Chapter 812: Chapter 720: Kosciuszko’s Counterattack

Not long after, several Ottoman people were brought before Kosciuszko.

To be precise, they voluntarily approached after seeing the banner of Poland’s Eagle and Knight.

The leading Ottoman man placed his hand on his chest and saluted the Polish Commander, speaking in French: “I assume the honorable General Kosciuszko stands before me?”

The latter, guessing at a possibility, quickly bowed in return, also replying in French: “Indeed, it is I. May I ask who you are?”

“Kovanci Ozer.” The Ottoman man spoke while glancing again toward the vast Polish Army stretching to the horizon, exhaling deeply. “You have finally arrived. We are the Crimean Resistance Army, and we have brought you food and medicine.”

Kosciuszko’s heart immediately surged with joy, so much so that his hands began to tremble slightly.

The Crown Prince truly kept his word.

At the very brink of desperation, he miraculously delivered supplies deep into Russia’s heartland!

His army would not quietly vanish in these dense forests.

He, alone, had brought hope for everyone!

Thank you, Crown Prince!

May Jesus bless him!

He instinctively wanted to make the sign of the cross but remembered the religion of the man before him. Instead, he suspended his hand over his chest, exclaiming in excitement: “This is wonderful!

“It must have been difficult to deliver supplies to such a remote place, Mr. Ozer. I cannot thank you enough.”

He glanced at the convoy behind Ozer, noting that while six or seven carriages could not hold much, at least the soldiers could eat half-full today.

“Is it in those carts?” he asked, somewhat urgently.

Ozer shook his head. “The carts are loaded with wood, General. It’s for dealing with Russian inspections.”

Kosciuszko froze. “Didn’t you say there was food and medicine?”

The Ottoman man pulled out a piece of paper hidden within the corner of his garment using a small knife and handed it to him. “Everything is here.”

Kosciuszko unfolded the paper to find a map of southwestern Russia, with over a dozen red and blue dots marked on it.

“What’s this?”

“The red dots represent villages where supplies can be obtained,” Ozer explained. “The blue dots are secret warehouses we’ve prepared. Ammunition and tents couldn’t be transported deep into Russia, but I’ll find ways to send them once you reach Crimea.”

Kosciuszko finally noticed that the dots roughly overlapped with his march toward Crimea.

He looked at Ozer in surprise. “I thought you were leading a convoy of logistics carts here, but instead…”

The latter waved his hand dismissively. “A logistics convoy for an army of over ten thousand would require hundreds of carts to transport supplies. The Russians aren’t fools; before even leaving Helson, such a large operation would already be blocked by them.”

He gestured toward the map. “This was the idea of that French friend.

“For months now, we’ve been transporting the supplies provided by the Sultan under the guise of grain trade and setting up temporary warehouses along the way to store them.

“You see, many people are involved in the grain trade, and the Russians haven’t noticed at all.

“From Kharkov to Yekaterinoslav is sparsely populated, so we’re not worried about these warehouses being discovered.

“Once your army arrives, you can use them along the way.”

Kosciuszko and East Brovsky exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with admiration.

They had been guessing how the Crown Prince would deliver supplies to the troops and both believed it to be an impossible task. Unexpectedly, the solution lay ingeniously in the desolate characteristics of these Russian provinces, cleverly solving the logistical issue!

“Let’s continue moving forward.” Ozer extended his arm south. “There’s still over 300 miles to Crimea. Oh, by the way, the nearest secret warehouse is just 4 miles to the southwest.

“Along the way, I can also brief you on the Russian Army’s deployment in Crimea…”

35 days later.

Kosciuszko led 13,000 brave Polish soldiers to the northern reaches of Crimea.

They spent Christmas in Yekaterinoslav, defeated the Russian garrison in Krasnoyarsk amidst heavy snow, and ultimately positioned their cannons at Russia’s southern gateway.

Inside a dilapidated farmhouse, Ozer held up an oil lamp, pointing to the southwest side of Crimea on the map: “I can guarantee that Bakhchisaray has only 1,300 Russian soldiers stationed there, and their morale is extremely low.

“If you launch an attack, you can capture it within a day.

“Our men in the city can coordinate from within; perhaps it won’t even take a day.”

Since Russia’s occupation of Crimea, the Ottomans who previously lived there had organized several resistance forces, with Ozer being part of the largest one.

They had over 200 armed personnel in Bakhchisaray City, eagerly awaiting someone to give the Russians a taste of their own medicine.

However, Kosciuszko shook his head with a smile: “If Bakhchisaray falls, it may give the Russians more resolve to slowly organize a siege against us.

“But if the Bakhchisaray garrison keeps sending requests for reinforcements, the Russians will rush reinforcements in haste, giving us more opportunities.

“So, we must give the Russians a glimmer of hope.”

Three days later.

The Polish Royal Third Division began its attack on Bakhchisaray.

After the fortress in Kursk was breached, the Russians had already deduced the Polish Army’s strategic intentions. However, given Crimea’s remote location, there were no nearby forces available for reinforcements.

The Russian soldiers stationed in the city grew increasingly frightened, even contemplating surrender. It wasn’t until Lieutenant Colonel Trunikov, commanding the city defenses, executed more than ten people that the situation was temporarily stabilized.

Nonetheless, once the fighting began, the Russians encountered an unexpected scenario.

Although the Polish Army appeared numerous, the firepower they unleashed proved barely stronger than the 1,300 Russians in the city.

Trunikov lowered his binoculars, excitedly grabbing a nearby staff officer: “The damned Poles must have run out of ammunition!”

The staff officer nodded. “Indeed, sir. After intense battles in Bryansk and Kursk, they likely failed to secure sufficient supplies.”

Trunikov shouted in excitement: “Dispatch more couriers immediately! As long as reinforcements arrive, we’ll surely hold the city!”

True to his prediction, over the next ten days, the Bakhchisaray garrison traded blows with the Polish Army. Trunikov even led cavalry in several counterattacks, achieving some victories.

Until, in Moldavia on the western border of Russia and Turkey, a hurriedly dispatched Russian force of 4,000 troops heading south of Hers was ambushed.

Kosciuszko, commanding 8,000 soldiers, crushed the reinforcements in an afternoon, capturing over a thousand Russian troops.

Shortly thereafter, another 2,000 Russian troops from Chalijin preparing to enter Bakhchisaray were annihilated by Kosciuszko.

The news reached Saint Petersburg, sending shockwaves throughout Russia.