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I WITNESSED and LIVED THROUGH
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I WITNESSED and LIVED THROUGH
«
Reply #15
on:
April 26, 2010, 12:41:57 pm »
As a consequence of the forward movement of the Ottoman Army,
the Southern Caucasus Commissariat made a peace proposal to
Turkiye.
The reply they received from the Ottoman Army Command stated
that the peace proposal was highly welcomed, and that the proposal
made by the Southern Caucasus Commissariat was forwarded to the
government for solution.
Upon our request Army Commander communicated with the
President of the Commissariat Mr. Gegechkori, and the Supreme
Commander General Lebedinskiy through telegram. In the reply
received it was said that Dr. Zavriyevand Antranik were sent to
Erzurum by the Armenian National Assembly to establish order in the
city; that an ultimatum demanding the stopping of the Armenian
atrocities had been given to the Armenian National Assembly as it
was capable of meeting the request; that the final orders would be
issued after the receiving of the Turkish Government’s consideration
of the peace proposal; that we should continue staying in Erzurum
until then. Finally it was stated that: “I would like to express my
deepest gratitude to your honor and to your officers for the heroic
stance displayed. We are of the full conviction that you and your staff
shall continue to remain in your position heroically, which is especially
important at a time when Russia is threatened by the catastrophic
circumstances.”
The Army Commander issued an order pertaining to this issue. He
emphasized we should remain in our positions as sentinels; and that
he, with his all capacity would not allow any loss of officers for no
apparent reason.
He was the Commander of the 3rd Army at the Eastern Front from February 1916 to
June 1918. From June 9 1918 to September 9 1918 he served as the Eastern Armies
Group Commander. He retired from the army on October 18, 1918. He deceased on
June 13, 1940.
Harp Akademileri Komutanlığı. Türk Harp Tarihi Derslerinde Adı Geçen Komutanlar
[Commanders Whose Names are Mentioned in the Turkish History of War Courses].
İstanbul: Harp Akademileri Komutanlığı Yay., 1983, p. 315-322.
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«
Reply #16
on:
April 26, 2010, 12:42:47 pm »
We stayed in Erzurum as a result of this order, and for the interests
of Russia. It was just then, when the Ottoman State found the peace
proposal made by the Southern Caucasus Commissariat appropriate,
and the peace talks was scheduled to start in Trabzon as of February
17, 191811.
The Army Commander in his speech declared that we were to stay in
Erzurum until the signing of the peace treaty; that following the
signing of the peace treaty all the guns and equipment were either to
be transported to Russia or left to the Turkish forces; that we were to
leave if the terms of the treaty required; that we were to leave
Erzurum after having destroyed all the guns if the treaty is would not
be signed; that the Army Commander had no intention of engaging in
a battle in the environs of Erzurum; and explained that after
observing of the first signs of a general attack to be launched by the
Turkish units, he would notify us within 7 days.
Briefly, until the finding of a definite solution for the staying of the
officers in Erzurum, a necessity of taking measures against the
possible kurdish attacks on Erzurum was born. Because, the Turkish
Government had officially informed us, during the peace talks, that
the kurds were not obeying the orders given but were acting at their
own will.
To this end, at the end of January, upon the orders of the Army
Commander, artillery guns were transferred to the logistics support
units along the Erzincan-Erzurum line to drive the kurds who started
attacking the depots to provide food back.
Several guns were deployed along the logistics support lines under the
supervision of officers. Those guns were brought back by the units that
were mainly composed of the Armenians withdrawing from Erzincan.
Towards February 10, Army Commander ordered the positioning two
guns on each of the Büyükkiremitli and Surp Nishan emplacements
over looking the Trabzonkapı. Later, more guns were positioned on the
various parts of the town. It was also evaluated that the positioning of
guns between the Karskapı and Harputkapı emplacements would be
appropriate to prevent the possible kurdish raids to come from the
direction of Palandöken12.
11 Trabzon peace talks started in March 14, 1918. Kemal ARI. Birinci Dünya Savaşı
Kronolojisi [Chronology of the First World War]. Ankara: Genelkurmay ATASE
Başkanlığı Yay., 1997, p. 336.
