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Rh, and in a little while the Khivans obtained a better range, and their fire began to tell. The Russians then found they were under the walls of Khiva; retreat was inconvenient if not impossible, and General Verevkin gave the order to advance. The infantry went forward at a run, and soon came into an open field in front of one of the gates, which was defended by a breastwork with four guns. Two companies of infantry under Major Burovstoff dashed over the breastworks and bayonetted the gunners; the breastwork was about 100 yards from the walls of the town, and from these walls the Khivans poured such a deadly fire that it was not possible to drag away the guns until the Russian artillery had opened fire and compelled the slackening of that of the Khivans. Three of the guns were taken away, but the fourth was spiked and left behind. In retiring to their own lines the Russian storming party was compelled to haul the guns one by one over a narrow bridge and across an open field, exposed all the time to Khivan cannon-shot. Then a regular bombardment set in, which was temporarily suspended on a request from the Khan, in which he proposed terms of capitulation. Hardly had his messenger left the camp before the Khivan fire again reopened, and thereupon the Russians renewed theirs. It was afterwards ascertained that the Khan was unable to restrain his Turcoman forces, and the fire had been reopened contrary to his orders.

About sunset a messenger arrived from General Kaufmann announcing that he was about nine miles away on the other side of the city, and ordering the suspension of the fire. It was obeyed with considerable reluctance, as General Verevkin was confident that Khiva would soon be within his grasp. It was certainly a remarkable circumstance that three columns starting from different points a thousand miles apart should have arrived before Khiva almost simultaneously. We will now make a flying leap