From the west now came tidings that Yagello was at Odoeff. Again the question rose—“Shall we cross the river, or wait here for the enemy?” “It is better to cross,” declared some. “We shall bring fear to Mamai’s men.” Others objected. “Wait on this side,” said they, “it is safer. Mamai is mighty; to attack him may ruin us.” But the first men insisted that the blow should be given before Yagello could join with the Mongols, and they instanced how Nevski had beaten the Swedes by crossing a river, and how Yaroslav the Lawgiver, by passing the Dnieper, had crushed Sviatopolk the Cursed. “If we stay here,” added Andrei and Dmitri, Yagello’s two brothers, “we shall give a weak battle; if we cross each man will think, ‘We cannot escape, we must win, though we die in the struggle.’ The Mongols may be many, but are we not Orthodox Christians? God is in truth, not in numbers.” “But if we leave Oleg in the rear?” asked others. “It is better to withdraw to one side, intrench, and wait; see what Oleg will do. How can we leave him behind us?”
Dmitri rose then and began speaking: “I,” said he, “address no man apart, but speak to all equally. I have not come to stand guard over Oleg, or to watch the Don River. Better never leave home than come hither and do nothing.” He gave command then to find fords and pass over immediately. “Dear friends and brothers,” said he, as he rode through the regiments later, “we are preparing to cross the river. On the other side we shall find that which God sends us. Either we shall win and redeem all, or we shall lay down our lives for our brothers, Orthodox Christians.” “We are ready to die or to conquer!” responded the whole army.
Dmitri’s decision was timely and wise. Simeon Melik, his boyar, rushed in and declared that he had been battling with outposts; that Mamai was at Gusin Brod and knew of Dmitri’s arrival, that he was hastening on to prevent him from crossing, and thus delay battle till after the coming of Yagello. It was learned that Yagello had marched from Odoeff, and that Mamai was informed of his movements. There was no time for loitering; on the contrary, moments might be decisive.
September 7, Dmitri’s army was on the right bank of the river [[384]]A ford had been found near the Nepryadva, and when the moon, full on September 1, touched the horizon, all the regiments had crossed and were encamped. The army extended along the Nepryadva about three miles and a half, with its rear toward the river, which had a steep bank, and was hidden by a forest. In front of the army was a wide open region of gentle hillsides, and slightly raised flat land. That eve of the Holy Virgin’s Nativity, September 7, O.S., was calm and warm, and the moon was shining clearly. Just at midnight, when all the warriors were at rest, the Grand Prince and Bobrok of Volynia rode out to examine the battle-field. When out a good distance they looked around at their sleeping army, that host of two hundred thousand men. Here and there they could see the dying flame of a camp-fire; farther off at one side, or behind them, were numberless distant lights of small watch-fires. From the Nepryadva and the Don came at intervals the cry of a night-bird, or the plashing of wings on the water; and from the forest the howling of wolves was heard, or the screech of an owl, as if the odor of flesh had enticed them.
Bobrok, who knew well the tricks of war, and their practice, learned in countless expeditions and battles, showed Dmitri how to estimate the enemy’s strength and position by the “earth throbbing,” as people called it in those days. Both men dismounted, put their ears to the earth, and listened. They heard a sound from tens of thousands of horses, a sound as if myriads of people were building a city, or as if an army of men had met, on a great boundless market-square, in discussion. The coming day seemed mysterious, ominous, from this deep “earth throbbing.” Bobrok, however, gave hope to Dmitri, and as he had faith in his own heart, he assured the Grand Prince of triumph, but triumph which would verge very closely on failure. “Thou wilt overcome the Mongols,” said he, “but many and many of thy faithful men will fall by pagan hands.” “God’s will be done,” replied Dmitri, sadly.