12 A sub-district affiliated to Erzurum.
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«
Reply #17
on:
April 26, 2010, 12:43:24 pm »
Those guns were placed solely to retaliate the kurdish raids. Guns
were so openly positioned that they were unable to fight against any
orderly unit supported by artillery units. They would easily be
destroyed at the first two or three shots. However, it was the only
possible way to repulse the kurdish attacks successfully.
In mid-February, the breeches, telescopic sights and quadrant sights
of the guns positioned in distant places were all taken to the central
depots. Only the telescopic sights of the guns positioned near were
taken out; now it was the time for dismantling their breeches. The
same order was issued for the guns positioned in Palandöken
Mountain; but the task could not have been realized thoroughly yet.
Only the telescopic sights of the guns to be used against the kurds
were left.
The Ottoman army’s attack was not expected to start soon. It was
thought that the morale of the Ottoman units was low and that they
were not capable of making any maneuvers before the summer.
On February 12, two Russian officers, who witnessed the shooting of
10 or 12 Turks by the Armenian gangs armed to the teeth out in the
open near the train station, tried to save those people, but the
Armenians threatened the officers with weapons and pushed them
away. None of the gang members was taken under arrest in relation
to this event.
On February 13, the Army Commander declared Martial Law. He
ordered the setting up of the Court Martial, and the practicing of the
death penalty in line with the stipulations of the former law,
preceding the revolution. Colonel Morel was appointed to the
Command of the Erzurum Fortress and to the chair of the Armenian
Court; and he set off the same day. Brigadier General Gerasimov,
Commander of the Fortified Region, left with him to set up a new
base for a possible transfer of the guns. I kept my position and took
over the duty of Commander of the Fortified Region as a deputy.
The majority of Colonel Morel’s headquarters were composed of the
Russian officers. The Chief of Staff of the Regiment was Staff Captain
Shneur.
As soon as the Army Commander left, Colonel Morel put on a
different air. He declared that Erzurum would be kept in hand,
defended until the very last moment, and that he would not allow any
of the officers and men who could bear arms leave the city.
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«
Reply #18
on:
April 26, 2010, 12:44:05 pm »
The day the Army Commander left, as we were having a meeting
with Col. Morel at his office, I told him that there were officers who
were looking forward to leave. An official present there, Sogomonian,
an Armenian, said, in the presence of everybody there, that as a
member of the Court Martial he would not let any of the Russian
officers leave; that he would personally shoot all those who would
attempt to leave Erzurum; and that reinforced police stations were
established in Köprüköy13 and Hasankale14 to arrest those who would
try to leave without the documents signed by him and bring them
before the Court Martial.
I then understood that we were caught in a tight trap from which it
was impossible to escape. It was evident that the declaration of
Martial Law and the establishing of the Court Martial were solely for
the Russian officers, not for the ferocious Armenian gangs.
Tyranny and oppression continued in the city as before. The Russian
officers were trying hard to defend the unarmed and desperate
Turks. There are lots of incidents where the officers under my
command used force to save the Turks who were arrested and
violated in the streets by the Armenians. Karayev, Laboratory
Director, opened fire on an Armenian soldier who stripped naked a
Turk out in the open in the day light.
None of the promises made for the hanging those who were
massacring the unarmed innocent people were kept. The Court
Martial established could not function. It was afraid of the threats
posed by the Armenians. Although it was promised by the Armenians,
before the Court Martial’s getting into effect, that the guilty
Armenians would be hanged none of the guilty Armenians were
punished. By the way, Armenians were the ones who strongly
advocated the putting of the Courts Martial into effect in no time.
Turks have always been saying determinedly that an Armenian would
never punish another Armenian. A Russian proverb says, “Crow,
would not scoop another crow’s eye out.” We witnessed the truth of
this proverb with our own very eyes.
Armed Armenians fled together with their families. The Reserve
Officer Karagadayev, who was in prison, was released without my
authorization. Colonel Morel answered my enquiry on Karagadayev’s
release by saying that the investigation launched proved him not guilty.
