Lieutenant in the Cossack troops. Cossack ranks, ranks and shoulder straps. Regulations on the Cossack ranks. The highest rank in the Cossacks

Understanding the image of a Cossack is represented by a picture of a young man with a dashing look, an earring in his ear, a mustache, a saber, and always with a hat on his head. Such an image was firmly established thanks to numerous works of literature, in which the Cossacks were considered as an independent ethnic group, with their own traditions, cultural heritage, and way of life. But not everyone reliably knows the history of the emergence of the Cossacks in Russia, and meanwhile, it contains many interesting facts.

History of the Russian Cossacks

Determine the origin of the term " Cossack” without controversy is not possible. On this occasion, there are several versions that contradict each other. Only about 18 official ones were accepted. All of them are combined into two groups, the main idea of ​​which is the migratory nature of the settlement of the Cossacks or the emergence of a new ethnic group, as an indigenous stratum of the population. We do not set ourselves the goal of studying the true history of the origin of the Cossacks, since this process was quite long and it is associated with a complex mixture of different genera. Of interest is the formation of the Cossack army, and here it is necessary to turn to history.

The first communities of Cossacks have been known since the 15th century. Initially, they were groups of free Don, Dnieper or Volga Cossacks, and later the famous Zaporozhian Sich arose. History knows the facts about the existence of Siberian and Terek groups. They were engaged in hunting and fishing, but by the 18th century they had mastered agriculture. By the time they entered the military structure of the Russian Empire, the Cossacks had become a truly independent group, having income not only from fishing, but also from receiving state salaries.

In the history of the battles of the Russian troops of the imperial era, a separate line belongs to the Cossacks. They not only took part in the protection of state borders. The expeditions of the famous explorers always included Cossacks.

At the end of the Patriotic War of 1812, which was marked by the fact that the Russian army stormed the French capital, powerful agitation was carried out among the population, aimed at demonizing the Cossack troops. What was the surprise of ordinary citizens when stately military men entered the capital, with all their appearance being a symbol of valor, honor and justice.

Don Cossacks and Kuban

All communities were divided among themselves according to the territory of settlement:

• The troops of the Don Cossacks were formed from representatives of a group settled along the banks of the Don River. Donets are considered the most numerous, as they occupied the territory of the Rostov, Volgograd, Voronezh, Donetsk and Lugansk regions. Even the territory of Kalmykia fell under the settlement of the Don Cossacks.
• The tsarist army also included troops of the Kuban Cossacks. It is not difficult to guess that the geography of the Kuban Cossacks is connected with the river of the same name. Their territory stretched from the Rostov region, across the North Caucasus, to the Republic of Adygea. Many military exploits were performed by the Kuban in the ranks of the Russian army, but they also became famous for their cultural heritage, which has recently been actively restored.

In general, if we start talking about the state of the Cossacks today, it should be noted that the revival of traditions is practically a state program. This was repeatedly stated by President V.V. Putin.

Cossacks in the XX century

The history of the Russian Cossacks in the 20th century is full of tragic events. After the revolution, everything that was in any way reminiscent of the monarchy was denied, and since the Cossacks symbolized the protection and impregnability of the imperial throne, this class was subject to mass repressions. As an army structure, the Cossack army was abolished, and the population was resettled throughout the state, and there is no need to talk about imprisonment and executions.

But loyalty to their Fatherland, which remained in the blood of hereditary Cossacks, gave pulse to revival. This period fell on a difficult time for the country - the time of the Great Patriotic War. On all fronts, the newly formed Cossack units fought heroically for freedom from the German invaders.

Today, the TFR (Union of Cossacks of Russia) is reviving the Cossack titles of rank and shoulder straps, as well as the order of their wearing and assignment. Popularization of the Cossacks does not turn it into a fashion trend. Blood loyalty is honored here, and not just the desire to join the community.

Hierarchy in the Cossack army

In the Cossack troops there were a fairly large number of different ranks and ranks, largely because they were initially elected. They included ataman, canterey, centurion, hetman and foreman. After some time, to be more precise, in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, new military ranks, among which - a patron, Yesaul , podaul, hetman, ataman and others. It was from this that the development of the systematization of the Cossack troops began, which later made the necessary contribution to the development of the Cossacks.

From that moment on, recruitment into the Cossack troops began to be conducted with a strength of 600 people. The “head”, who was engaged in recruiting the required number of soldiers, followed the direct orders of high-ranking military officers in the person of the governor. The set was carried out from "devices", which were divided into smaller ones - hundreds. At the head of hundreds were centurions, under whose leadership were fifty. Next in the hierarchy were dozens, which, consequently, were controlled by foremen. Each managed his unit in due measure.

In each Cossack settlement, military Cossacks were distributed, who performed almost the same duties and had the same rights as ordinary archers. Detachments in the Cossack troops were called villages, at the head of which were atamans. Upon entering the service in one or another city where they later lived, they obeyed the city governor, fulfilling all his orders and orders.

As a mansion, other “guard” Cossacks were sent to this settlement, who already had a different manager. Their position was especially high, they were considered more elite even than the Pentecostals. In the case of chieftains, they were also highly valued, they were even put on a par with the "boyar children", as a result of which they were honored to receive, in addition to money, land plots within the village.

As a result of the "Table of Ranks", which came out from the pen of Peter the Great, in the eighteenth century there were global changes in the Cossack ranks of the tsarist army. All ranks and ranks were ordered, distributed in one class - the first. At the end of the same century, changes took place with the Cossack military system, they were included in the main document and now stood on a par with other ranks.

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, certain innovations took place, as a result of which the Cossack troops were retrained. But after the monarch Alexander the Third introduced these changes, no further innovations were foreseen, only at the end of the nineteenth century a new title appeared - sergeant .

Shoulder straps Cossacks

Although the Cossacks were considered a free formation, a strictly defined unity of command was established in the ranks of the army. After the introduction of the troops into regular formations, military ranks in the Cossack troops of the tsarist army were brought into line with officer ranks. You can still compare Cossack ranks and shoulder straps, for example, with shoulder straps of the army of the Russian Federation or the USSR.

The junior rank of an ordinary is equated with the rank of a Cossack. Cossack wears shoulder straps blue pentagonal shape. To the collar shoulder strap fastened with a silver button with the image of the coat of arms. Defined and field option shoulder strap, it is made of green cloth. The Cossack has no stripes or stripes.

Across the shoulder strap of the clerk, following in the Cossack hierarchy, a narrow strip is placed in the form patches, it is often called a lychka. In the ranks of the Soviet or Russian army, a similar insignia is assigned to a corporal. Written rank Cossack could receive only after a certain period of service. In the overwhelming majority of cases, the titles were appointed, but some of them were elected by the general assembly.

Younger sergeant and senior sergeant- These are the ranks that were endowed with the same powers as the military sergeants. They were assigned organizational and command functions, subject to the availability of appropriate training. Shoulder straps police officers contain two or three narrow stripes. It is known that in the RA the rank of junior sergeant or sergeant is indicated in this way. Stripe color - white or silver.

