132 Days to the Circassian Genocide 150th year Commemoration
Document 307
8 July 1864 – Letter from Vice Consul in Trabzon Moshanin to the Caucasian Army Chief of Staff Katsariov, about the difficulty of the situation of the Circassians and their desire to return, which is only possible if they convert to Christianity. It is my duty to convey the message to your Excellency that includes the report of Dr Barutse concerning the Circassian issue, which is realistic to a large extent, although there is some exaggeration in the numbers of deaths. As with regard to the orders of local authorities it is an absolute fact. Conditions of mountaineers become worse day by day, shortly before the Governor General received an order from Constantinople by telegraph to interrupt sending them to the capital and the need to keep them in Anatolia, the governor replied that the funds have been implemented, and he required to send ships of war, and did not assume responsibility for the results. As a result, they sent him some of the ships that transported a few thousand mountaineers to Rumelia, and the numbers here have decreased significantly. Recently they stopped distributing fresh bread between them so they replace it with other mixture combined with corn and it is expected to replace the old share. As I received news of deaths caused by starvation, heavy rains have killed 60 people in Saridere, the incidence of Smallpox and Typhus decreased but is still prevalent on a large scale. Some of the mountaineers asked to return to their homes, provided to convert to Christianity. The last French ship came to authorize the establishment of road Erzrum, and as I informed you previously, Fikri Pasha (Hungarian Koletane) will be the main supervisor of the work, and the French company who comstructed the road from Beirut to Damascus will do this road.
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