13 Sub-district affiliated to Pasinler district of Erzurum. Today, Çobandede.
14 Pasinler district of Erzurum.
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Reply #19
on:
April 26, 2010, 12:44:40 pm »
None of us was invited to take place in the investigation.
Although we were the primary witnesses in the case none of us was
called in to testify. However, I ordered the taking of our testimonies
at the regiment; I assigned the case to Colonel Aleksadrov. I made a
proposal for the removal of the Reserve Officer Karagadayev from his
post and sending him back to the infantry unit to which he was
affiliated earlier.
Even the murderer Armenian whom I personally caught on the spot
in Tafta was not taken to court at all. Colonel Morel was afraid of the
uprising of the Turks in Erzurum.
Antranik came to Erzurum on February 17. Dr. Zavrief, the Vice-
Commissioner of the Regions under Occupation, was with him.
As we have never occupied ourselves with the Armenian history or
with the activities, none of us was aware of the fact that Antranik
was a Turkish subject and a ferocious murderer sentenced to capital
punishment by the Turkish Government. I learned all about those
when I met the Commander of the Ottoman Army on March 7.
Antranik was wearing a Russian brigadier general uniform. He was
carrying an order of St. Vladimir of a fourth degree, and a combatant
order of Stanislav of a second degree. He was also carrying a St.
Georgievski cross of a second degree. Russian Colonel Zinkević, the
chief of staff, came to Erzurum with him.
A day prior to Antranik’s arrival in Erzurum, Colonel Morel announced
the telegram message he received from Antranik stating that machine
guns were placed in Körpüköy to kill all the cowards fleeing Erzurum.
As soon as Antranik came to Erzurum he took over the Fortress
Command. Colonel Morel entered his command. We remained under
the command of Colonel Morel as before.
The day Antranik came, one of my officers in one of the regions
under my area of responsibility reported me that the Armenians
massacred all the unarmed innocent inhabitants of Tepeköy,
especially, regardless of their age and gender. I informed Antranik
about this massacre immediately at our introduction. In my presence,
he ordered the sending of twenty cavalrymen and catching at least
one of the murderers. I do not know what came out of it.
Colonel Torkom reappeared. Two days after Antranik’s coming
Armenian Artillery Colonel Doluhanov came to Erzurum. He first said,
he was appointed as an Artillery Inspector and he would be my
superior.
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«
Reply #20
on:
April 26, 2010, 12:45:12 pm »
Upon my declaration of my authority as a Division Commander, my not needing any superiors, and my assertion that I
would gladly submit my resignation at once if he continued to insist;
he issued an order saying Colonel Doluhanov was appointed to
Erzurum Fortress to deal with the affairs of the artillery. He started
sending the orders and the regulations on behalf of Antranik, not in
his name.
Senior Armenian Lieutenant Canbolatyan, who was working as an
artillery battery commander in my regiment, was trying to interfere in
my affairs. When he learned about the plans made for the
transferring of the artillery guns, and about the partially broken
electric motors and projectors he said he would not allow the transfer
even of a single gun, and continued “Russian officers may or may not
stay, but the Armenians will stay no matter what the circumstances
are. They will be in need of these guns.”
It was evident that the Armenians, under the disguise of serving the
Russian interests, were actually in pursuit of taking all the command
and control into their own hands, and have all the Russian officers
execute their orders.
It gradually came to surface that they were taking steps in pursuit of
declaring free Armenian state with the help of the Russian officers
rather than working for the Russian interests. They were trying to veil
their true intentions with all their might. Otherwise, there was a
possible threat of majority, or all, of the Russian officers’ leaving at
once. The Armenians did not have any artillery officers.
The Armenians were afraid of artillery officers’ leaving their posts.