Staff Sergeant crowns the sergeant group of military ranks. In the Cossack army, there is no such consonance. The corresponding rank is sergeant major, on the pursuit of which one wide white stripe flaunts. If we draw analogies with the troops of the tsarist era, then sergeant major performed the duties of a sergeant major. The basic position in the hierarchy remains identical. After this rank, a group of officer ranks begins.

Shoulder straps officers have six corners. The part of the shoulder strap facing the collar is made in the form of a trapezoid. As before, it is fastened with a button with a coat of arms, but is no longer made of cloth, but of a specially interlaced galloon. Podhorunzhiy corresponds to the rank of second lieutenant. A cornflower blue gap stands out on a silvery field, this gap is sometimes called a strip. In the modern army, one clearance indicates that a soldier belongs to a junior officer. On the pursuit of the coroner there is one star, which is attached along the axis of symmetry. Cornflower blue shoulder strap.

Complete this group cornet and centurion. If we draw an analogy with modern army ranks, then by status and appearance shoulder strap these ranks are similar to lieutenant and senior lieutenant. When compared with the royal army, then centurion corresponded to the rank lieutenant. These ranks have two stars located across the shoulder strap, and three stars form a triangle.

An officer who wears a rank in the Cossack army corresponding to the army rank of major is Yesaul. His shoulder strap does not contain stars, but has two gaps of a cornflower blue hue. The difference in building a hierarchy is that the previous rank podaul refers to the junior officers and corresponds to the captain, while the two stripes of the captain indicate an increase in rank.

The next step is associated with the rank of military foreman. There is still a difference here, since there are three stars on the pursuit of this officer. That is, it is clear that there is no habitual addition of stars, as in RA. This rank corresponds to the rank of lieutenant colonel (two stars with two gaps). Unity is restored in the rank of colonel. Cossack colonel considered to be in the same rank as colonel RF Armed Forces.

The correspondence between the ranks of the Cossack army and the ranks of the Armed Forces is clearly regulated for effective assistance. Separate formations of the Cossack troops are involved in patrolling and to control order in crowded places, although they operate under the auspices of voluntary organizations.

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Adjutant General, Chief Officer of the Life Guards of His Majesty's Cossack Regiment and Cossack of the field cavalry regiments of the Ural Cossack Host in the ordinary form orders for the military department of 1883 64 and 72. Headquarters and chief officers serving in the military district departments and institutions subordinate to them, ordinary uniform and chekmen order of the military department of 1892 305. Life Guards Caucasian Cossack squadrons 1 Trumpeter of His Imperial Majesty,

As the researcher of the history of the Caucasian linear Cossacks V.A. Kolesnikov, the Khopersky Cossack regiment existed for almost a century and a half 1775-1920, starting with a convoy-police team, staffed from residents of only four settlements on the eastern outskirts of the Voronezh region, then by the beginning of the 20th century. grew into a serious fighting unit, replenished with Cossacks from two dozen villages of the Khopersky regimental district of the Kuban army ... The Khopertsy can deservedly be called the old-timers of the Kuban

Special dress summer uniform of members of the Kuban Cossack military society Full dress uniform of the Kuban Cossack army Full dress summer uniform of the Kuban Cossack army Casual uniform of members of the Kuban Cossack military society Casual summer uniform of the Kuban Cossack army Field uniform of members of the Kuban military Cossack society

Form of the Transbaikalian Cossack military society Ceremonial uniform of the Transbaikalian military Cossack society Field uniform of members of the Kuban military Cossack society Chevrons Cossack shoulder straps Cossack shoulder strap of the Transbaikalian Cossack army of yellow-orange color gaps and edges, instrument metal gold, silver buttons, with the image of the coat of arms of Transbaikal

General view of the parade uniform Casual uniform Field uniform Cossack epaulettes Cossack epaulettes IKV yellow-orange color gaps and edges, instrument metal gold, silver buttons, with the image of the coat of arms IKV Cossack Prikaznoy Junior officer Officer Senior officer

Generality:
General chase and:

-Field Marshal General* - crossed wands.
-general of infantry, cavalry, etc.(the so-called "full general") - without asterisks,
- lieutenant general- 3 stars
- major general- 2 stars

Headquarters officers:
Two gaps and:


-colonel- without asterisks.
- lieutenant colonel(since 1884, the Cossacks have a military foreman) - 3 stars
-major** (until 1884 the Cossacks had a military foreman) - 2 stars

Ober-officers:
One light and:


-captain(captain, captain) - without stars.
- staff captain(headquarters captain, podesaul) - 4 stars
-lieutenant(sotnik) - 3 stars
- second lieutenant(cornet, cornet) - 2 stars
- Ensign*** - 1 star

Lower ranks


-zauryad-ensign- 1 galloon stripe along the length of the shoulder strap with the 1st star on the stripe
- Ensign- 1 galloon stripe in the length of the epaulette
- sergeant major(wahmistr) - 1 wide transverse stripe
-st. non-commissioned officer(st. fireworks, st. constable) - 3 narrow cross stripes
- ml. non-commissioned officer(ml. fireworks, ml. sergeant) - 2 narrow cross stripes
- corporal(bombardier, orderly) - 1 narrow transverse stripe
-private(gunner, cossack) - without stripes

*In 1912, the last Field Marshal Dmitry Aleksevich Milyutin, who held the post of Minister of War from 1861 to 1881, dies. This rank was not awarded to anyone else, but nominally this rank was preserved.
** The rank of major was abolished in 1884 and was no longer restored.
*** From 1884, the rank of warrant officer was left only for wartime (it is only assigned during the war, and with its end, all warrant officers are subject to either dismissal or they should be assigned the rank of second lieutenant).
P.S. Ciphers and monograms on shoulder straps are not conditionally placed.
Very often one hears the question "why does the junior rank in the category of staff officers and generals begin with two stars, and not with one like the chief officers?" When, in 1827, stars on epaulettes appeared in the Russian army as insignia, the major general received two stars on the epaulette at once.
There is a version that one star was supposed to be a foreman - this rank had not been assigned since the time of Paul I, but by 1827 they still existed
retired brigadiers who had the right to wear uniforms. True, epaulettes were not supposed to be retired military men. And it is unlikely that many of them survived until 1827 (passed
for about 30 years since the abolition of the brigadier rank). Most likely, the two general's stars were simply copied from the epaulette of a French brigadier general. There is nothing strange in this, because the epaulettes themselves came to Russia from France. Most likely, there was never a single general's star in the Russian imperial army. This version seems more plausible.

As for the major, he received two stars by analogy with the two stars of the Russian major general of that time.

The only exception was the insignia in the hussar regiments in the front and ordinary (everyday) form, in which shoulder cords were worn instead of shoulder straps.
Shoulder cords.
Instead of an epaulette of a cavalry type, the hussars on dolmans and mentics have
hussar shoulder cords. For all officers, the same from a gold or silver double soutache cord of the same color as the cords on the dolman for the lower ranks, shoulder cords from a double soutache cord in color -
orange for regiments having the color of the instrument metal - gold or white for regiments having the color of the instrument metal - silver.
These shoulder cords form a ring at the sleeve, and a loop at the collar, fastened with a uniform button sewn half an inch from the collar seam.
To distinguish the ranks, gombochki are put on the cords (a ring from the same cold cord covering the shoulder cord):
-y corporal- one, of the same color with a cord;
-y non-commissioned officers tricolor gombochkas (white with St. George's thread), in number, like stripes on shoulder straps;
-y sergeant major- gold or silver (as for officers) on an orange or white cord (as for lower ranks);
-y ensign- a shoulder cord of a smooth officer with a gombochka of a sergeant-major;
officers on officer cords have gombos with stars (metal, as on shoulder straps) - in accordance with the rank.

