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6 December 1741
Andrey Osterman was looking into the night sky above St. Petersburg. It was snowing. He probably had more important things to do but he couldn't do anything else
. It was as he was dreaming. Besides, he already did everything he could. His informant, a young impoverished count named Dolokhov informed him about the treason and rebellion of the Preobrazhensky Regiment. Elisabeth made them join her in an attempt to take the throne. But he won't let go without a fight. If she wins, Andrey will die. Simple as that. That is why he sent Dolokhov to alert the Semenovsky Regiment. They should be loyal. God knows they were payed enough for it. He made overtures to the Austrian court and then to the British. They sent money but obviously it wasn't enough money for a couple hundred grenadiers. She got them on her side somehow, with an inspiring speech, money or promises of power. But, Dolokhov had to hurry. Andrey knew he would as he was Dolokhov's only chance of restoring his former position and wealth. In the meantime he had the Imperial family secured, all the entrances blocked and all able men armed although he only had a few dozen guards to defend them. However, there was hope. They could possibly hold down these traitors long enough. The Preobrazhensky Regiment was already aligned in front of the Winter Palace. Seeing that, their commander, Count von Munnich, shouted out an order from one of the palace windows to stand down. They responded by firing at him. Within seconds, gunshots were thundering, and everywhere around Andrey glass was cracking and bullets were whistling. He ran for cover and knew not how long he was hidden until he heard a salvo fired between the sporadic shots around the Palace. It wasn't as loud as others and quickly a second salvo followed and then a third. Some of the defenders even began chanting and celebrating. Andrey ran to the shattered remains of the window and saw what was happening on the square. The Semenovsky Regiment was quickly moving accros the square, waving their flag and chasing the fleeing rebels jumping across corpses of killed rebels. They were saved. But the same couldn't be said for the men of the Preobrazhensky Regiment.
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