of these young armed workmen by the camp fires in the snow was the best
symbol of the proletarian revolution.

Many guns had been drawn up in position, and there was no lack of
ammunition. The decisive encounter developed on this very day, between
Krasnoye-Selo and Tsarskoye-Selo. After a fierce artillery duel, the
Cossacks, who kept on advancing as long as they met no obstacles,
hastily withdrew. They had been fooled all the time by tales of harsh
and cruel acts committed by the Bolsheviki, who wished, as it were, to
sell Russia to the German Kaiser. They had been assured that almost the
entire garrison at Petrograd was impatiently awaiting them as
deliverers. The first serious resistance completely disorganized their
ranks and sealed the fate of Kerensky's entire undertaking.

The retreat of Krassnov's Cossacks enabled us to get control of the
radio station at Tsarskoye-Selo. We immediately wirelessed the news of
our victory over Kerensky's forces. Our foreign friends informed us
subsequently that the German wireless station refused, on orders from
above, to receive this wireless message.

[Footnote: I cite here the text of this wireless message:

"Selo Pulkovo. General Staff 2:10 P. M. The night of October 30th-31st
will go down in history. Kerensky's attempt to march
counter-revolutionary forces upon the capital of the revolution has
received a decisive check. Kerensky is retreating, we are advancing. The
soldiers, sailors and workingmen of Petrograd have shown that they can
and will, gun in hand, affirm the will and power of proletarian
democracy. The bourgeoisie tried to isolate the army of the revolution
and Kerensky attempted to crush it by Cossackism. Both have been