Attack Onto Khortytsia and The Organization of Expedition
At the end of January Khmelnytsky led a surprise attack onto the Khortytsia garrison. Bigger part of the registered Cossacks joined the mutineers and Colonel Górski, after losing over 30 people, retreated to Kryliv. About that Adam Kisiel mentioned to the Putivl voivode, Prince Dolgoruki. After expelling the Polish garrison from the Zaporizhian Sich Khmelnytsky sent out several agitation letters to public calling to rise up against Poles. The letters were effective as more and more people were drawn to the Sich accounting around 5,000 by the end of February. During that time Cossacks continued to reinforce their fortifications.
On March 15, 1648 Bohdan Khmelnytsky personally, together with his son Tymish and a small company, arrived to Bakhchisaray on a diplomatic mission. Khmelnytsky presented to Khan Giray the King's letter and proposed an alliance. After few days of thinking Giray decided to sent his mirza Tugay Bey into the expedition with Cossacks. After that Khmelnytsky returned to Sich, leaving his son with the Khan as "insurance". Upon arrival of Khmelnytsky the Kosh Otaman called for the General Council that was set for April 19. Because of the number of people attending the council it took place just outside of the Sich itself. At the gathering the Cossacks unanimously expressed their will for the war against Poland and an immediate expedition. Bohdan Khmelnytsky was solemnly elected the Hetman. During the ceremony the kosh otaman passed down to the new hetman the banner, the standard, and the military drums - the Cossack Kleinody (see Zaporizhian Cossacks).
It was decided that only eight thousand Cossacks would go out of the Sich while the rest would stay put as reserves. During the preparations to the Sich arrived the envoy of the Crown Hetman Mikołaj Potocki, rotmistrz Chmielecki, who offered Khmelnytsky and Cossacks the chance to leave Zaporizhia and disperse. To that Khmelnytsky said that it would happen if Potocki himself together with other Polish lords left Ukraine. Receiving such an answer Potocki in a great hurry moved with his army south.
The main element of Mikołaj Potocki was quartered in Cherkasy, while the Kalinowski's regiment stayed in Korsun, others in the estates of Crown Chorazy Aleksander Koniecpolski in Kaniv. The whole army of the Crown, designated to suppress the uprising, accounted for some 15,000 soldiers. Before departing the Sich Khmelnytsky sent out Tugay-Bey with part of his unit (~500 cavalry) on patrol having the task of securing a safe passage to the Sich for other volunteers. After receiving intelligence that the Polish Army is heading for the Kodak fortress, Khmelnytsky decided to leave the Sich on April 22 with his main element (~2,000 Cossacks) towards Kryliv and Chyhyryn.
Read more about this topic: Battle Of Zhovti Vody
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