Volunteers wear twisted cords of Romanov colors (white-black-yellow) around the cords.

The shoulder cords of the ober and headquarters officers do not differ in any way.
Headquarters officers and generals have the following differences in uniform: on the collar of a dolman, generals have a wide or gold galloon up to 1 1/8 inches wide, and staff officers have a gold or silver galloon 5/8 inches wide, having the full length "
hussar zigzags", and for chief officers, the collar is sheathed with only one cord or filigree.
In the 2nd and 5th regiments of the chief officers along the upper edge of the collar, there is also galloon, but 5/16 inches wide.
In addition, on the cuffs of the generals there is galloon, the same as the one on the collar. The galloon stripe comes from the cut of the sleeve with two ends, converges in front over the toe.
For staff officers, the galloon is also the same as the one on the collar. The length of the entire patch is up to 5 inches.
And the chief officers are not supposed to galloon.

Below are pictures of the shoulder cords

1. Officers and generals

2. Lower officials

The shoulder cords of the chief, staff officers and generals did not differ in any way from each other. For example, it was possible to distinguish a cornet from a major general only by the appearance and width of the braid on the cuffs and, in some regiments, on the collar.
Twisted cords relied only on adjutants and aide-de-camp!

Shoulder cords of the adjutant wing (left) and adjutant (right)

Officer's epaulettes: lieutenant colonel of the air squadron of the 19th army corps and staff captain of the 3rd field air squadron. In the center are shoulder boards of the cadets of the Nikolaev Engineering School. On the right is the epaulette of a captain (most likely a dragoon or lancer regiment)

The Russian army in its modern sense began to be created by Emperor Peter I at the end of the 18th century. The system of military ranks of the Russian army took shape partly under the influence of European systems, partly under the influence of the historically established purely Russian system of ranks. However, at that time there were no military ranks in the sense in which we are accustomed to understand. There were specific military units, there were also quite specific positions and, accordingly, their names. company commander. By the way, in the civil fleet even now, the person in charge of the ship's crew is called the "captain", the person in charge of the seaport is called the "port captain". In the 18th century, many words existed in a slightly different sense than they do now.
So "General" meant - "chief", and not just "highest military leader";
"Major"- "senior" (senior among regimental officers);
"Lieutenant"- "assistant"
"Outbuilding"- "younger".

"Table of ranks of all ranks of military, civil and courtiers, in which class the ranks are acquired" was put into effect by the Decree of Emperor Peter I on January 24, 1722 and lasted until December 16, 1917. The word "officer" came into Russian from German. But in German, as in English, the word has a much broader meaning. In relation to the army, this term means all military leaders in general. In a narrower translation, it means - "employee", "clerk", "employee". Therefore, it is quite natural - "non-commissioned officers" - junior commanders, "chief officers" - senior commanders, "headquarters officers" - staff members, "generals" - the main ones. Non-commissioned officer ranks also in those days were not ranks, but were positions. Ordinary soldiers were then named according to their military specialties - musketeer, pikeman, dragoon, etc. There was no name "private", and "soldier", as Peter I wrote, means all military personnel ".. from the highest general to the last musketeer, cavalry or on foot ..." Therefore, soldier and non-commissioned officer ranks were not included in the Table. The well-known names "second lieutenant", "lieutenant" existed in the list of ranks of the Russian army long before the formation of the regular army by Peter I to designate military personnel who are assistants to the captain, that is, the company commander; and continued to be used within the framework of the Table as Russian-language synonyms for the positions "non-commissioned lieutenant" and "lieutenant", that is, "assistant" and "assistant". Well, or if you want - "assistant officer for assignments" and "officer for assignments." The name "ensign" as more understandable (wearing a banner, ensign), quickly replaced the obscure "fendrik", which meant "candidate for an officer's position. Over time, there was a process of separation of the concepts of "position" and "rank". After the beginning of the 19th century, these concepts were already separated quite clearly. With the development of means of warfare, the advent of technology, when the army became large enough and when it was necessary to compare the official position of a fairly large set of job titles. It was here that the concept of "rank" often began to obscure, divert the concept " position".

However, in the modern army, the position, so to speak, is more important than the rank. According to the charter, seniority is determined by position, and only with equal positions is the one with a higher rank considered older.

According to the "Table of Ranks", the following ranks were introduced: civil, military infantry and cavalry, military artillery and engineering troops, military guards, military fleets.

In the period from 1722-1731, in relation to the army, the system of military ranks looked like this (the corresponding position in brackets)

Lower ranks (ordinary)

By specialty (grenadier. Fuseler ...)

non-commissioned officers

Corporal(part-commander)

Fourier(deputy platoon commander)

Captainarmus

Ensign(foreman of a company, battalion)

Sergeant

Feldwebel

Ensign(Fendrik), junker bayonet (art) (platoon commander)

Second Lieutenant

lieutenant(deputy company commander)

lieutenant captain(company commander)

Captain

Major(deputy battalion commander)

Lieutenant colonel(battalion commander)

Colonel(commander of the regiment)

Brigadier(brigade leader)

Generals

Major General(division commander)

lieutenant general(corps commander)

General-anshef (General Feldzekhmeister)- (commander of the army)

Field Marshal General(commander-in-chief, honorary title)

