Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-16

Until Sunday night this pageant con-
sNS tlnued without serious Interruption.
aaa Then. In n flash. the whole scene lost
its theatric quality; 1t became gen
Nine revolution.
The regiments had received an order
SD from the commandamt 10 fire upon per
81 sons assembled in the street. This
faacaused immediate disscnsiou among the
s--stroops. who did not understand why
Ssa they should be compelled to take vo-
Sts lent measures against tellow-citizeus
whose chief oftcnsc was tina, they were
hungry. and We're asking the govern
IN ment to supply bread.
PITCHED RATTLE BEGINS
Hl;TWEEN OPPOSING FORCES
IS. Several regiments deserted. and =
s pitched battle began between the
S. troops who stood with the government
and those who, refusing 10 obey orders
Is had mutinied.
sSt5 4 long night bat occurred between
ssnthe mutinous regiments and the no
S@t lice at the end Of 81. Catherine canal.
Immediately IN front or the historic
t church built over the spot where Alex
ander ii. was killed by bomb The
police finally ned TO roof tops all OYER
s..uSthe city. and Were seen no more in
&aaShe streets during the eutire term of
re She fighting.
- Still. Monday morning the gov
xe.Arnmcnt troops appeared To control all
@srthe principal squares OF the city. Then
AsZsicame period when it Impossible
..-.lo distinguish one side from the other.
~. There was no definite line between IN"
s2t-5 factions. The turning point appeared
to come about . o'clock in the after
noon. For two hours the opposing
s.rcgimen,s passively confronted each
: Sssother along the WIDE Liteimy Prospect
tSsIn almost complete silence.
y s.>:From time 10 time cmissaries from
1.-The revolutionary side rode to the on
Posing ranks and rXhorted them to
ss-Ajoin the side OF the people. For while
the result seemed TO hang in the bal
~ ance. The troops appeared irrcsolute.
IA cawaitinE tho commands of their OIL
- Gers. who themselves we're in doubt as
TO what they should do,
II Dcsultory firing continued along the
W side streets between groups of govern
" Ment troops and revolutionsts but the
~ regiments upon whose decision the out
" come rested still confronted each other
with machine guns and rifles In readi-
a ness.
~ changed: there was another period OF
tsS.Silent suspense. aud tho government
regiments finally marched over TO join
tgt. the rcvolutioniSts \ fcv hours after
.. = the first clash, this entire section OF
~ Petrograd, in which located the
3.- .Duma building. artillery headquarters
and the chief military barracks, passed
- into tho hands OF the revolutionary
forces, and tho warfare swept like u
- tornado to other parts Of tho city.
"a where the scene WAS duplicated.
~ no SIDE OF THE PEOPLE
Al first it seemed a miracle that ;h"
y rcvolutionists, without prcarranR cd
Slan, without leadership or organiHn-
t.1en. could in such a short time with
SIS imperative ease, achieve complete
iictory over the government. But tho
~. .eN plauation lay in the reluctance OF
the troops to take sides against tho
t people and their prompt descrton -
Il ranks of those who opposed the
government.
The scenes in the streets were by
this time remarkable. The wide thor
where tho troops were sta
.-a.Ationcd were completely deserted b..
civilians. except for :; few daring in
liVduais. who. creeping along walls
and duckns into cour,yards. sped
from side TO the other. Eut the
Groups of students fell into step
: with rough units OF rebel soldiers. and
49,. were joined by othcr heterogeneous
elements united by a cause greater
than partisan differences. Unkempt
workingmen. with ragged shccpskin
coats strobe sid. by side with we'll
- groomed city clerks and shopkce pcrs
This strange army of people mus
tered on the street corners. shouldcrcd
their newly acquired rifles and marched
out 10 join the ranks OF The deserving
regiments. =.
g,.,f Al nigh1fav only one small district,
9 Z containing the War ONCE. the Admi-
- rally buildings. 81. isaac's Cathedral
and the military hotel. still resisted
W the onslaught OF the revolutionary
1faforces, and tho battle for the possession
e OF Petrograd came TO a dramatic con
~, = clusion. III tho Admiralty building
: the Council OF Ministers secretly as
sembled for conference, and the las,
regiments loyal 10 the old government
were drawn up guard
BEsIEGERs FIRE ON DEFENDERS
AS COUNCIL HOLDS MEETING
While the council sat in the last
meeting tina; they We're destined to
z hold, the building surrounded and
4 the besiegers poured rifle ana machine
a gun fire upon the defenders. For a few
tritours the hercest battle OF the dan
h %ssontinued; tho streets were swept by
a steady fuslladc. and tho crowds
scattered for the nearest shelter, som,
OF the people being compelled 10 Spend
the night in courtyards or corridor.
OF office buildings OF vhercaiter the,
first found refuge.
= Toward morning there was sudder
ia 81, .t
deeDene6 into roar and was sue.
iffceeded By the Russian rcvolutionar,
- = MarSetllaise me regiments defend
ing the Admiralty had surrendered. ant
gone over 10 the side Of the revolu.
= tionists.
The minister. in The Admiralty build
90 ing Xere then aEresi ed aud lie nns