Chapter 721: Kosciuszko's Counterattack
Before long, several Ottoman men were brought before Kosciuszko.
To be precise, they had approached the Polish forces voluntarily after spotting the eagle-and-knight flag fluttering in the wind.
The leader of the Ottomans placed his hand over his chest in salute and addressed the Polish commander in French:
"I believe I have the honor of speaking to the esteemed General Kosciuszko?"
Kosciuszko, suspecting what might come next, quickly returned the salute and responded in French as well:
"You are correct. And may I ask who you are?"
"Kovanci Özer," the Ottoman man replied, glancing at the vast Polish army stretching to the horizon. He let out a breath and said, "We've been waiting for you! We are the Crimean Resistance, and we've brought you food and medicine."
Kosciuszko's heart swelled with joy, his hands trembling slightly.
The Crown Prince had kept his word!
Just as his forces were teetering on the brink of disaster, supplies had miraculously arrived deep within Russian territory.
His army would not vanish into the forests of Kharkiv without a trace.
This was hope.
This was salvation.
Bless the Crown Prince!
May God protect him!
Kosciuszko instinctively raised his hand to cross himself but stopped, recalling the religious beliefs of the man before him. Instead, he placed his hand over his chest and exclaimed with emotion:
"This is wonderful news!
"It must have been incredibly difficult to deliver supplies to such a remote area, Mr. Özer. I cannot thank you enough!"
He glanced at the convoy behind Özer. The six or seven carts couldn't possibly carry much, but at least his soldiers would have enough to eat for the day.
"Are the supplies on those carts?" he asked eagerly.
Özer shook his head. "The carts are carrying timber, General—just props to fool Russian inspections."
Kosciuszko froze. "But you said there was food and medicine?"
Özer reached into the hem of his robe, cutting open a concealed pocket with a small knife. From within, he retrieved a folded sheet of paper and handed it to Kosciuszko.
"Everything is on this map."
Kosciuszko unfolded the paper, revealing a map of southwestern Russia. On it, several red and blue marks dotted the landscape.
"And this is?"
"The red dots mark villages where supplies can be requisitioned," Özer explained. "The blue dots indicate secret caches we've prepared. Ammunition and tents couldn't be delivered deep into Russian territory, but once you reach Crimea, I'll arrange for those to be sent."
Kosciuszko noticed that the marked points roughly aligned with his army's planned march toward Crimea.
He looked at Özer in astonishment. "I thought you would lead a supply convoy to us, but this…"
Özer waved dismissively.
"Logistics for an army of this size would require hundreds of carts. The Russians aren't fools; such a convoy would never make it past Kherson.
"So, instead, we followed the advice of a certain French friend."
Özer gestured toward the map.
"He suggested we start months ago, transporting Sultan-provided supplies northward in small shipments disguised as grain trades, storing them in temporary depots along the way.
"As you know, plenty of merchants are involved in the grain trade, so the Russians didn't suspect a thing."
He continued, "From Kharkiv to Yekaterinoslav, the land is sparsely populated. There's little risk of these depots being discovered.
"Now that your army has arrived, you can resupply along the way."
Kosciuszko exchanged a glance with Dombrowski, and they both showed admiration.
They had speculated on how the Crown Prince might send supplies but concluded it was an impossible task. Yet here was the solution, using the desolation of the Russian provinces to ingeniously circumvent the problem.
"Let's move forward," Özer urged, gesturing southward.
"There are still over 300 miles to Crimea. By the way, the nearest secret cache is just four miles southwest of here.
"On the way, I can also brief you on the Russian forces stationed in Crimea…"
35 Days Later.
Kosciuszko led 13,000 brave Polish soldiers into northern Crimea.
They had celebrated Christmas in Yekaterinoslav, fought through a snowstorm to defeat Russian forces in Krasnoarmeysk, and, despite unimaginable hardships, now stood at the gates of Russia's southern stronghold.
In a dilapidated farmhouse, Özer held up an oil lamp and pointed to a map of Crimea's southwestern cities.
"I assure you, General, Bakhchysarai is defended by only 1,300 Russian soldiers with low morale.
"If you attack, the city will fall within a day.
"Our men inside the city can assist you; it might not even take a full day."
Since Russia had taken control of Crimea, Ottoman residents had formed several resistance groups. Özer's group was the largest, boasting over 200 armed fighters in Bakhchysarai.
However, Kosciuszko smiled and shook his head.
"If the Russians lose Bakhchysarai, they'll become cautious and organize a slow, methodical counterattack.
"But if the defenders send repeated calls for reinforcements, the Russians will rush to aid them, giving us more opportunities.
"We must let them hold on to some hope."
Three Days Later.
The Third Royal Regiment began its assault on Bakhchysarai.
After the fall of Kursk Fortress, the Russians had already deduced the Poles' strategic intentions. However, Crimea's remote location meant no nearby reinforcements were available.
In Bakhchysarai, panic gripped the Russian garrison. Some soldiers even considered surrendering until Lieutenant Colonel Trunikov executed over a dozen men to restore order.
Once the battle began, however, the Russians were taken aback.
Despite appearing numerous, the Polish forces delivered firepower only slightly greater than the city's 1,300 defenders.
Lowering his binoculars, Trunikov excitedly grabbed a nearby adjutant.
"The damned Poles must be out of ammunition!"
The adjutant nodded.
"Indeed, sir. After the heavy fighting in Bryansk and Kursk, they likely haven't had a chance to resupply."
"Send out more messengers!" Trunikov shouted, exhilarated. "If reinforcements arrive, we can hold this city!"
As he predicted, over the next ten days, the battles at Bakhchysarai were evenly matched. Trunikov even led several successful cavalry sorties.
That is, until a Russian force of 4,000 reinforcements from Moldavia was ambushed south of Kherson.
Kosciuszko, leading 8,000 soldiers, crushed the reinforcements in a single afternoon, capturing over a thousand Russians.
Shortly after, another 2,000 Russians from Tsaritsyn were annihilated near Bakhchysarai while attempting to enter the city.
When news of these defeats reached St. Petersburg, all of Russia was shaken.
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