As time passed day by day, the Russian army surrounded by Irkutsk city gradually fell into turmoil. Although it became a brigade with only imperial cavalry in Irkutsk, the Russian army in the city did not dare to go out of the city to fight. In the city, they could still rely on those fortifications to fight. Once they left the protection of the city, they would face the pursuit of imperial cavalry!

For this reason, the Russian army could only choose to stick to Irkutsk. However, with the arrival of the main force of the imperial army, it has shown that the Russian army's persistence in Irkutsk has entered the countdown. After the imperial army launched an attack on Irkutsk, it will be difficult for the Russian army to defend here again.

Major General Neverskoy, the highest commander of the Russian army in Irkutsk, issued various troops to strengthen their vigilance and prepare to defend the enemy. Major General Neverskoy insisted to all the Russian soldiers that the reinforcements sent by the Expeditionary Force were about to arrive, and as long as everyone persisted for a while, the reinforcements would arrive. At that time, everyone would be safe. Although, in this case, Major General Neverskoy had said it many times during this period. But every time, the Russian officers and soldiers chose to believe it. Perhaps for them, this was their last hope. Even though they knew that this was a lie, everyone could not bear to expose it.

However, all this changed on the morning of May 29, 1847. When the Cossack cavalry in tattered uniforms and depressed expressions were escorted by the Chinese army to the periphery of Irkutsk, the Russian officers and soldiers in the city were stunned.

"God! Isn't that our Cossack cavalry? Why is it in the hands of the Chinese!"

"Did we fail? Are our reinforcements defeated by the Chinese? How is that possible! The invincible Cossack cavalry who came to rescue us! How could the Chinese defeat the Cossack cavalry? This is absolutely impossible."

"Scam, this is a scam! We have been deceived, there will be no reinforcements in Irkutsk, we have all been abandoned!"

The emergence of those captured Cossack cavalry caused the Russian defenders in Irkutsk to panic. The reason they kept insisting was that they believed that reinforcements would arrive soon. Now, the reinforcements have been defeated by the Chinese army, which undoubtedly completely shattered the hopes of the Russians and completely failed. Once a person loses hope, what else can he have left? The morale of the Russian army instantly dropped to freezing point.

"Listen to the Russians inside, you don't have to hold on anymore. Your reinforcements, the 10th Cossack Cavalry and the 12th Cossack Cavalry Army of Russia, were defeated by us half a month ago. More than 50,000 people, less than 2,000 people successfully escaped. Your reinforcements are still thousands of miles away, and you will never have reinforcements. Surrender immediately! Only surrender is your last way out. As long as you surrender, the empire will ensure your safety. Otherwise, once the imperial army starts attacking, you will surely die. In the end, you will be given an hour. If you are willing to surrender to the empire, put down your weapons immediately." An imperial staff officer who understands the Russian army shouted at Irkutsk with a loudspeaker.

"Our reinforcements really failed? So do we still have to persevere? Should we surrender to the Chinese? In this way, we might be able to save our lives!" Many Russians began to have that idea.

"Bastard! Don't believe it, this is a scam by the Chinese. The Chinese deceived us. Our reinforcements are on the way. The Chinese will definitely not defeat our heroic Cossack cavalry." Some Russian officers began to rebuke loudly, and they promised with confidence that this is a scam by the Chinese army and that the Russian reinforcements would not be defeated.

However, those ordinary Russian soldiers are not fools. Are the Russian Cossack cavalry outside Irkutsk City fake? Now, Irkutsk has really no hope.

"General, something is wrong. A large number of Chinese troops gathered outside the city." Brigadier General Borif reported to Major General Neverskoy with a panic look on his face. He looked panic, as if he had seen a ghost.

"The Chinese are going to launch an attack? Order all troops to prepare for battle." Major General Neverskoy ordered that the Chinese army would launch an attack, which was not beyond his expectations. After all, after the main force of the Chinese army arrived, they would definitely not allow Irkutsk to be in the hands of the Russian team.

"General, in addition, the Chinese escorted a large number of captured Cossack cavalry outside the city, and the morale of our troops was greatly affected. The troops were very war-weary. If it were not for the officers' suppression, there would have been a mutiny." Brigadier General Boriff continued.

