I WITNESSED and LIVED THROUGH

Accordingly, I decided to visit Colonel Morel at dawn and ask him to
stop the Armenians from committing massacres any more; if he was
not capable of doing this, we would force them to comply by turning
our guns over the Armenians and stopping them by means of threat,
or by means of opening fire if the circumstances required. After
ceasing of the battle, we would send the members of the parliament
to hold talks with the Turkish forces for our evacuating the city within
two days at the latest without shedding blood.
A plan had to be devised for the securing of full protection of the
Muslim population while the Armenians were retreating. For example,
a detachment might have been formed by the Russian officers,
Russian officials (although very few in number), and Russian soldiers
who remained in Erzurum. And to set up a Turkish detachment to
help the Russians or give them under the Russian command.
I went to see Colonel Morel, together with Captain Joltkević, at dawn.
On our way, I learned from the Reserve Officer Bagratunyanets that
he received orders for withdrawal; that he wanted to destroy the
arsenal, but that Colonel Morel wanted me to deal with the problems
pertaining to the arsenal. I was amazed to hear such an order. This
arsenal was not affiliated to me at all; but it was under the
responsibility Colonel Doluhanov.
I explained Reserve Officer Bagratunyanets that destroying of the
arsenal would not yield to a plausible end; that it would be an
unnecessary show of power; that we, the Russian artillery officers,
were betrayed as we were not informed of the orders of withdrawal;
that we all lived near the arsenal; that we would die immediately in
case of an explosion. My reasoning proved to be plausible, and the
arsenal was saved.
On reaching Colonel Morel’s headquarters we witnessed the fleeing of
people. The American Consulate, where some Armenian offices were
found, across the headquarters, was burning in flames. Everything was in flames. Colonel Morel and Colonel Torkom were on their horses.
They were prepared to leave. It was 7 o’clock in the morning.