The Deputy Commander of the Caucasus Mountain Artillery Battalion
Captain Plat told me about an incident. He said that the Armenian
administrators, on learning that the Mountain Artillery units were to
be transferred to Sarıkamış from Erzurum on February 7, arrested the
Commander of the Mountain Artillery Supply Battalion on February 5
in a hurry; and released the officer upon the orders of the Army
Commander. Armenians arrested him three times afterwards, and
threatened him saying they would drench Erzurum in blood if the
Mountain Artillery would ever leave Erzurum. What he implied with
drenching Erzurum in blood, was in fact drenching it with the blood of
the Russian officers. The arrested were being released upon the
interventions of the Russian officers at the headquarters. The Army
Commander postponed the withdrawing of the Mountain Artillery.
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Reply #21
on:
April 26, 2010, 12:45:50 pm »
This incident compelled me to sign reconciliation with the Deputy
Commander of the 7th Caucasus Mountain Artillery Battalion.
We agreed to help each other considering the possibility of their
coercing the Russian artillery officers physically in order to have us,
or our officers, work for the Armenian cause. This reconciliation was
evidently secret. The material power we had was consisted of the
artillery guns, machine guns, and Russian officers.
The Deputy Commander of the Artillery Battalion gathered his officers
near our houses in groups. I had already gathered everybody in the
regiment around the Artillery Command located in the Muslim district
of the town, since the formation of the regiment and the entrance of
the Russian units into Erzurum.
Following Antranik’s arrival in Erzurum, a wide spread fear of a
possible uprising of the prominent people of the town dominated
Colonel Morel’s headquarters. This fear multiplied everyday.
I received orders from Colonel Morel about three days after Antranik’s
coming to town. The orders stated that I should appoint experienced
officers at the Mecidiye15 fortifications to open artillery fire on the
Muslim district of the town to prevent an uprising during the arresting
of the possible leaders. We were ordered to leave the Muslim district
and to settle in the Armenian district of the town.
We, the Russian officers who have been living together with those
people for about two years, did not believe in the threat of an
uprising. We were laughing at the Armenian cowardice openly.
Artillery officers clearly stated that they would not open artillery fire
on the town. They asserted that they were there to fight an enemy
honorably rather than opening fire on the civilian people, women,
and children. Under the prevailing circumstances we inferred that the
Armenians would demand opening of artillery fire on the town either
out of fear or out of a certain drive, without any reason at all.
We did not leave the Muslim district. Firstly, it was physically
impossible to move out in the given period of time. Secondly, our
moving out from this part of the town would give the Armenians the
chance to commit massacres freely, as it was the case in Erzincan.
15 Mecidiye Fortification – over looking the Gürcüboğazı to the north and the Vank
Creek to the northwest – is located on the Topdağı (2042 m.) to the west of
Erzurum.
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«
Reply #22
on:
April 26, 2010, 12:46:28 pm »
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.
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«
Reply #23
on:
April 26, 2010, 12:47:07 pm »
The events I talked about were proved right by the observations of
the other officers who had a say at the meeting.
In reply, Antranik stressing the Armenians’ gratefulness to Russia
claimed that they were a part of the Great Russian peoples; that they
did not want to separate from them for the time being, but to serve
Russia; that the massacres were the result of the enmity that had
been continuing for centuries between the Turks and the Armenians;
that all the defiance and savagery would be ended decisively; that
there would be no signs of a probable idea of coercing the civilians in
a short time; that he came here to put an end to such deeds; that he
if he were not to succeed he himself would leave at once. All the talks
were held with the help of translators.
When he was asked about the Russian officers who wanted to leave
Erzurum; he replied saying it would be better for the weak to leave
for the welfare of the cause, and that he would do his “best not to
keep them from leaving.”
Colonel Zinkević did his best in trying to convince all the people
present that the Russian cause keeping us here was in fact the same
true cause that brought him here; and that he fervent follower of the
cause.
At the end of the meeting, all the officers declared, prior to taking up
steps on the issue, that they would wait for another seven, or rather
ten, days to see how things would develop; and if Antranik’s promises
were met.
This meeting was held on either February 20 or 21. After the meeting
Colonel Doluhanov told me that he was extremely surprised to see
the hatred and loathsomeness in the Russian officers against the
Armenians. He voiced his surprise to the other officers as well.
