Fortwodaysthebesiegersattemptednofreshassault。
TheywerediscouragedbythedeathofOgareff。Thismanwasthemainspringoftheinvasion，andhealone，byhisplotslongsincecontrived，hadhadsufficientinfluenceoverthekhansandtheirhordestobringthemtotheconquestofAsiaticRussia。
However，thedefendersofIrkutskkeptontheirguard，andtheinvestmentstillcontinued；butonthe7thofOctober，atdaybreak，cannonboomedoutfromtheheightsaroundIrkutsk。ItwasthesuccoringarmyunderthecommandofGeneralKisselef，anditwasthusthathemadeknownhiswelcomearrivaltotheGrandDuke。
TheTartarsdidnotwaittobeattacked。NotdaringtoruntheriskofabattleunderthewallsofIrkutsk，theyimmediatelybrokeuptheAngaracamp。Irkutskwasatlastrelieved。
WiththefirstRussiansoldiers，twoofMichael’sfriendsenteredthecity。TheyweretheinseparableBlountandJolivet。OngainingtherightbankoftheAngarabymeansoftheicybarrier，theyhadescaped，ashadtheotherfugitives，beforetheflameshadreachedtheirraft。