After they had examined the battle-ground carefully, they returned without speaking. The broad field of Kulikovo was cut in two by a depression, at the bottom of which flowed the small Smolka River. Near its mouth stood a dense forest, but its farther extent and all the upper part of the depression was composed of level eminences, the gentle slopes from each facing another. On [[385]]the high field touched by the Nepryadva the Russian army had arranged itself. From beyond the elevation, which faced the army, the Mongols were expected. Toward this elevation stretched from the steep bank of the Nepryadva another depression containing a forest of oak trees. This was the Lower Dubik, at the bottom of which was a small stream, also called Dubik, which flowed into the Nepryadva. The beginning of this Dubik depression began far beyond Kulikovo, but when it approached the Nepryadva it branched off in the flat expanse into small side slopes, which, becoming less marked, ceased at last near the foot of that eminence beyond which began the gentle slopes toward the Smolka. That was therefore the highest place in all the eminence. It was clear that on that place the Mongols would camp; from that point they would move to the battle. In general the position seemed favorable to Dmitri.
The well known tactics of the Mongols of spreading out widely and enclosing the enemy, which they did through numerical preponderance, could not be used by Mamai at Kulikovo. He could not turn either flank or reach the rear of the Russians. The abrupt bank of the Smolka, on which rested the left wing of the army, seemed unapproachable, through its woody entanglement, for some distance before it reached the Don, and the right wing rested on the rugged bank of the Nepryadva, which had no ford at any point. Besides, the descent from the eminence to be occupied by the Mongols to the center of the plain of Kulikovo was to some extent difficult. The great point was to give Mamai no time to make plans after coming, and for the Russians to advance as far from the Don as was needed, and quickly. The Mongol cavalry would be confused from lack of room to develop. It is true that in case of defeat the destruction of the Russians seemed certain. Escape would be cut off on three sides, and advance would be blocked by the enemy. But the army had crossed, so that no man might think of retreating. The forest which covered the lower course of the Smolka gave also the chance of secreting a division of warriors to meet the Mongols, in case they should try to encircle the rear; or, if they should force the Russian center and cut it in two, this division would meet them. In view of this plan, the various parts of the army were assigned to positions.
On September 8, the Virgin’s Nativity,—when day and night [[386]]are of equal length, the sun rising at six and setting at the same hour in the evening,—the whole country was covered with a dense fog. Time passed, and still the sky was not visible. Meanwhile the regiments were taking their positions. The men under Bobrok and Vladimir the Brave took a place on the left wing. To them were added Novgorod forces commanded by Dmitri of Nizni. He was to stay on that wing and not leave it, but Bobrok and Vladimir, after the battle began, were to enter the forest and wait till Bobrok gave the signal for action. The right wing, which touched the Nepryadva, was commanded by Andrei and Dmitri, sons of Olgerd. To their forces were joined the Pskoff and Starodub men, with Rostoff troops and others. The Grand Prince took his place in the center, made up of warriors from Moscow, Vladimir and Suzdal. This was the great, the strong regiment, divided again into portions. Its left flank, which touched on the Nizni men, was commanded by Bailozero princes; its advance lines were led by Nikolai, and the center by Timofei Velyaminoff with Prince Glaib, known as Brenko. The right flank, which touched on the forces of Andrei and Dmitri, was commanded by other great boyars.
About an hour before midday the fog disappeared, and the day became radiant. The Grand Prince rode through the regiments, encouraging all to have firm faith in God, and stand steadfast for Christ’s sacred Church, and the whole Russian land. “We are ready to die or win!” was the answer. The eagerness for action grew irrepressible, as the murmur spread over those two hundred thousand men: “The Mongols are coming! the Mongols!” The Grand Prince rushed to his regiment, and with the words: “God is our refuge and strength,” the army began to move forward. The awe of the moment filled every man. Each wished to surpass every other in valor. There was no chance then for speaking; all voices were merged in the thunder of marching.
The Mongols, who appeared an hour before midday, did not stay on the height, as had been their purpose. Urged to action by the rapid approach of the Russians, Mamai’s legions rolled down like a flood to the field of Kulikovo. As they drew near the Russians a Mongol champion of great size and threatening aspect rode out in front of the army, and challenged any one to meet him. Hearing these words a man on the Russian side turned to those about him, saying: “Fathers and brothers, forgive me, the sinful. Pray for [[387]]me, brother Oslyaba!” This was the monk Peresvait. When Mamai’s champion saw him, he spurred on with all his might. The Russian urged his horse unsparingly, and the two men struck each other squarely with their lances; both horses fell, but rose again. The Mongol dropped to the earth and remained there. Peresvait was borne back to his place alive, but he died soon after.