucted the pas
80 i'm,
practicable.
The Tartars would not be able to
manage either RATS or boats. AS fol
attempting to cross the river over the
blocks of ice when the cold should have
joined them, that was not possible. The
field, newly cemented, would not have
been strong enough for the passage
over it of an attacking column.
But Ivan Ogareff did not regret that
circumstance, although it appeared ia.
vOrable to the defenders of Irkutsk, fol-
the traitor knew well that the Tartars
were not seeking to cross the Angara
and that at least on that side the at
tempt would only be a feint. Never
theless toward 10 o'clock at night the
otblC Va tAS LANGl NISiOlJ SAdASCu, "
the extreme surprise Of the besieged
and now to their disadvantage The
passage, up to that time impracticable,
suddenly became possible. The bed OF
the Angara soon became free. The
| floating ice, which for some days had
come down the river in great Quanti-
ties, disappeared, and very little could
| be seen between the two banks.
The Russian officers, who had no.
ticed this change in the state of the
| river, made it known to the grand
duke. Besides, it was explained in this
way that at some narrow portion of the
| Angara the floating ice had accumu-
lated and found barrier. We know
that such was the case. The passage
| of the Angara was therefore open to
the besiegers; hence the necessity for
the Russians to watch with greater at
tention than ever.
In the camp Of the Angara there was
| plenty Of agitation, as was proved by
the lights constantly fitting about. At
verst up above, as also down below
the point where the fertilization slopes
down to the river, there was a dull
murmur, which proved that the Tar
tars were on foot, waiting for some
signal Again an hour passed by.
| Nothing new.
Two o'clock in the morning was about
to strike from the clock tower of the
cathedral of Irkutsk and no movement
had taken place to disclose the hostile
intentions of the besiegers. The grand
duke and his officers began to ask
themselves if they had not been led
into error, if it had really entered into
the plan of the Tartars to attempt to
surprise the town.
The preceding nights had not by any
means been SO calm. Firing had been
kept up from the advanced posts, and
shells had Kissed through the air, and
this time there was nothing of the kind
The grand duke, General Voranzoff
their aids-de-ca waited therefore
ready to give their orders according tC
the circumstances.
1t has been stated that Ivan Ogaref
occupied room in the palace. 1t was
a pretty large room, situated on the
ground floor, and its windows opened
out upon side terrace. One need only
step a few PAGES on this terrace tt
overlook the course Of the Angara. A
profound darkness reigned in thai
room. Ivan Ogareff, standing near 6
window, was waiting for the hour Of
action to arrive. Evidently the sigma
could only come from him. Once thi:
signal was given, when most Of the de
tenders of Irkutsk should have beer
called to the points openly attacked
his plan was to leave the palace ant
to go and accomplish his work. HI
waited then in the dark, like tigel
ready to spring upon its prey.
Meanwhile, some minutes before
o'clock, the grand duke asked that Mi
chael Strogoff-it was the only nam,