Message #453

[Mod_1]

Thirdly, moving into the Armenian district would mean our falling into
the hands of the Armenians in whom we never had confidence.
The officers at the Mountain Artillery Battalion, who were not
affiliated to the Fortified Region, also refused the Armenian proposals
for moving. At last the issue was left to the Armenian volition. It is
needless to say that the leaders of a possible rebellion were arrested
without a single sign of an uprising.
Colonel Morel’s possible orders for opening artillery fire on the town
agitated the officers, and forced me to hold a meeting with the
artillery officers under my command.
We held two meetings, with a day’s interval. Aside from all the
artillery officers, two English officers, who were on a visit to Erzurum
for a few days, Colonel Morel, Staff Captain Zinkević, Doluhanov,
Torkom, Antranik, and Dr. Zavriyev were present at the first meeting.
We invited the English officers to show them the rear echelons of the
front, front headquarters, foreign military missions, the spiritual
condition of the Russian Artillery officers, the relation between the
Russian and Armenian officers, and to inform them about the
measures taken to prevent the bloody atrocities committed by the
Armenians. These officers were invited on purpose. Because, I
neither had a post office nor a telegram office under my command. I
could never be sure of my telegram messages’ arriving at their
destinations. In fact, I was absolutely sure that my telegrams were
never sent.
At the meeting, I explained the current situation and the
circumstances forcing the Russian artillery officers come to Erzurum
in detail. I minutely informed all the people present at the meeting
about my personal observations, about the reports I received from
other officers, as well as about the incidents of Armenian defiance
and savagery I had heard from other people and Army Commander
General Odichelitzé himself.
I concluded my explanations stressing a fact, as follows:
We are Russian Officers. We, the honorable Russian
officers in uniforms, did not stay in Erzurum to cover up
the plunderer Armenians’ atrocities committed on the
poor people. We stayed here to serve the Russian
interests and in subordination to our superiors. We did not stay here to serve the Armenian massacres and sheer
violence; but to serve to the Russian cause. We are not
intended to libel our names by the nations of the world.
We would like to see the ending of the disgraceful
Armenian atrocities as long as we stay here. Otherwise,
we shall be insisting on our return home as soon as
possible.