Antranik issued an order saying that anybody committing murder,
may it be Armenian or Muslim, would be punished the same without
any discrimination of nationality. Bulletins and posters, in Turkish,
calling the people to open their shops and to work freely without any fear were hung all over the city. It was also declared in the bulletins
that those who would gather people to work elsewhere would be held
responsible for loss of any Turkish lives; and that those who were
accompanying those convoys would be equally held responsible as
well.
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Reply #24
on:
April 26, 2010, 12:48:26 pm »
Couple of days later I was passing through one of the streets around
the town hall. Senior Lieutenant Canbolatyan, an Armenian
commander of one of the battalions under my command, was riding
with me. On seeing couple of Turks reading the bulletins, we
stopped.
Senior Lieutenant Canbolatyan told the people gathered there in
Turkish that the Command Headquarters had taken all the measures
to prevent any Armenian soldier from committing any crimes against
the civilian Turkish people; and that no harm would be done unless
the townspeople rose.
In reply to his words they said, the past two years had not witnessed
any rebellion, or any attempt for rebellion; but complained about the
treating of the helpless people with disdain.
I asked Senior Lieutenant Canbolatyan to explain them that I, as the
Commander of the Russian Artillery, and all the Russian officers were,
are, and would be the defenders of the unarmed civilian Turkish
people; that we had taken all the measures possible in order to stop
all the violence; and that we would immediately voice our requests to
our superiors once more.
Most of the people there approved my words saying that they were
already aware of the truth of my words. Meanwhile, three people in
the crowd declared that I had saved their lives on February 7. Senior
Lieutenant Canbolatyan was taking part in the activities of the
Armenian Committee.
In the second general meeting of the officers, only Dr. Zavriyev was
present as a foreigner. We declared that the 2nd Fortress Artillery
Regiment in Erzurum was not an Armenian regiment as the
Armenians were eager to see it; that only its troops were Armenians;
that none of us had signed any contract to serve the Armenians, nor
that we had any idea to serve them as mercenaries; that we did not
sign any document to serve in the Armenian units; that we did not
sign any contract to do so; that it was high time that the government
put forward decisively if the regiment was Russian or Armenian; that
if it were Russian we needed Russian soldiers; that if it were Armenian the Russian officers who wanted leave should be set free to serve in
another Russian Corps; that those who did not want to serve at the
Caucasian Front should be set free disregarding the obstacles put by
the so-called martial law.
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Reply #25
on:
April 26, 2010, 12:49:13 pm »
In case of Southern Caucasus’s separating from Russia, the rumors
about which had already reached us, and it was highly expected
then, we would leave at once. In such a case we would be aliens in
the Southern Caucasus.
Thus, under the light of the prevailing instructions and orders it was
understood that everybody held the right to apply his superior for
resignation or for his transfer to Russian Corps. I declared that I
would not delay any applications that would reach me, and that I
would immediately sent all the applications to the authorities.
At this meeting, Senior Lieutenant Yermolov from the 7th Caucasus
Mountain Artillery Battalion, told the officers that he had written a
personal application for his dismissal as he did not want to serve in
an Armenian Battalion; that they, at first, tried to convince him, and
upon his decisively declaring that he would not stay whatsoever,
Colonel Morel issued a written order stating that Senior Lieutenant
Yermolov was an “alien,” in other words he was a useless and
dangerous person as an officer, who was dismissed from his post to
be sent to Front Headquarters; and that he was ordered to leave
Erzurum within 24 hours at the latest.
Such was the attitude towards an officer who was holding several
decorations of war. His rightful refusal of a post in an Armenian unit
compelled Colonel Morel to confess, in his anger, his extreme loyalty
towards the Armenians openly; and as a result he was libeled.
Dr. Zavriyev tried to persuade the Russian officers to the following
terms: by staying in Erzurum the Russian officers were serving the
Russian army and serving the Russian interests only, not the
Armenian cause; that the Armenian people were strictly bound to
Russia; that they would continue their existence with the help of
Russia in the future; Armenians were not in pursuit of breaking up
with Russia whatsoever; Armenian people were a part of the Russian
people; that the prevailing circumstanced necessitated our staying in
Erzurum for the economic and political interests of Russia until the
signing of a treaty. He said, being Russian citizens, we did not have
the right to say, “You the Armenians and the Turks do what you have
to do! Are you butchering each other? Go ahead and do it! Damn you!