"What? Are the 10th Cossack Cavalry and the 12th Cossack Cavalry really defeated?" Neverskoy's face was covered in dust. Although he had guessed that such a result would be. However, after knowing that this was the real result, it still made him a little unimaginable.

"General, what should we do now? The morale of the troops is now low. It is impossible for us to withstand the attack of the Chinese team." Brigadier Borif knew that this time, Irkutsk could no longer defend.

"General Borif, no matter what, we need to stick with it. You go to the front line and take charge of the command there, and we will fight until the last moment!" Major General Neverskoy said firmly.

"Yes, General!" Brigadier General Boliff nodded, saluted, and turned around and left.

Major General Neverskoy looked at Brigadier Borif's back as he left and fell into deep thought.

"Damn, Irkutsk can't hold on anymore. How can I escape from here? There are Chinese troops defending the south, west and north, and it's not safe!" Major General Neverskoy thought secretly. Although he gave the order to defend Irkutsk with great righteousness, he never thought of throwing his life here. Now, he is planning a way out.

Under the warning of the Chinese army, some Russian soldiers laid down their weapons and surrendered to the Chinese army, but were caught by low-level Russian officers and were severely punished, which made other Russian soldiers dare not act rashly for a while. But this also shows that the Russian soldiers really don’t want to continue fighting.

An hour later, the Chinese army began to launch a fierce attack on Irkutsk. Hundreds of light howitzers and field artillery began to pour shells into Irkutsk, and in a very short time, it turned Irkutsk into a sea of ​​fire.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!" The dense shells exploded in Irkutsk, one house after another was destroyed, and a large number of Russians were killed in the shelling. The Russian soldiers who stood firm in the trenches were curled up in the trenches and endured all this. Many of them had no fighting spirit. The Chinese army's mind-to-mind battle made these Russian officers and soldiers completely lose the courage to continue fighting.

After half an hour of artillery attack, the 1st and 2nd Army of the Imperial Army dispatched four brigades to attack the city of Irkutsk from four breakthrough points. Compared with the attack of the cavalry, the infantry's attack speed was slower, but their advancement seemed more stable. When the imperial infantry attacked, they could effectively obtain the support of artillery in the rear, especially the platoon and company mortars, which could knock out the Russian firepower points one after another, thereby effectively reducing casualties.

In less than an hour, the Russian defense line outside the city of Irkutsk was broken through, and a large number of Russian troops were either killed or fled into the city. More Russian troops chose to put down their weapons and surrender to the empire. In accordance with previous promises, the Imperial Army accepted their surrender, which led to more Russian soldiers surrender.

After invading Irkutsk, the Russian army's resistance became fierce. However, in street fighting, facing the elite Imperial Army, the Russians could not take any advantage. The street fighting tactics of the Imperial Army were much more advanced than those of these Russian troops composed of mobs. Snipers covered, grenades opened the way, and from time to time they could also get fire support from mortars and heavy machine guns. Even if Russian soldiers hid behind barricades or in houses on both sides of the street, the final result would be impossible to escape.

Under the attack of the imperial infantry, the Russian army began to retreat step by step. Under such circumstances, more and more Russians surrendered to the imperial army. They had lost reinforcements and were constantly beaten by the imperial army on the battlefield. In this case, if they wanted to survive, there would be no other way besides surrendering to the imperial army.

When Brigadier General Borif, the commander of the Russian Far East Army, saw that the situation was not good, he hurried to the command center to ask Major General Neverskoy for instructions. However, at this time he found that the command center was empty and the building was empty. Major General Neverskoy was nowhere to be seen. There was no way, Brigadier Borif had to order surrender. If the fight continued, the Russian army would only suffer greater casualties.

The imperial infantry's attack on Irkutsk lasted for only half a day and it ended. More than 100,000 newly formed Russian officers and soldiers who stood guard at Irkutsk surrendered to the Imperial Army, more than 60,000 people. The rest were killed in battle. In addition to these troops, there were also civilians hiding in the city of Irkutsk, with more than 200,000 people.r1152
Chapter completed!