130 RUSSIA IN EUROPE. 



tress of Schlusselburg ; and under this pretence the prince was put t© 

 death, after an imprisonment of 23 years. The lieutenant who attempt- 

 ed to deliver him was arrested, and afterwards beheaded : but, not- 

 withstanding this, it has been represented that he was a mere tool of 

 the court, though he suffered for executing the instructions he received. 



While this event excited the attention of the Russian nation, the 

 flames of civil war broke out with great violence in Poland ; which 

 was generally the case when the throne was vacant. And as the inter- 

 nal tranquillity of Poland was a capital object with Russia, the em- 

 press Catharine sent a body of troops into that country ; and by her 

 influence count Poniatowski was raised to the throne. She alsointer- 

 posed, in order to secure the rights which the treaty of Oliva had 

 given to the Greek and Protestant subjects of Poland. But the um- 

 brage which her imperial majesty's armies gave to the Roman-catho- 

 lic Poles, by their residence in Poland, increased the rage of civil war 

 in that country, and rendered it a scene of blood and confusion. The 

 conduct of Russia with regard to Poland gave so much offence to the 

 Ottoman court, that the grand-seignor sent Obreskoff, the Russian 

 minister, to the prison of the Seven Towers, declared war against 

 Russia, and marched a very numerous army to the confines of Russia 

 and Poland. Hostilities soon commenced between these rival and 

 mighty empires. In the months of February and March, seventeen hun- 

 dred and sixty-nine, Crim Gueray, khan of the Tartars, at the head 

 of a great body of Tartars, supported by 10,000 spahis, having forc- 

 ed the Russian lines of communication, penetrated into the province 

 of New Serva, where he committed great ravages, burning many 

 towns and villages, and carrying off some thousand families captive. 

 In April following, the grand vizir, at the head of a great army, began 

 his march from Constantinople, and proceeded towards the Danube. 

 In the mean time, prince Galitzin, who commanded the Russian army 

 on the banks of the Dniester, thought this a proper time to attempt 

 something decisive, before the arrival of the great Turkish force in 

 that quarter. Having accordingly crossed the Dniester with his whole 

 army, he advanced to Choczim, where he encamped in sight of a body 

 of 30,000 Turks, commanded by Caraman Pasha, and intrenched under 

 the canrion of the town. The prince, having made the necessary dis- 

 positions, attacked the Turks in their intrenchments early in the 

 morning of the 30th of April, and, notwithstanding an obstinate de- 

 fence, and a dreadful fire from the fortress, at length beat them out of 

 their trenches. The Turks endeavoured to cover their retreat, by de- 

 taching a large body of cavalry to attack the light wing of the Russian 

 army ; but they met with such a warm reception from the artillery, 

 fetfat they soon retired in great disorder. General Stoffeln and prince 

 Dolgorucki were then ordered to pursue the fugitives, at the head of 

 eight battalions ; which they did so effectually, that they followed them 

 into the suburbs of Choczim, and their pursuit was at length only stop- 

 ped by the palisadoes of the fortress. 



On the 13th of July, a very obstinate battle was fought between a 

 considerable Turkish army, and the Russians under prince Galitzin, 

 in the neighbourhood of Choczim, in which the Turks were defeated. 

 The Russians immediately invested Choczim ; but the garrison, being/' 

 numerous, made frequent sallies, and received great reinforcements 

 from the grand-vizir's camp, who was now considerably advanced on 

 this side of the Danube. Several actions ensued ; and prince Galitzin 

 Was at length obliged to retreat, and repass the Dniester. It was com- 



