on the opposite banks of the river, and the entire province was
enkindled: the peasantry rose in revolt against the aristocracy. Within
a district of 100 miles every castle was destroyed, and one town after
the other opened its gates to the mock Czar. The further he advanced the
more his army increased and the faster his insurrectionary red flag
travelled towards the gates of Moscow. On their way the rebels occupied
forts, pillaged and destroyed the towns, and the troops which were sent
against them were captured. Before the Fort of Zariczin an Imperial
force challenged their advance. In the ensuing battle, every Russian
officer fell, and the entire force was captured. Again Pugasceff had
25.000 men and a large number of guns, and his road would have been
clear to Moscow if the ubiquitous Michelson had not been at his back!
This wonderful hero did not dread his opponents, however numerous, and
like the panther which drives before him the herd of buffaloes, so he
drove with his small body Pugasceff's tremendous army. The rebel felt
that this man had a magic power over him, and that he was in league with
fate. Finally, he found a convenient place outside Sarepta, and here he
awaited his opponent. It is a height which a steep mountain footpath
divides, and this path is intersected by another. Pugasceff placed a
portion of his best troops on the ascending path, whilst to the riff-
raff he entrusted his two wings. If Michelson had caught the bull by the
horns with his ordinary tactics he ought to have cut through the little
footpath leading to the steep road, and if he had succeeded then, the
troops which were at the point of intersection would have fallen between
two fires, from which they could not have escaped. But Michelson changed
his system of attack. Whilst the bombardment was going on, he, together
with Colonel Melin, rushed upon the wings of the opposing forces.
Pugasceff saw himself fall into the pit he had dug for others. The rebel
army, terror-struck, rushed towards his camp. The forces that flew to
his rescue fell at the mouth of his guns, and he had to cut his way