In the Life Guards, the ranks were two classes higher than in the army. In the army artillery and engineering troops, the ranks are one class higher than in the infantry and cavalry. During the period 1731-1765 the concepts of "rank" and "position" are beginning to separate. So in the state of the field infantry regiment of 1732, when indicating the staff ranks, it is already written not just the rank of "quartermaster", but the position indicating the rank: "quartermaster (of the lieutenant rank)". With regard to officers of the company level, the separation of the concepts of "position" and "rank" is not yet observed. In the army "fendrick" is replaced by " ensign", in the cavalry - "cornet". Ranks are being introduced "Second Major" and "Prime Major" During the reign of Empress Catherine II (1765-1798) ranks are introduced in the army infantry and cavalry junior and senior sergeant, sergeant major disappears. Since 1796 in the Cossack units, the names of the ranks are the same as the ranks of the army cavalry and are equated to them, although the Cossack units continue to be listed as irregular cavalry (not part of the army). There is no rank of second lieutenant in the cavalry, and captain corresponds to the captain. During the reign of Emperor Paul I (1796-1801) the concepts of "rank" and "position" in this period are already separated quite clearly. The ranks in the infantry and artillery are compared. Paul I did a lot of useful things to strengthen the army and discipline in it. He forbade the registration of minor noble children in the regiments. All recorded in the regiments were required to serve really. He introduced disciplinary and criminal responsibility of officers for soldiers (preservation of life and health, training, clothing, living conditions) forbade the use of soldiers as labor force on the estates of officers and generals; introduced the awarding of soldiers with insignia of the orders of St. Anne and the Maltese Cross; introduced an advantage in promotion in the ranks of officers who graduated from military educational institutions; ordered to be promoted in ranks only on business qualities and ability to command; introduced holidays for soldiers; limited the duration of officers' vacations to one month a year; dismissed from the army a large number of generals who did not meet the requirements of military service (old age, illiteracy, disability, absence from service for a long time, etc.). Ranks are introduced in the lower ranks ordinary junior and senior salary. In the cavalry sergeant major(company foreman) For Emperor Alexander I (1801-1825) since 1802, all non-commissioned officers of the nobility are called "junker". Since 1811, the rank of "major" was abolished in the artillery and engineering troops and the rank of "ensign" was returned. During the reign of Emperors Nicholas I (1825-1855) , who did a lot to streamline the army, Alexander II (1855-1881) and the beginning of the reign of Emperor Alexander III (1881-1894) Since 1828, army Cossacks have been given ranks other than army cavalry (In the Life Guards Cossack and Life Guards Ataman regiments, the ranks are like those of the entire guards cavalry). The Cossack units themselves are transferred from the category of irregular cavalry to the army. The concepts of "rank" and "position" in this period are already completely separated. Under Nicholas I, the discord in the naming of non-commissioned officers disappears. Since 1884, the rank of warrant officer has been left only for wartime (assigned only during the war, and with its end, all warrant officers are subject to either dismissal or they should be assigned the rank of second lieutenant). The rank of cornet in the cavalry is retained as the first officer rank. He is a class below the infantry lieutenant, but in the cavalry there is no rank of second lieutenant. This equalizes the ranks of infantry and cavalry. In the Cossack units, the classes of officers are equated with the cavalry, but have their own names. In this regard, the rank of military foreman, previously equal to major, now becomes equal to lieutenant colonel

"In 1912, the last General Field Marshal Milyutin Dmitry Alekseevich, who served as Minister of War from 1861 to 1881, dies. This rank was not assigned to anyone else, but nominally this rank was preserved"

In 1910, the rank of Russian Field Marshal was awarded to the King of Montenegro, Nicholas I, and in 1912, to the King of Romania, Carol I.

P.S. After the October Revolution of 1917, by the Decree of the Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars (Bolshevik government) of December 16, 1917, all military ranks were abolished ...

The officer epaulettes of the tsarist army were arranged completely differently than modern ones. First of all, the gaps were not part of the galloon, as we have been doing since 1943. In the engineering troops, two harness galloons or one harness and two headquarters officer galloons were simply sewn onto the shoulder strap. For each type of troops, the type of galloon was determined specifically. For example, in the hussar regiments on officer shoulder straps, a galloon of the "hussar zig-zag" type was used. On the shoulder straps of military officials, a "civilian" galloon was used. Thus, the gaps of officer epaulettes were always the same color as the field of soldier epaulettes. If shoulder straps in this part did not have a colored edging (edging), as, say, it was in the engineering troops, then the edgings had the same color as the gaps. But if in part the epaulettes had a colored edging, then it was visible around the officer's epaulette. A silver-colored epaulette button without sides with an extruded double-headed eagle sitting on crossed axes. and letters, or silver monograms (to whom it is necessary). At the same time, it was widespread to wear gilded forged metal stars, which were supposed to be worn only on epaulettes.

The placement of the stars was not rigidly fixed and was determined by the size of the encryption. Two stars were supposed to be placed around the encryption, and if it filled the entire width of the shoulder strap, then above it. The third asterisk had to be placed so as to form an equilateral triangle with the two lower ones, and the fourth asterisk was slightly higher. If there is one asterisk on the chase (for the ensign), then it was placed where the third asterisk is usually attached. Special signs were also gilded metal patches, although it was not uncommon to find them embroidered with gold thread. The exception was the special signs of aviation, which were oxidized and had the color of silver with a patina.

1. Epaulette staff captain 20 engineer battalion

2. Epaulette for lower ranks Lancers 2nd Leib Ulansky Courland Regiment 1910

3. Epaulet full general from the cavalry suite His Imperial Majesty Nicholas II. The silver device of the epaulette testifies to the high military rank of the owner (only the marshal was higher)

About the stars on uniform

For the first time, forged five-pointed stars appeared on the epaulettes of Russian officers and generals in January 1827 (during the time of Pushkin). Ensigns and cornets began to wear one golden star, two - lieutenants and major generals, three - lieutenants and lieutenant generals. four - staff captains and staff captains.

A with April 1854 Russian officers began to wear embroidered stars on the newly established shoulder straps. For the same purpose, diamonds were used in the German army, knots in the British, and six-pointed stars in the Austrian.

Although the designation of a military rank on shoulder straps is a characteristic feature of the Russian army and the German one.

Among the Austrians and the British, shoulder straps had a purely functional role: they were sewn from the same material as the tunic so that the shoulder straps would not slip. And the rank was indicated on the sleeve. The five-pointed star, the pentagram is a universal symbol of protection, security, one of the oldest. In ancient Greece, it could be found on coins, on the doors of houses, stables and even on cradles. Among the Druids of Gaul, Britain, Ireland, the five-pointed star (druidic cross) was a symbol of protection from external evil forces. And until now it can be seen on the window panes of medieval Gothic buildings. The French Revolution revived the five-pointed stars as a symbol of the ancient god of war Mars. They denoted the rank of the commanders of the French army - on hats, epaulettes, scarves, on the tails of the uniform.

The military reforms of Nicholas I copied the appearance of the French army - this is how the stars "rolled down" from the French sky to the Russian one.

As for the British army, even during the Anglo-Boer War, stars began to migrate to shoulder straps. This is about officers. For the lower ranks and warrant officers, the insignia remained on the sleeves.
In the Russian, German, Danish, Greek, Romanian, Bulgarian, American, Swedish and Turkish armies, shoulder straps were insignia. In the Russian army, shoulder straps were for both lower ranks and officers. Also in the Bulgarian and Romanian armies, as well as in the Swedish. In the French, Spanish and Italian armies, insignia were placed on the sleeves. In the Greek army, the officers on shoulder straps, on the sleeves of the lower ranks. In the Austro-Hungarian army, the insignia of officers and lower ranks were on the collar, those were lapel. In the German army, only officers had insignia on shoulder straps, while the lower ranks differed from each other by the galloon on the cuffs and collar, as well as the uniform button on the collar. The exception was the so-called Kolonial truppe, where as additional (and in a number of colonies the main) insignia of the lower ranks were chevrons from a silver galloon sewn on the left sleeve of a-la gefreiters of 30-45 years.

It is interesting to note that with service and field uniforms in peacetime, that is, with a tunic of the 1907 model, officers of the hussar regiments wore epaulettes that also differed somewhat from the epaulettes of the rest of the Russian army. For hussar shoulder straps, galloon with the so-called "hussar zigzag" was used
The only unit where epaulets with the same zigzag were worn, except for the hussar regiments, was the 4th battalion (from 1910 a regiment) of the riflemen of the Imperial family. Here is a sample: the epaulette of the captain of the 9th Kyiv Hussars.

