Ivan Ogareff, who was a clever engineer, was perfectly competent
to direct a regular siege; but he did not possess the materials
for operating rapidly. He was disappointed too in the chief
object of all his efforts--the surprise of Irkutsk. Things had
not turned out as he hoped. First, the march of the Tartar
army was delayed by the battle of Tomsk; and secondly,
the preparations for the defense were made far more rapidly than
he had supposed possible; these two things had balked his plans.
He was now under the necessity of instituting a regular siege
of the town.
However, by his suggestion, the Emir twice attempted the capture
of the place, at the cost of a large sacrifice of men.
He threw soldiers on the earth-works which presented any weak point;
but these two assaults were repulsed with the greatest courage.
The Grand Duke and his officers did not spare themselves on
this occasion. They appeared in person; they led the civil population
to the ramparts. Citizens and peasants both did their duty.
At the second attack, the Tartars managed to force one of the gates.
A fight took place at the head of Bolchaia Street, two versts long,
on the banks of the Angara. But the Cossacks, the police, the citizens,
united in so fierce a resistance that the Tartars were driven out.
Ivan Ogareff then thought of obtaining by stratagem what he could
not gain by force. We have said that his plan was to penetrate into
the town, make his way to the Grand Duke, gain his confidence, and,
when the time came, give up the gates to the besiegers; and, that done,
wreak his vengeance on the brother of the Czar.
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