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Reply #26
on:
April 26, 2010, 12:49:50 pm »
It is your internal affair. We, the Russians, have nothing to do here!”
morally.
Finally he said, “If we, as human beings, really want to put an end to
massacring of the civilians determinedly; then we, with all our
characteristics as human beings, should continue to stay in Erzurum
to prevent the Armenian mobs from massacring the Muslims in
Erzurum.”
Doctor Zavriyev’s words did not have any repercussions at all. After
the meeting he told me that there were no signs of hope and that all
the officers would leave soon.
I found an opportunity to read several documents 10 days after the
Turkish forces’ delivering Erzurum from occupation. In those
documents I saw that our suspicions on the declaration of the
Armenian autonomy with the help of the Russian officers were not
groundless at all. In those documents Dr. Zavriyev was explicitly
talking about the intentions of establishing an autonomous Armenia.
The document was bearing a much earlier date than Zavriyev coming
to Erzurum.
Dr. Zavriyev was not mistaking in his evaluations of the morale state
of the Russian officers. Our intentions of leaving could be seen on our
faces. It was evident what the Armenians asked for, and why they
needed the Russian officers.
We were all soldiers, and we did not have any intentions in dealing
with politics. We could never have considered the Armenian partisan
engagements as our own.
Antranik’s words proved to be nothing more than vain promises.
People did not believe in them. The market places were closed.
Everybody was in fear. There was nobody in the streets of the Muslim
districts of the town. Only one or two shops near the town hall were
open. Only a few Turks would come together during the day light. No
Armenian was sentenced to death. Armenian plan worked as follows:
“There are no criminals. Show us the murderer. So we can send him
for trial immediately. How can we punish a person without knowing
who the criminal is?”
In spite of the Armenians’ claims, the Armenians were told
unceasingly that the Russian officers had shown them lots of criminal
Armenians who were released without being punished; that finding of
the Armenians sought by the police was not the Russian officers’ duty; that if the Armenians were really in pursuit of finding the criminals
they had the means of finding them in no time.
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Reply #27
on:
April 26, 2010, 12:50:28 pm »
The Armenian hypocrisy was getting more and more repulsive.
Violence directed at the civilian people was not ceasing; they were
being committed in secret. The Armenians had shifted their activities
to the near by villages which could not be seen by us. The Turks
living in the villages near the city started to disappear. I do not know
how and where they disappeared. The people living in the distant
villages started to defend themselves with firearms.
In the city people were being arrested under the pretext of curbing a
possible uprising. I inquired Colonel Morel about the extent of the
security of the lives of the arrested. I implied, whether the arrested
people would be slaughtered like sheep in an organized manner as it
was the case in Erzincan. He replied saying that the arrested leaders
of a probable Turkish uprising would be sent to the rear echelons of
the front, to Tbilisi, in secured convoys; and that some of them would
be kept in Erzurum to be used as hostages for a possible uprising.
Reports pertaining to illegal activities of the Armenian logistics units
started to arrive one after another. Fat required by the regiment
personnel was being refused at the point of transfers. If any demand
for fat was voiced by the electricians’ battalion, their needs were met
in no time, for its non-commissioned officer had once close contacts
with Antranik. The Armenian official in charge of the depot did not
give the amount of sugar required by the regiment by claiming that
Antranik had taken the distribution of sugar in his own hands. This
Armenian official refused to give a written document stating the case.
Russian officers coming to the city from the front, following the
logistics supply lines, were complaining about the lack of food and a
warm place to lodge; but they said, the Armenian officers always
found plenty of food to eat and a warm place to lodge on their way
back.
Army Headquarters allocated two wagons to the artillery officers in
the middle of February. Officers sent some of their belongings and
their families to the rear echelons of the front. Three more wagons
were asked for the transfers of the remaining families and
belongings. Army Headquarters had approved the allocation of those
wagons before its departure from Erzurum.