Unlike the German hussars, who wore uniforms of the same tailoring, differing only in the color of the fabric. With the introduction of khaki shoulder straps, the zigzags also disappeared, the encryption on the shoulder straps indicated belonging to the hussars. For example, "6 G", that is, the 6th Hussar.
In general, the field uniform of the hussars was of the dragoon type, those combined arms. The only difference indicating belonging to the hussars was indicated by boots with a rosette in front. However, the hussar regiments were allowed to wear chakchirs with field uniforms, but not all regiments, but only the 5th and 11th. The wearing of chakchira by the rest of the regiments was a kind of "non-statutory". But during the war, this happened, as well as the wearing by some officers of a saber, instead of the standard Dracoon saber, which was supposed to be with field equipment.

The photograph shows the captain of the 11th Izyum Hussar Regiment K.K. von Rosenshild-Paulin (sitting) and Junker of the Nikolaev Cavalry School K.N. von Rosenshild-Paulin (also later an officer of the Izyum regiment). Captain in summer full dress or dress uniform, i.e. in a tunic of the 1907 model, with galloon epaulettes and the number 11 (note that on the officer epaulettes of the peacetime cavalry regiments, there are only numbers, without the letters "G", "D" or "U"), and blue chakchirs worn by officers of this regiment in all forms of clothing.
Regarding "non-statutory", during the years of the World War, apparently, the wearing of galloon epaulettes of peacetime by hussar officers was also encountered.

on the galloon officer shoulder straps of the cavalry regiments, only numbers were affixed, and there were no letters. which is confirmed by photographs.

Zauryad Ensign- from 1907 to 1917 in the Russian army, the highest military rank for non-commissioned officers. The insignia for ordinary ensigns were ensign shoulder straps with a large (larger than officer's) asterisk in the upper third of the shoulder strap on the line of symmetry. The rank was assigned to the most experienced non-commissioned officers, with the outbreak of the First World War, it began to be assigned to ensigns as an encouragement, often immediately before the first senior officer rank (ensign or cornet) was awarded.

From Brockhaus and Efron:
Zauryad Ensign, military During mobilization, with a lack of persons who meet the conditions for promotion to an officer's rank, some. non-commissioned officers are awarded the rank of Z. Ensign; correcting the duties of a junior. officers, Z. great. limited in the rights of movement in the service.

Interesting history of ensign. In the period 1880-1903. this rank was assigned to graduates of cadet schools (not to be confused with military schools). In the cavalry, he corresponded to the rank of standard junker, in the Cossack troops - to the cadet. Those. it turned out that it was a kind of intermediate rank between the lower ranks and officers. Ensigns who graduated from the Junkers School in the 1st category were promoted to officers not earlier than September of the graduation year, but outside the vacancies. Those who graduated from the 2nd category were promoted to officers not earlier than the beginning of the next year, but only for vacancies, and it turned out that some were waiting for production for several years. According to the order of the BB No. 197 for 1901, with the production in 1903 of the last ensigns, standard junkers and cadets, these ranks were canceled. This was due to the beginning of the transformation of cadet schools into military ones.
Since 1906, the rank of ensign in the infantry and cavalry and cadet in the Cossack troops began to be assigned to overtime non-commissioned officers who graduated from a special school. Thus, this title became the maximum for the lower ranks.

Ensign, standard junker and cadet, 1886:

The epaulette of the staff captain of the Cavalry Guards Regiment and the epaulettes of the staff captain of the Life Guards of the Moscow Regiment.

The first shoulder strap is declared as the shoulder strap of an officer (captain) of the 17th Nizhny Novgorod Dragoon Regiment. But Nizhny Novgorod residents should have a dark green piping along the edge of the shoulder strap, and the monogram should be of an applied color. And the second shoulder strap is presented as the shoulder strap of a second lieutenant of the guards artillery (with such a monogram in the guards artillery there were shoulder straps of officers of only two batteries: the 1st battery of the Life Guards of the 2nd Artillery Brigade and the 2nd battery of the Guards Horse Artillery), however, the shoulder strap button should not whether to have in this case an eagle with cannons.

Major(Spanish mayor - more, stronger, more significant) - the first rank of senior officers.
The title originated in the 16th century. The major was responsible for guarding and feeding the regiment. When the regiments were divided into battalions, the battalion commander, as a rule, became a major.
In the Russian army, the rank of major was introduced by Peter I in 1698, and abolished in 1884.
Prime Major - a staff officer rank in the Russian imperial army of the 18th century. He belonged to the VIII class of the "Table of Ranks".
According to the charter of 1716, the majors were divided into prime majors and second majors.
The Prime Major was in charge of the combat and inspector units in the regiment. He commanded the 1st battalion, and in the absence of the regimental commander - the regiment.
The division into prime and second majors was abolished in 1797."

"It appeared in Russia as a rank and position (deputy regiment commander) in the streltsy army at the end of the 15th - early 16th centuries. In the streltsy regiments, as a rule, lieutenant colonels (often of "mean" origin) performed all administrative functions for the head of the streltsy, appointed from among the nobles or boyars In the XVII century and the beginning of the XVIII century, the rank (rank) and position was referred to as a lieutenant colonel due to the fact that the lieutenant colonel usually, in addition to his other duties, commanded the second “half” of the regiment - the back rows in formation and the reserve (before the introduction of the battalion formation of regular soldier regiments) From the moment the Table of Ranks was introduced until its abolition in 1917, the rank (rank) of lieutenant colonel belonged to the VII class of the Table of Ranks and gave the right to hereditary nobility until 1856. In 1884, after the abolition of the rank of major in the Russian army, all majors (with the exception of the dismissed or those who have stained themselves with unseemly misconduct) are promoted to lieutenant colonels.

INSIGNIA OF CIVIL OFFICERS OF THE MILITARY MINISTRY (here are military topographers)

Ranks of the Imperial Military Medical Academy

Chevrons of combatant lower ranks of extra-long service according to "Regulations on the lower ranks of the non-commissioned officer rank, remaining voluntarily in extra-long active service" dated 1890.

From left to right: Up to 2 years, Over 2 to 4 years, Over 4 to 6 years, Over 6 years

To be precise, the article from which these drawings are borrowed says the following: "... the awarding of chevrons to super-enlisted lower ranks holding the positions of sergeant majors (wahmisters) and platoon non-commissioned officers (fireworks) of combatant companies, squadrons, batteries was carried out:
- Upon admission to long-term service - a silver narrow chevron
- At the end of the second year of long-term service - a silver wide chevron
- At the end of the fourth year of long-term service - a gold narrow chevron
- At the end of the sixth year of long-term service - a gold wide chevron"

In army infantry regiments to designate the ranks of corporal, ml. and senior non-commissioned officers, an army white braid was used.

