The Russian Army officers desperately shouted at the soldiers to form neat ranks, but with more than ten thousand men thrown into chaos under the constant cannon bombardment, it was simply impossible to restore order quickly.
The Russian soldiers in the foremost ranks, relying on their fierce bravery, barely exchanged fire with the Persians, but soon several thousand Turkmen Cavalry swept past both their flanks with a piercing howl. The sound of bowstrings was as dense as cicadas on a summer day. The cold weapons, scorned by the Russians, harvested lives with an efficiency no less than that of the flintlock guns.
In less than twenty minutes, the Russian infantry began to retreat along the entire line.
Gazmanov had no choice but to abandon the Cossack Cavalry, turning back to organize a rear guard. Yet, under incessant harassment from the Persian Cavalry, he was never able to effectively form up his troops.
