I WITNESSED and LIVED THROUGH

Meanwhile an Armenian, the chief of police of the town, made his
way out of the street where the noise of fusillades and cries of people
came from. I realized that he was there also. At last my perceptions
proved to be right.
On returning the headquarters I ordered the batteries to withdraw
together with the infantry forces. I also ordered the allocation of
means of transport for the artillery officers. Soon it was understood
that all the means of transport of the artillery headquarters had been
stolen as a result of the thoughtlessness of the commander of the
Service Company during the night. The regiment’s means of
transport, which were attended by an officer during the night, were
being taken away before our eyes. The stablemen who came out of
the courtyard gate started to run away galloping in the direction of
Kars without even bothering themselves coming to the artillery
headquarters.
The Armenian soldiers, who were armed to teeth, were trying to get
on the covered wagons in maddening fear. Some of them were
unleashing the horses from the wagons, riding on them in pairs, and
were fleeing the city bellowing.
They even tried to take my wagon, which I had left on the road, by
using force. But, on my driver’s resisting them, they wounded one of
my horses, but still could not take the wagon.
We were able to save only two or three of the fifty wagons. Only few
officers were able to make use of them. They loaded their belongings
hastily and drove away.
There remained two wagons and two phaetons. We could have left
the city by making use of them; but as the panic stricken, fleeing
Armenians were shooting desultorily in the streets they deserted. We
decided to stay in our houses involuntarily. Turks were guaranteeing
to protect us, and our families, from the terror of the kurds.
It was understood later that if we were to leave neglecting the
fusillade of the Armenians in the town, we would never have
succeeded it. We had lost our contact with the Karskapı. Senior
Lieutenant Mitrofonov, who tried leaving the city, was compelled to
return