1. The rank of WRITTEN, since 1991, exists in the army only in wartime.
With the beginning of the Great War, ensigns graduate from military schools and ensign schools.
2. The rank of WARNING OFFICER of the reserve, in peacetime, on the shoulder straps of an ensign, wears a galloon patch against the device at the lower rib.
3. The rank of WRITTEN OFFICER, in this rank in wartime, when military units are mobilized with a shortage of junior officers, the lower ranks are renamed from non-commissioned officers with an educational qualification, or from sergeants without
educational qualification. From 1891 to 1907, warrant officers on the shoulder straps of an ensign also wear rank stripes, from which they were renamed.
4. Title ZAURYAD-WRITTEN OFFICER (since 1907). Shoulder straps of a lieutenant with an officer's star and a transverse stripe according to the position. Chevron sleeve 5/8 inches, angle up. Shoulder straps of an officer's standard were retained only by those who were renamed Z-Pr. during the Russo-Japanese War and remained in the army, for example, as a sergeant major.
5. The title of WRITTEN OFFICER-ZURYAD of the State Militia Squad. Non-commissioned officers of the reserve were renamed into this rank, or, in the presence of an educational qualification, who served for at least 2 months as a non-commissioned officer of the State Militia Squad and was appointed junior officer of the squad. Ensigns-zauryad wore epaulettes of an active duty ensign with a galloon stripe of instrument color sewn into the lower part of the epaulettes.

Cossack ranks and titles

On the lowest rung of the service ladder stood an ordinary Cossack, corresponding to an ordinary infantry. This was followed by an orderly, who had one badge and corresponded to a corporal in the infantry. The next rung of the career ladder is the junior officer and the senior officer, corresponding to the junior non-commissioned officer, non-commissioned officer and senior non-commissioned officer and with the number of badges characteristic of modern sergeants. This was followed by the rank of sergeant major, who was not only in the Cossacks, but also in the non-commissioned officers of the cavalry and horse artillery.

In the Russian army and gendarmerie, the sergeant-major was the closest assistant to the commander of a hundred, squadron, battery for drill, internal order and economic affairs. The rank of sergeant major corresponded to the rank of sergeant major in the infantry. According to the regulation of 1884, introduced by Alexander III, the next rank in the Cossack troops, but only for wartime, was the cadet, an intermediate rank between a lieutenant and ensign in the infantry, which was also introduced in wartime. In peacetime, in addition to the Cossack troops, these ranks existed only for reserve officers. The next degree in the chief officer ranks is a cornet, corresponding to a second lieutenant in the infantry and a cornet in the regular cavalry.

According to his official position, he corresponded to a junior lieutenant in the modern army, but wore shoulder straps with a blue gap on a silver field (the applied color of the Don Cossacks) with two stars. In the old army, compared to the Soviet one, the number of stars was one more. Next came the centurion - the chief officer rank in the Cossack troops, corresponding to a lieutenant in the regular army. The centurion wore epaulettes of the same design, but with three stars, corresponding in his position to a modern lieutenant. A higher step - podesaul.

This rank was introduced in 1884. In the regular troops, it corresponded to the rank of staff captain and staff captain.

The podesaul was an assistant or deputy to the Yesaul and in his absence he commanded a Cossack hundred.
Shoulder straps of the same design, but with four stars.
According to his official position, he corresponds to a modern senior lieutenant. And the highest rank of chief officer rank is Yesaul. It is worth talking about this rank especially, since in a purely historical sense, the people who wore it held positions in both civil and military departments. In various Cossack troops, this position included various official prerogatives.

The word comes from the Turkic "yasaul" - chief.
In the Cossack troops it was first mentioned in 1576 and was used in the Ukrainian Cossack army.

Yesauls were general, military, regimental, hundreds, stanitsa, marching and artillery. General Yesaul (two per Army) - the highest rank after the hetman. In peacetime, general captains performed inspection functions, in war they commanded several regiments, and in the absence of a hetman, the entire Army. But this is typical only for Ukrainian Cossacks. Troop captains were chosen on the Military Circle (in the Don and most others, two per Army, in the Volga and Orenburg - one each). Dealt with administrative matters. Since 1835, they were appointed as adjutants to the military ataman. Regimental captains (originally two per regiment) performed the duties of staff officers, were the closest assistants to the regiment commander.

Hundreds of Yesauls (one per hundred) commanded hundreds. This link did not take root in the Don Cossacks after the first centuries of the existence of the Cossacks.

The stanitsa Yesauls were typical only for the Don Cossacks. They were selected at stanitsa gatherings and were assistants to the stanitsa atamans. They performed the functions of assistants to the marching chieftain, in the 16th-17th centuries, in his absence, they commanded the army, later they were executors of the orders of the marching chieftain. The artillery captain (one per Army) was subordinate to the chief of artillery and carried out his instructions.

Only the military captain was preserved under the military ataman of the Don Cossack army. In 1798 - 1800. the rank of captain was equated to the rank of captain in the cavalry. Yesaul, as a rule, commanded a Cossack hundred. Corresponded to the official position of the modern captain. He wore epaulettes with a blue gap on a silver field without stars. Next come the headquarters officer ranks. In fact, after the reform of Alexander III in 1884, the rank of Yesaul entered this rank, in connection with which the major link was removed from the headquarters officer ranks, as a result of which the soldier from the captains immediately became a lieutenant colonel. The name of this rank comes from the ancient name of the executive authority of the Cossacks. In the second half of the 18th century, this name, in a modified form, spread to persons who commanded certain branches of the Cossack army. Since 1754, the military foreman was equated with a major, and with the abolition of this rank in 1884, with a lieutenant colonel. He wore shoulder straps with two blue gaps on a silver field and three large stars.

Well, then comes the colonel, shoulder straps are the same as those of the military foreman, but without stars. Starting from this rank, the service ladder is unified with the general army, since the purely Cossack names of the ranks disappear. The official position of a Cossack general fully corresponds to the general ranks of the Russian Army.

Since ancient times, the Cossacks have always been associated with some kind of romance, and most people considered the Cossacks to be something like fearless knights. But, unfortunately, few people know that it was a fairly serious organization in which there were certain titles. At first glance, this seems to be an uncharacteristic phenomenon in the Middle Ages. Then there were also Cossack ranks and ranks that can be compared with analogues in the Russian army.

In the Cossacks, the titles received and the rights assigned were carried out more carefully than in some units of the modern army.

Ranks, titles, shoulder straps

Initially, all titles were assigned exclusively by choice. But over time, military affairs developed, and various changes and innovations took place. As a result of this, a provision was formed on the Cossack ranks, in which all kinds of insignia were regulated in an understandable form. Subsequently, the interaction between the existing units and the regular army was greatly simplified, and the effectiveness of all troops only benefited from this.

This situation had a good effect on the general spirit of the army and the results of the hostilities, which were carried out by the joint forces of the Cossacks and the army.

At first, representatives of the Cossacks were against such innovations, but over time, all the positive aspects of such changes influenced their opinions in favor of changing the put forward points of view.

Because otherwise there was a possibility of dismissal from the service.

Lower Lineups

The lowest rank was the title of an ordinary Cossack, who had no stripes on his shoulder straps. If we draw an analogy with the modern army, this is an ordinary private and his duties were exactly the same.

