The next day the army, to its intense surprise, received orders to march into the Ukraine. Messengers were sent to Lewenhaupt to tell him to join the main army on the banks of the Desna and the painful progress commenced.
It was yet autumn, but the cold had set in early, and the troops had to suffer the rigors of extreme cold.
Nature seemed bent on throwing obstacles in the way of the Swedes.
The forests, deserts, and marshes were nearly inpenetrable; Lägercrona, in charge of the advance guard, went thirty leagues astray, and only after four days of wandering was able to find the route.
Nearly all his artillery and heavy baggage he had been obliged to abandon in the marshes or among the rocks.
When after unheard-of troubles and privation, Karl reached the banks of the Desna that the Prince of the Cossacks had appointed for a meeting-place, the ground was found to be occupied by a party of Muscovites.
The Swedes, though fatigued by twelve days’ travel, gave battle, vanquished the Russians, and continued to advance into this desolate and unknown country.
Now even Karl himself began to be doubtful of the fidelity of Mazeppa, and uncertain as to his route.
Perhaps feelings of doubt and apprehension were beginning to touch him for the first time in his life, when Mazeppa finally joined the Swedish army.
He had, however, the worst of news to tell; Peter had discovered the plot in progress in the Ukraine, had fallen upon and scattered the Cossacks, capturing all the gold and grain and thirty Cossack nobles whom he had broken on the wheel.