Communism -- Soviet Union; Soviet Union -- History -- Revolution, 1917-1921
About 9 A. M. Kerensky left for the Front….
Toward evening two soldiers on bicycles presented themselves at the
Staff Headquarters, as delegates of the garrison of Peter-Paul
Fortress. Entering the meeting-room of the Staff, where Kishkin,
Rutenburg, Paltchinski, General Bagratouni, Colonel Paradielov and
Count Tolstoy were gathered, they demanded the immediate surrender of
the Staff; threatening, in case of refusal, to bombard headquarters….
After two panicky conferences the Staff retreated to the Winter Palace,
and the headquarters were occupied by Red Guards….
Late in the afternoon several Bolshevik armoured cars cruised around
the Palace Square, and Soviet soldiers tried unsuccessfully to parley
with the _yunkers_….
Firing on the Palace began about 7 o’clock in the evening….
At 10 P. M. began an artillery bombardment from three sides, in which
most of the shells were blanks, only three small shrapnels striking the
façade of the Palace….
2.
KERENSKY IN FLIGHT
Leaving Petrograd in the morning of November 7th, Kerensky arrived by
automobile at Gatchina, where he demanded a special train. Toward
evening he was in Ostrov, Province of Pskov. The next morning,
extraordinary session of the local Soviet of Workers’ and Soldiers’
Depulies, with participation of Cossack delegates—there being 6,000
Cossacks at Ostrov.
Kerensky spoke to the assembly, appealing for aid against the
Bolsheviki, and addressed himself almost exclusively to the Cossacks.
The soldier delegates protested.
“Why did you come here?” shouted voices. Kerensky answered, “To ask the
Cossacks’ assistance in crushing the Bolshevik insurrection!” At this
there were violent protestations, which increased when he continued, “I
broke the Kornilov attempt, and I will break the Bolsheviki!” The noise
became so great that he had to leave the platform….
The soldier deputies and the Ussuri Cossacks decided to arrest
Kerensky, but the Don Cossacks prevented them, and got him away by
train…. A Military Revolutionary Committee, set up during the day,
tried to inform the garrison of Pskov; but the telephone and telegraph
lines were cut….
Kerensky did not arrive at Pskov. Revolutionary soldiers had cut the
railway line, to prevent troops being sent against the capital. On the
night of November 8th he arrived by automobile at Luga, where he was
well received by the Death Battalions stationed there.
Next day he took train for the South-West Front, and visited the Army
Committee at headquarters. The Fifth Army, however, was wild with
enthusiasm over the news of the Bolshevik success, and the Army
Committee was unable to promise Kerensky any support.
From there he went to the _Stavka,_ at Moghilev, where he ordered ten
regiments from different parts of the Front to move against Petrograd.
The soldiers almost unanimously refused; and those regiments which did
start halted on the way. About five thousand Cossacks finally followed
him….
3.
LOOTING OF THE WINTER PALACE
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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