The next in the hierarchy followed the "order" with shoulder straps, on which there was one stripe. The rank corresponds to the modern corporal and the assigned duties were identical.

The constable is an analogue of a sergeant, and a rank with three ranks was assigned (senior, junior). Shoulder straps were the same as those of a modern employee - two stripes (junior), the constable had three stripes, and the senior in rank wore one big one.

The rank of officer not only corresponds to the sergeant counterpart, but the duties were similar. They addressed such employees as "Mr. constable", regardless of his rank.

This concludes the junior composition of the ranks of the Cossacks in the Russian Empire.

Junior squads

With the development of the Cossack army, new ranks and positions were added. Accordingly, the junior command staff looked like this:

1. Junior wahmister.
2. Wahmister
3. Senior wahmister.

If we draw an analogy with the regular army, these ranks are identical to the ensign.

A person with one of the above ranks worked as an assistant commander to provide the Cossacks with all the necessary supplies, and his duties included monitoring the internal routine.

The shoulder straps of the sergeant-major were decorated with one longitudinal stripe for a junior employee. When the rank was increased, two stars were given out. The senior sergeant-major had shoulder straps with three stars.

Traditionally, the rank could only be addressed as "Mr. Wahmister", regardless of the seniority of the rank.

senior team

The command structure of the Cossacks is more diverse than the above ranks, and the list of ranks then looked like this:

1. Podhorunzhy.
2. cornet.
3. Centurion.
4. Podesaul.

The first two ranks in the Cossacks are an analogue of the modern junior lieutenant and lieutenant.

The centurion was equated with the army senior lieutenant.

Such employees ensured the combat effectiveness of their troops in the same way as the regular army.

The podesaul was like a captain and his duties included the same provisions as in the army of the Russian Empire.

The epaulettes of an employee in the rank of cadet were decorated with one long star, which was located in parallel, and on it there was also one small star. Appeal to the rank - "Mr.

A Cossack with the title of "cornet" wore a similar long stripe, which is divided into two identical stars. The centurion had three stars.

The podesaul wore shoulder straps with four stars, which were separated by one long strip, and two were located on it. They addressed this rank - "your honor."

We have just examined the senior Cossack ranks, which, in comparison with the modern army, are officers. Therefore, the attitude towards such employees should be appropriate.

Dominant ranks

The main composition of the Cossacks was determined by the following ranks:

1. Esaul (major).
2. Military foreman (lieutenant colonel).
3. Cossack Colonel (Colonel).

The first rank had one longitudinal shoulder strap without stars. The foreman had two parallel stripes, on which three stars were placed.

The Cossack colonel wore shoulder straps with two longitudinal stripes without stars. Then they turned to the higher staff as “your honor”, ​​because it was impossible to start a conversation with the higher officers in a different way. Employees from this category led large troops during the conduct of hostilities, as well as in peacetime.

The highest rank in the Cossacks

The highest commanding staff in the Cossack troops was determined by only one rank - the Cossack general.

It was the highest rank in the army, and orders from this man were the most important, not to mention non-negotiable.

Shoulder straps did not have any stripes, they only had two stars and that's it. This concludes the consideration of the Cossack ranks.

The Cossacks have always been fanned by a certain touch of romance, and many consider the Cossacks to be something like knights without fear and reproach of ancient times. However, few people know that they had a very serious organization and a clear list of titles, which is not typical for medieval knights. As the ranks and ranks developed, they were increasingly brought to analogues in the regular army of Russia. The Cossacks are much more reverent about the titles they have received and the rights and obligations that imply them than some representatives of the army.

Cossacks. Ranks, ranks and shoulder straps

Initially, all Cossack ranks, ranks and shoulder straps were awarded in an elective manner. However, over time, as the Cossacks formed as an army and the development of military affairs itself, they were gradually supplemented, and as a result, according to what the regulation on Cossack ranks and ranks says, all such insignia are brought into a more convenient, simple and understandable form. Thanks to this, the interaction between the units of the Cossacks and the regular army was greatly simplified, and as a result, the combat effectiveness of all troops as a whole increased. Naturally, this had a positive effect both on the spirit of the army and on the results of the hostilities carried out jointly by regular and Cossack forces. Despite the fact that initially many representatives of the Cossacks opposed such changes, over time they could not but recognize the positive properties and not change their point of view. Or keep it with you, even if you stubbornly refused to recognize it but did not want to leave the service of the country and the sovereign.

lower ranks

The lowest rank was considered an ordinary Cossack, on whose shoulder straps there were no stripes at all. He corresponded to the rank of an ordinary private and had the same duties. Following him, in ascending order, was the clerk, on the pursuit of which one stripe flaunted. He corresponded to a corporal in ordinary troops and performed the same functions. Then came the sergeant, divided into junior sergeant, sergeant and senior sergeant. He was an analogue of a sergeant in the standard army and had the same insignia on shoulder straps. Two straps for the junior officer, three for the officer and one wide one for the senior officer. The officers not only corresponded to sergeant ranks, but were also responsible for exactly the same areas of service. It was customary to address officers as “Mr. officer,” regardless of whether he was senior or junior. This is exactly what the lower ranks and shoulder straps of the Cossacks of the Russian Empire of that time looked like.

junior ranks

As already mentioned above, as the Cossack army became established and, as a result, the need for new ranks arose, they gradually increased in number. So, the Cossack ranks, ranks and shoulder straps of the junior command staff looked like this: junior sergeant major, sergeant major and senior sergeant major. He was an analogue of the modern rank of ensign. He performed the duties of an assistant commander in terms of providing the Cossacks with everything necessary and followed the internal order. On the epaulettes of the junior sergeant there was one long strip parallel to the epaulet, the sergeant had two small stars located along the epaulet, and the senior sergeant had three. According to tradition, the bearers of this title (or rank, to be more precise) were addressed only as "Mr. Wahmister." At the same time, it was absolutely not important whether this particular sergeant major was junior or senior.

senior ranks

Cossack ranks and epaulets of senior officers were more diverse. They were treated in ascending order: cornet, cornet, centurion and podesaul. Podhorunzhy and cornet were the Cossack version of the junior lieutenant and lieutenant, and the centurion was the senior lieutenant. They were responsible for the same elements of the combat capability of the Cossack army as their counterparts in the regular army. The podesaul served as a captain and had all the same rights and duties as his counterpart in ordinary troops. On the epaulettes of the cadet there was one long, parallel to the shoulder strap, on which there was one small star. It was customary to address him as “Mr. The cornet had the same long stripe separating two similar stars, while the centurion had three. On the pursuit of the podsaul, four stars flaunted at once, two of which were separated by a long bar, and two were right on it. Everyone, except for the cadet, was addressed as "your honor." It was implied that all honors belong to the officers, and the attitude was appropriate. As, in fact, the demand from them, which increases significantly as more and more new titles are received.

