Charles seems to have based his strategic plan upon a flank attack by the main force of his eavalry under General Creutz, but this officer lost himself in the steppes during the night and was absent at the critical moment, enabling the Tsar to rally his shattered legions, and to turn upon the broken formation of Slipenbak's victorious reiters. At the same time Prince Mentchikov cleverly manoeuvred his forces between the Swedes and their base at Poltava, thus cutting them effectually from their reinforcements. Later in the day, this town was captured, and a number of officers, including Charles' great Minister Piper, fell into the hands of the Muscovites. When all appeared lost — the wounded Charles was placed upon a horse by the Polish Colonel Poniatowski — and escorted by a few dragoons and Cossacks, fled, more dead than alive, from the scene of this decisive blow to Sweden's greatness. (For a full account of the battle of Poltava see Voltaire's "History of Charles XII," pp. 199 et seq.)
tives were thrust by their followers into a leaky boat and with an escort of about a dozen men abandoned to the swollen stream. Such was their peril that, in order to save themselves from sinking, the greater part of the hetman's treasure was thrown into the river.
At the same time a terrible fate overtook a large body of Swedish and Cossack cavalry who sought to cross the flooded Dnieper by swimming their horses in a compact mass, following the methods of the ancient Tartar invaders. Near the middle of the river this living raft became broken apart and the struggling horsemen met a terrible death among the rocks and rapids. Swept along by the ice floes of the treacherous stream their bodies accompanied the flight of their chief and the Hetman Mazeppa towards their exile in Turkish territory.
A few days later the fugitive learned of the defeat of the army commanded by Loewenhaupt. Continually pressed by Mentchikov's cavalry this general had finally been forced to surrender; fourteen thousand veteran Swedes laying down their arms to less than nine thousand Russians. The days when Charles' troops, as at Narva, had not hesitated to attack a force of Russians double or treble their own strength were ended. This victory was a final disaster to the Cossack faction devoted to Mazeppa. Mentchikov refused to include in the armistice and terms of surrender any amnesty for the Cossack partisans found
among the Swedish armies. All who could not escape were massacred on the river bank "within sight of their fatherland," * while the rest, according to the Tsar's orders, were relentlessly hunted down "in then lairs."
After this execution only three thousand Zaporogian warriors remained of all that famous brotherhood. On the approach of the Tsar's troops, these were forced to seek shelter among their ancient enemies the Turks. Reahzing the value of such allies the Khan of the Crimean Tartars welcomed them in his camp, in spite of the wrong they had done his territory in the past. In order to show the Russians that they had definitely passed under Ottoman protection he conferred upon Mazeppa and the Zaporogian Hetman Gordianko the insignia of Turkish generals. Lands were also set apart for the Zaporogians on the shores of the Koninke, where in ancient time the sitch or encampment of the free republic had been located.**
The unfortunate hetman, Mazeppa, did not long survive his disgrace. With the feeble Cossack escort which had remained faithful to his cause he took refuge (stiU accompanied by the King of
* Lesur, p. 116.
** The Zaporogians were, however, so reduced in numbers that they were not able to resist the attacks of the Russians and soon found themselves obliged to retire farther into the Crimea.