I WITNESSED and LIVED THROUGH

And whenever it was reported that a reconnaissance detachment of
300-400 men had to perform a breakthrough on the surrounding
enemy force, overwhelming their number, it was soon understood
that the detachment’s casualties were one dead and one wounded
only.
One day, one of the Armenian officers reported to me on the phone
that a detachment of 400 men had launched an attack on the troops
that were responsible for keeping the artillery guns. It was
understood later that they saw two unarmed men coming from the
village across, who later had left.
During the period passed between the fleeing of the Armenians from
Erzincan and the delivering of Erzurum by the Turkish forces, the
reconnaissance units were able to capture only one cavalryman. I did
not see him personally. It is highly probable that this poor man’s feet
were either frozen or he was too weak to walk alone without help.
After the second meeting I received several petitions form the
officers requesting their dismissals and transfers to Russian Corps, to
the orders of other commanders, to the units where there were
troops from other nationalities.
I reported to Colonel Morel that leaving of it was highly probable that
most of the Russian officers, may be all of them, would leave
Erzurum. He went red and said that he would not allow it happen
even if it were a decree issued by the Court Martial. I told him that
my officers still in possession of the guns; that violence would be
retaliated by guns; that it would be best to leave relying on the
decree issued by the government as it was legal right of every single
individual.
I explained Colonel Morel that none of the officers really wanted to
leave; that every officer wanted leave just to make use of their legal
rights; that there would be no difference between those who had left
their positions earlier and us, preferring to continue our legal duties.
It was such a complicated situation that conscience and honor of
duty were not permitting us to stay here.
Colonel Morel asserted that there was no legal arrangement made for
leaving; that he would give the same employment report he had
given to Senior Lieutenant Yermolov to anyone who would attempt to
leave.