of the Congress of the Soviets. After great exertions, supported by the
Soviet fraction of the Democratic Assembly, we finally secured the
setting of the date of the Congress for October 25th. This date was
destined to become the greatest day in the history of Russia. As a
preliminary, we called in Petrograd a Congress of Soviets of the
Northern regions, including the Baltic fleet and Moscow. At this
Congress, we had a solid majority, and obtained a certain support on the
right in the persons of the left S. R. faction, besides laying important
organizational premises for the October uprising.



THE CONFLICT REGARDING THE PETROGRAD GARRISON

But even earlier, previous to the Congress of Northern Soviets, there
occurred an event which was destined to play a most important role in
the subsequent political struggle. Early in October there came to a
meeting of the Petrograd Executive Committee, the Soviet's
representative in the staff of the Petrograd Military District and
announced that Headquarters demanded that two-thirds of the Petrograd
garrison should be sent to the front. For what purpose? To defend
Petrograd. They were not to be sent to the front at once, but still it
was necessary to make ready immediately. The Staff recommended that the
Petrograd Soviet approve this plan. We were on our guard. At the end of
August, also, five revolutionary regiments, complete or in parts, had
been taken out of Petrograd. This had been done at the request of the
then Supreme Commander Korniloff, who at that very time was preparing to
hurl a Caucasian division against Petrograd, with the intention of once
for all settling with the revolutionary capital. Thus we had already the
experience of purely political transfer of regiments under the pretext