Main ranks

The Cossack ranks, ranks and epaulettes of the higher-ranking Cossacks consisted of the captain, who was an analogue of the major, the military foreman, who served as a lieutenant colonel and a Cossack colonel, who was, in fact, a colonel, with all the rights and duties arising from this rank. On the shoulder straps of the Yesaul, as well as on the cadet, there was one long, parallel to the shoulder strap, but there were no stars. The shoulder strap of the military foreman was decorated with two parallel stripes and three stars at once, and on the shoulder straps of the Cossack colonel there were just two stripes, like a military foreman, and there were no stars at all. The traditional appeal to all the main ranks is your honor. This was a senior officer, who for the most part directly commanded large forces of the Cossacks both during the conduct of hostilities and in peacetime.

highest rank

Cossack ranks, ranks and epaulettes of the highest command staff are represented by only one rank - Cossack general. The highest and most honorable position in this army, whose orders were the highest priority and were not subject to discussion. The epaulette was absolutely without straps, with two stars. On this, the Cossack ranks and titles, the description of which is given above, ends. To date, this structure has not undergone any changes and remains the same as many years ago. The Cossacks now have a slightly different form than in ancient times, but they still revere the old traditions and adhere to the code of honor adopted a long time ago.

Story

The first ranks (positions) among the Cossacks (Zaporozhian Sich) hetman, ataman, clerk, centurion, foreman were elected.

The later appearance of ranks in the Cossack troops (colonel, military judge, captain, and so on) refers to the -XVI centuries, which was associated with the development of the military organization of the Cossacks as troops.

In the Russian army, ranks were first introduced in the middle of the 16th century in the streltsy army. The last Russian tsar and the first all-Russian emperor Peter I established a unified system of military, civil and court ranks, which was finally fixed in the year in the "Table of Ranks". The ranks corresponded to a certain class, the eldest of which was the first class.

At the end of the 18th century, officer ranks of the Cossack troops were included in the Table of Ranks.

In the year under Emperor Nicholas I, a unified system of all military ranks (ranks) was introduced in the Cossack troops. By that time, the Cossacks had the following ranks:

• headquarters officers (senior officers) - colonel, lieutenant colonel and military foreman;
• chief officers (junior officers) - captain, centurion, cornet;
• lower ranks - sergeant major, constable, orderly and Cossack (private).

In the future, this system of military ranks (ranks) in the Cossack troops did not tolerate any more changes. In the year the rank of cadet is introduced.

In 1884, the rank of lieutenant colonel was replaced by the rank of military foreman, which previously corresponded to the army major, and the rank of podesaul was introduced, equal to the headquarters captain in the army cavalry.

ranks

Cossack

On the lowest rung of the service ladder of the Cossack army stood ordinary Cossack, corresponding to an infantry rank and file.

orderly

orderly had one tab and matched corporal in the infantry.

constable

The ranks of junior sergeant, sergeant and senior sergeant corresponded to junior non-commissioned officer, non-commissioned officer and senior non-commissioned officer, respectively, the number of badges is typical for modern non-commissioned officers.

Wahmister

Wahmister- the next rank, which was not only in the Cossacks, but also in the non-commissioned officers of the cavalry and horse artillery. In the Russian army and gendarmerie, the sergeant-major was the closest assistant to the commander of a hundred, squadron, battery for drill, internal order and economic affairs. The rank of sergeant major corresponded to the rank of sergeant major in the infantry.

Podhorunzhiy

According to the regulation of 1884, introduced by Alexander III, the next rank in the Cossack troops, but only for wartime, was the "subhorunzhy", which corresponded to the rank of ensign in the infantry (ensign in the modern army), introduced only in wartime. In peacetime, in addition to the Cossack troops, these ranks existed only in reserve. Podkhorunzhiy did not belong to the officer rank and was a senior non-commissioned officer rank. The first officer rank in the infantry, only in wartime and for the militia, was the rank of ensign, which corresponded to the modern rank of ensign. In the Cossack troops, cavalry and gendarmerie, there was no rank corresponding to the modern rank of junior lieutenant.

cornet

cornet- the next degree in the chief officer ranks, corresponding to a second lieutenant in the infantry or a cornet in the cavalry. According to his official position, he corresponded to a junior lieutenant in the modern army, wore shoulder straps with a blue clearance on a silver field (the applied color of the Don Cossacks) with two stars.

centurion

centurion- chief officer rank in the Cossack troops, corresponding to a lieutenant in the regular army. The centurion wore epaulettes of the same design, but with three stars, corresponding in his position to a modern lieutenant. Commanded fifty.

Podsaul

Podsaul was an assistant or deputy captain, commanded a Cossack hundred. Shoulder straps had the same design as the centurion, but with four stars. According to his official position, he corresponds to a modern senior lieutenant. This rank was introduced in 1884. In the regular troops, it corresponded to the rank of staff captain and staff captain.

Esaul

Esauly were general, military, regimental, hundreds, stanitsa, marching and artillery. General Yesaul (two per Army) - the highest rank after the hetman. In peacetime, general captains performed inspection functions, in war they commanded several regiments, and in the absence of a hetman, the entire Army. But this is typical only for the Zaporizhzhya Cossacks.

Troop captains were selected on the Military Circle (in the Don and most others, two for the Army, in the Volga and Orenburg - one each). Dealt with administrative matters. Since 1835, they were appointed as adjutants to the military ataman.

Regimental captains(originally two per regiment) performed the duties of staff officers, were the closest assistants to the regiment commander. Hundreds of Yesauls (one per hundred) commanded hundreds. This link did not take root in the Don Cossacks after the first centuries of the existence of the Cossacks. The stanitsa Yesauls were typical only for the Don Cossacks. They were chosen at stanitsa gatherings and were assistants to stanitsa atamans.

Hiking captains(usually two per Army) were chosen when going on a campaign. They performed the functions of assistants to the marching ataman, in the 16th-17th centuries, in his absence, they commanded the army, and later they were executors of the orders of the marching ataman.

Artillery captain(one per Army) reported to the chief of artillery and carried out his instructions.

General, regimental, stanitsa and other Yesauls were gradually abolished.

Only the military esaul was preserved under the military ataman of the Cossack army.

In 1798 - 1800. the rank of captain was equated to the rank of captain in the cavalry.

Yesaul, as a rule, commanded (on behalf of the senior chief) a detachment from one to several hundred. Corresponded to the official position of the modern captain. He wore shoulder straps with one clearance without stars.

Army foreman

Name military foreman came from the ancient name of the executive body of the Cossacks. In the second half of the 18th century, this name, in a modified form, spread to persons who commanded certain branches of the Cossack army. Since 1754, the military foreman was equated with a major, and with the abolition of this rank in 1884, with a lieutenant colonel. He wore shoulder straps with two blue gaps on a silver field and three stars.

Colonel

Colonel- shoulder straps are the same as those of a military foreman, but without stars. Starting from this rank, the service ladder is unified with the general army, since the purely Cossack names of the ranks disappear.

Cossack general. The official position of a Cossack general fully corresponds to the general ranks of the Russian Army.

Hetman

Hetman- the traditional title of the leaders of the Zaporozhye Host; In April-December 1918 - the title of the post of head of the Ukrainian State.

Modern Cossack ranks in the Russian Federation

lower ranks

Cossack, Prikazny, Junior officer, Officer, Senior officer.