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I WITNESSED and LIVED THROUGH
«
Reply #28
on:
April 26, 2010, 12:51:12 pm »
Following the departure of the Headquarters from Erzurum, the
allocation of those wagons was delayed. At last, Colonel Zinkević
wrote a personal petition for the allocation of the wagons.
Upon receiving of this document, an Armenian official, or an officer,
who was responsible for the allocation of the wagons, said that the
allocation of the wagons would not be possible before two days. He
later promised to tell him when the wagons would be allocated. In
fact, the Armenian deserters were occupying the first place in the
allocations.
We were afraid to send our families and our belongings with convoys
without our personal protection, or of Russian protection. Because,
the logistics support lines behind the rear echelons of the front were
full of well-armed Armenian deserters and fugitives. Those places
were not secure at all. Because the Armenians who deserted the
battlegrounds, and ran away from the real soldiers cowardly and
disgracefully, did not hesitate in displaying their unyielding courage
and extreme devotion while they were attacking the lonely poor
people whom they met on the roads – may them be elderly, women
or children – in groups.
Reinforcement of the units from the rear echelons was extremely
inadequate. The morale of the infantry troops was really low. None of
the superior officers, or the others in the lower ranks, was obeying
their commanders. Before Antranik’s coming, the units used to refuse
taking their positions in the emplacements. They started going to the
fronts recently; but they are fleeing the emplacements in a
disgraceful manner. Antranik himself forced them to go back to their
positions by means of sword and fist. The units where the Russian
officers were kept coercively had all turned into ignoble filthy gangs.
I am not sure, but, Antranik might have been someone successful in
military matters. The incongruities and the nonsense in his orders,
which I used to receive through Colonel Doluhanov, pertaining
Artillery units used to take me by surprise frequently.
It was clearly observed that, considering the technical aspects of the
issue, disregarding the necessity of the well trained and experienced
personnel, qualified low ranking officers, and well trained and strong
infantry units; the future hope of the Armenian units led by Antranik
resided in the Russian guns, and I the Russian artillery officers.
Their aim was evident: to form a cover during their escape. In fact it
happened to be so.
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I WITNESSED and LIVED THROUGH
«
Reply #29
on:
April 26, 2010, 12:51:51 pm »
Peace talks that were to start in Trabzon were being delayed every
day. It was previously scheduled to start on February 17, then it was
delayed to February 20, and then to February 25. I was receiving the
information through either by Erzurum Detachment Headquarters or
by the Fortress Headquarters. I was not able to correspond via
telegram. Those two headquarters were situated on the either sides
of the town. The telephone lines of the Fortress Headquarters hardly
ever functioned properly. Sometimes, when it worked, it was
impossible to communicate through the telephone lines as nothing
was heard properly. Therefore, I was compelled to go to the Fortress
Headquarters twice a day.
Under the light of the information I received from Colonel Morel and
from his headquarters I understood that we were not fighting with
the regular Turkish Army at the front; but with the kurdish gangs,
and rebellious groups among which were well trained soldiers who
remained in the villages in the region after the withdrawal of the
Turkish Army from Erzurum in 1916.
It was thought that those kurdish gangs were set up, and trained by
several Turkish officers and military personnel in order to enable the
local people, among whom were soldiers, fight back in their own
self-defense.
It was believed that the attackers had two Russian Mountain Artillery
guns that were left by the Armenian units as they were retreating
from Erzincan. The reconnaissance reports suggested that the kurds
would attack from the direction of Famski, Erzincan, and Oltu16. Their
launching an attack from the rear echelons of the front, from the
direction of Kars through Palandöken was also possible. I do not
know why; but, Colonel Morel was expecting an attack from the
direction of Oltu only.
For me, the reconnaissance activities were being carried out
desultorily by the Armenians. The cavalry units were in pursuit of
massacres, pillaging, and stealing the live stocks of the villagers
rather than performing reconnaissance activities in the villages. Their
reconnaissance reports were frequently erroneous.
Whenever a reconnaissance detachment reported a force of 2.000, it
was always found out to be a force of 200 men only.
16 District affiliated to Erzurum.
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