CHAPTER XVI
THE CZAR NICHOLAS II.
NICHOLAS II., desiring to say farewell to his troops, left Pskoff on March 16th and returned to G.H.Q. He stayed there until the 21st, living in the Governor’s house as before and receiving General Alexeieff’s report every day. The Dowager Empress, Marie Feodorovna, had come from Kieff to join the Czar, and she remained with him until the day he left for Tsarskoïe-Selo.
On the 21st the Commissioners sent by the Provisional Government and the Duma arrived at Mohileff. They instructed General Alexeieff to tell the Czar that on the orders of the Provisional Government he was under arrest, and that their duty was to conduct him to Tsarskoïe-Selo. The Commissioners’ carriage was attached to the Czar’s train and they all left together the same evening.
Before leaving G.H.Q, Nicholas II. insisted on taking leave of his troops by addressing to them the following Order of the Day:
Prikaze of the Chief of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief.
8 (21) March, 1917. No. 371.
I address my soldiers, who are dear to my heart, for the last time. Since I have renounced the Throne of Russia for myself and my son, power has been taken over by the Provisional Government which has been formed on the initiative of the Duma of the Empire.
May God help it to lead Russia into the path of glory and prosperity! May God help you, my glorious soldiers, to defend our Fatherland against a cruel enemy! For two and a half years you have endured the strain of hard service; much blood has been shed, great efforts have been made, and now the hour is at hand in which Russia and her glorious Allies will break the enemy’s last resistance in one common, mightier effort.