Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 165 Moving forward
Iranian troops crossed the Caucasus Mountains towards the North Caucasus region. It was winter, and a continuous stream of vehicles carrying supplies, mostly winter clothing and canned goods, were on the way to help the army survive the winter.

The Circassians and Chechens used their superior strengths to constantly harass the Russian army with their cavalry. The Russian army in the North Caucasus was suffering greatly, but recently they finally received some good news: the Tsar ordered 30 troops to march south into the Caucasus, with Grand Duke Constantine as the commander-in-chief.

Alexander has become a gambler, hoping to turn the tide of the war through a conflict with Iran. Therefore, he continues to conscript soldiers, even transferring a significant number from Poland, while simultaneously raising taxes and accelerating money printing. Currently, the Russian economy appears to have improved, but the future looks bleak.

The impending arrival of reinforcements is undoubtedly the best news; they simply need to hold their ground. Moreover, it's very cold now, so Iran certainly won't send troops; they can take a short rest.

But the Iranian army did not rest; they were prepared for winter. They advanced north in three columns. Of these three columns, the right column, led by Isfahani, planned to capture cities such as Astrakhan and disrupt Russian trade on the Volga River. The central column, led by Salami, slowly approached Rostov, plunging the Don region into chaos.

Meanwhile, the left flank, led by Soleimani, spearheaded an attack on Yekaterina Nodar. They then joined the central army in preparation for an attack on Rostov.

In Salisk, the town closest to Yekaterina Nodar, news of the Iranian attack threw many into chaos. Large numbers of people fled their homes, carrying their belongings, and boarded horse-drawn carriages and other means of transport. Those who couldn't find transportation headed further along the roads to places like Rostov, intending to seek refuge north of the Don River.

"The Persians are coming!"

Suddenly, some sharp-eyed soldiers spotted Iranian troops in the distance. Their tension increased, but then officers appeared before them. These officers loudly addressed them: "Don't be afraid, the enemy is nothing to fear. You'll die just as easily if you get shot. Hold on to your weapons."

"Boom, boom, boom."

Just then, Romanian artillery fire rained down on the Russian positions and their surroundings. The fierce bombardment caused a stir among the Russian soldiers in the positions.

"Get down and take cover from the shells."

Soldiers, dodging artillery fire in various postures, not only had to endure the possibility of being hit by shells. The screams of wounded soldiers echoed around the trenches, and every now and then, unfortunate souls would be hit by blasts, their severed limbs flying towards them, all of which terrified them to the point of turning pale.

The incoming shells eventually ran out, and the moment the Iranian army stopped firing, the Russian soldiers, who had endured the torment, felt as if they had finally come back from hell. But before they could catch their breath, the officer, with an anxious look on his face, hurriedly shouted to them: "Get up, all of you, get up quickly! The enemy is about to attack."

The soldiers looked up at the outside of the position and were shocked by what they saw. The enemy had already gotten within 400 to 500 meters of them.

The soldiers grabbed their weapons and aimed at the approaching enemy. "Fire!"

"Slap~ Slap~ Slap~ Slap"

The continuous bursts of gunfire immediately brought the attacking Iranian soldiers to the ground. Their counterattack also fell on the Russian troops. Many Russian soldiers fell silently in the trenches during the enemy's counterattack. Their comrades, however, could not afford to hesitate and could only continue to fight the enemy.

The fighting performance of soldiers on both sides at the front lines was observed by their respective commanders. Unlike the Russian commanders who were jumping up and down in frustration, Soleimani, looking at the chaotic counter-fire of the Russians, said to Zarif, who was also observing the battle, "The enemy's morale is much higher than before."

The other party agreed, saying, "You're right, these enemies are indeed fighting very tenaciously. If given enough time to train, they will be a formidable foe for us."

Clearly, Iran will not give the Russian military time.

"Immediately order the troops to increase firepower, concentrate superior forces and break through the enemy's position in one fell swoop. We will spend the night here."

Following Soleimani's orders, Iranian artillery fire intensified. The frontline troops, who had previously been probing, also became more aggressive.

The Russian troops defending the area paled upon seeing the Iranian army before them. The commander pulled aside a messenger and urgently ordered, "Request reinforcements from Yekaterina Nodar immediately. If they arrive late, they'll only be collecting our corpses."

Released, the messenger immediately dashed towards the town. Watching him flee, the commander ordered the Russian troops to continue their defense. After a brief exchange of fire, a brutal hand-to-hand combat ensued on the position. Many Russian soldiers fell in pools of blood without even touching the hem of their enemy's clothing. The few soldiers and officers who could hold their own against the enemy faced attacks from multiple opponents. Therefore, this hand-to-hand combat was a complete disaster for the entire system.

The position was quickly captured, and Iranian and Czerkyan soldiers then surrounded the fortress. A siege ensued, and the Russian commander inside the fortress, seeing the enemy break through, ordered his troops to retreat back into the city, attempting to use the terrain and houses within the city as fortifications to continue the resistance.

However, he overestimated the quality of his army. As soon as the retreat order was given, these Russian soldiers, who had only recently joined the army, immediately went their own way. It was less a retreat and more a flight of convenience; they simply ran off in their own separate directions.

And then, that was it. Iran occupied the town. The Russian army suffered a series of defeats, and the same was true on the eastern front. The Russian defenses in the Astrakhan direction were relatively weak, and they had not expected Iran to launch an attack in winter. They had already traveled a considerable distance in the past few days.

(End of this chapter)