Ostap immediately unfastened a silken cord which the cornet carried at his saddle bow to bind prisoners, and having with it bound him hand and foot, attached the cord to his saddle and dragged him across the field, calling on all the Cossacks of the Oumansky kuren to come and render the last honours to their hetman.
When the Oumantzi heard that the hetman of their kuren, Borodaty, was no longer among the living, they deserted the field of battle, rushed to secure his body, and consulted at once as to whom they should select as their leader.

At length they said, "But why consult?
It is impossible to find a better leader than Bulba's son, Ostap; he is younger than all the rest of us, it is true; but his judgment is equal to that of the eldest." Ostap, taking off his cap, thanked his comrades for the honour, and did not decline it on the ground of youth or inexperience, knowing that war time is no fitting season for that; but instantly ordered them straight to the fray, and soon showed them that not in vain had they chosen him as hetman.

The Lyakhs felt that the matter was growing too hot for them, and retreated across the plain in order to form again at its other end.

But the little colonel signalled to the reserve of four hundred, stationed at the gate, and these rained shot upon the Cossacks.

To little purpose, however, their shot only taking effect on the Cossack oxen, which were gazing wildly upon the battle.