The merit of possessing some military talent can not be denied to General Bibikof. In marching from Kazan towards Orenburg he retook some towns, which had been surprised by the rebels, over, whom, with the aid of his lieutenants, he gained some advantages. Pugatchef was soon apprised of his victorious march, just at the time when all the horrors of famine in Orenburg, gave him a weU-founded hope of the speedy surrender of that important place. He, however, quickly retired from its walls, animated with a strong desire to retrieve his fortune on some more favourable occasion. The major-general. Prince GaUiczyn, who was ordered to follow him quickly, with a great part of BibikoFs army, lost no time in attacking him in a strong position near Tateschtcheva. The combat was fierce and obstinate; and it was soon evident that Pugatchers army was well trained and instructed by many Poles who had crossed swords with the Russians, not only in the wilds of the Baskhirs but also elsewhere. He was, therefore, repulsed with great loss; and as the Cossack chief did not think proper to fight a decisive battle immediately with him, he continued his retrograde movement, with his ferocious bands, in great order, without molestation.
Pugatchef retreating with extraordinary speed, changing every day the direction of his march, well acquainted with the country, and having the best possible information of his adversary's movements, deceived Galliczyn; and, after crossing a sandy desert, a large forest, and some almost impassable marshes by an unknown track, he in a few days concentrated all his forces, and appeared, in hostile attitude, before Bibikof's army, which was completely taken by surprise. The Prince accepted the battle: it was one of the most obstinate ever recorded in the annals of Northern Russia. Pugatchef was a skilful commander; he employed, for the second time successfully, a very simple stratagem worthy to be mentioned, and which greatly contributed to gain the battle. As the battle was fought in the winter, so protracted in these gloomy regions; and as the ground was covered with snow, Pugatchef, perceiving some snow-hills skirting one of his flanks, and at a point whereon he expected to be attacked, planted behind them some of his cannon, and ordered, under cover of his men, some trees and planks to be placed on the declivity of these snowy hills, directing as much water to be thrown on them as possible. This done, he feigned a retreat, after some resistance; the Russians saw their adversary's weak point; a strong body of Bibikof's infantry received peremptory orders to storm the rebel's wing, and was taken in the snare: the water thrown on the trees and planks was frozen, which made them slippery; the Russians, in spite of all their efforts, were unable to climb them, and were suddenly exposed, at point blank distance, to such a deadly fire of musketry and grape- shot, that they were almost annihilated; and as Pugatchef lost not a moment in taking advantage of his success, General Bibikof was completely beaten, and could scarcely effect his retreat with the wreck of his forces: he died soon after.
After the death of General Bibikof, Galliczyn took the command of the army; and having concentrated his forces, and reinforced them by some scattered regiments, marched against Pugatchef, whom he closely chased for several days through wild and unknown tracts, with great spirit and perseverance, reaching him at last at Kargula, not far from Orenburgh, where, after six hours' hot fighting, he completely routed his bands. Pugatchef fled towards the Ural mountains in great haste; and the rebellion was supposed to be entirely suppressed.
Only one head however of the Cerberus was cut oiT. The inaccessible wilds of the Ural mountains, unknown to the Russian troops, swarmed with numerous hordes of Kalmucks, Kirghis, and wandering Cossacks, whom Galliczyn dispersed rather than annihilated; these wilds also, were not completely cleared of those peasants and miners, who, as we have seen, were always eager to breathe fresh air and avenge their wrongs. At the magic voice of Pugatchef, they again took the field; and for the second time, he appeared with an army, victorious in all directions. After mastering some towns and forts, built for the purpose of keeping in obedience the refugees and miners, he besieged and burned h Troitsa. Beaten, however, near that town by General de Koln, he disappeared again in the mountains.