Seventy-five thousand of these were cavalry, superbly mounted.

Never had Russia, even in her days of greatest splendor, witnessed a more magnificent array.
Mamai, the Tartar khan, had assembled the horde, in numbers which he deemed overwhelming, on the waters of the Don.

Resolved not to await the irruption of the foe, on the 20th of August, Dmitri, with his army, crossed the Oka, and pressed forward towards the valley of the Don.

They reached this stream on the 6th of September.

Soon detachments of the advanced guards of the two armies met, and several skirmishes ensued.