Jack Archer: A Tale of the Crimea

by G. A. Henty

Late at night the news was brought to them that proclamations had been posted through the town, saying that the execution would take place at eight in the morning in the grand square. Orders had been issued, it was learnt, that 1000 troops should be present, and the others were ordered to be in readiness in their barracks, in case any sign of popular feeling should be manifested. As it was evident, therefore, that no soldiers in uniform would be loitering in the street, it was determined that the 250 men so dressed should march together to the square with their arms.

In the morning the insurgents, in twos and threes, started for the town, and joined the town's-people assembling in the great square. Across the square, within thirty or forty paces of one side, was formed up a strong battalion of Russian infantry, the rest of the square being occupied by the town's-people, all of whom had attired themselves in mourning. In the centre of the square, behind the soldiers, a scaffold had been erected, as by the sentence of the court-martial the count was to die by hanging.

The midshipmen and their friends made their way through the crowd to the front, the latter giving way upon a whisper being circulated that an attempt was to be made to rescue the prisoner, and the 250 insurgents were soon gathered in a close body in front of the soldiers standing before the scaffold. Each man had his scythe or bayonet hidden under his long coat, the leaders grasping their pistols. The men had been ordered to refrain from any expression of excitement, and to assume, as far as possible, a look of quiet grief. Behind the infantry were a number of mounted officers, among whom General Borodoff, the governor of the town and district, was pointed out to the midshipmen, and near the general, under a strong guard, the prisoner was standing. All the insurgents, with the exception of those forming the first line, quietly fitted their scythes and bayonets to the handles and waited the signal.

Presently there was a movement behind the troops, who were drawn up six deep. Then a man was seen mounting the scaffold followed by the priest, behind whom came the prisoner between two warders. Just at this moment there was a stir in the crowd at the end of the square, and over the heads of the people a line of glittering bayonets could be seen coming down the street. The general looked in that direction with surprise, and immediately gave orders to a mounted officer beside him, who, passing through the line of soldiers, tried to make his way through the crowd. This, however, either from its denseness or an unwillingness to move from the place it had gained, made way for him but slowly, in spite of his angry shouts to the people to clear a way.

Meanwhile the column was advancing, the crowd singularly enough melting before it as if by magic, while those on the scaffold who were able to command a complete view of the square, observed with surprise that the rear of the crowd was rapidly dispersing, the people hurrying away down the various streets, while the lookers-on at the windows left them, only a man here and there continuing at his post. The governor, surprised at the continued advance of the column, was suspicious that something unusual was taking place and shouted to the executioner to perform his duty without delay.

Then a voice in the crowd shouted, "Long live Poland!" and in an instant scythes and bayonets flashed in the air, and in the centre of the crowd a dense mass of men flung themselves upon the line of troops.

Taken wholly by surprise, the latter for a moment fell back, and the leaders of the Poles, using their revolvers rapidly, and followed by the throng, smiting and stabbing right and left with scythe and bayonet, burst a way through. Along the whole line the troops poured a heavy volley into the crowd, which was now scattering wildly in all directions. In the centre, however, a desperate fight was raging. The soldiers, beaten back for the moment, rallied at the orders of the general, and pressed down upon the assailants who had so unexpectedly broken their centre. At this moment, on either side of the insurgents a body of infantry moved forward, but to the stupefaction of the Russians, these, instead of taking the assailants in rear and flank, opened a heavy fire upon the troops. Shouts of " treachery " arose from the bewildered Russians, and, in spite of their numbers and discipline, they wavered. The attack, however, was not pressed.

As soon as the insurgents had broken their way through to the foot of the scaffold the prisoner had leaped down among them, and immediately he did so, the signal for retreat was given, and with one more parting volley into the ranks of the Russians, the party commenced their retreat across the square, now strewn with dead and dying, the victims of the fire of the soldiery into the crowd. At this moment, however, when the object of the enterprise appeared to be attained, a heavy column of cavalry was seen coming up the main street at full gallop, the officer in command of the regiment having ordered them out the instant the sound of firing was heard. In another minute they were in the midst of the insurgents, while the infantry in the square, seeing the arrival of friends, advanced upon their rear. This, however, was protected by the soi-disant soldiers, who stood their ground manfully against them. In front all was confusion. A desperate conflict was raging, sabre against scythe. As fast as the cavalry entered the crowd they disappeared from above them, their horses stabbed or hamstrung; but as fresh troops continued to arrive the combat became more and more furious. In vain the leaders encouraged the peasantry by voice and example. They were unable to win a way through the cavalry, while the infantry in the square pressed more and more hotly upon them.

At last, by a desperate effort, they drove the cavalry back to a point where two side streets came in to the principal one. Here the leader, with a few of their bravest men, kept the cavalry at bay, while the rest retreated at full speed down the side streets, the word being passed for them to scatter and meet again in the forest, for by this time the whole garrison would be bearing down upon them from different points. Then, with a final charge upon the cavalry, the leaders and their chosen followers dashed after their companions, just as the Russian infantry arrived within fifty yards of them.

The two midshipmen had fought side by side, and were among the last to fall back. Dashing at the top of their speed down the street, they took the first turning, and ran for their lives. They heard the cavalry charge along the end in pursuit of the main body of the fugitives, and were congratulating themselves on their escape when a fresh body of cavalry were seen entering the street at the opposite end, while some of those in their rear turned up the street, and took up the pursuit. The position seemed hopeless, but taking another turn, they dashed down a lane at the end of which they could see the open country, too far distant, however, for them to hope to gain it before they were overtaken.