Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-23
ARE A BANDIT RACE
WORD COSSACK DERIVED FROM
ONE MEANING RoBBER.
Form Today the Chief Element in the
Cavalry Of the Russians-
Former History.

dts and, In fact. the name 10 derived from
Q Tartar word which means "robber." The
first Cossacks took boat on the Dnieper.
the volga and the Don and settled on the
banks Of these great rivers. living by plum
der and by the proceeds OF fishing. fighting
generally on foot. but always remaining
near their boats. which secured them a safe
retreat in case of a reverse.
Closely bound up with every page Of Rus
sian history. the Cossacks sometimes sided
with the czars. but as often against them.
On the accession Of Peter the Great they
formed q half circle around the southern
frontiers which they protected from Tartar
invasions. penetrating later into Siberia,
where they became the Russian advance
guard against Kirghiz and Kalmucks.
So long as these communities remained on
the frontier and were Injured to constant
warfare they retained all their best quail
ties. The legends interviewer with the names
Of Mazeppa and Platon belong to heroic
periods Of Cossack lore. and SO. too, do the
deeds of the Cossacks Of the Ukraine and
Zaprogfa, whose names have since passed
away. though their fame Is abiding. As the
Cossacks became more settled In their ter
ritorfes to the northeast OF the Black sea
and the confines OF Russia marched rapidly
past them toward the east they became
more COMPOUNDED with the general popula-
ton and less apt for war.
Bound to Serve in War.
The first principle Of Cossack service has
always been that in return for a grant Of
land and freedom from taxation every man
should come out when called upon and
bring his own horse. arms and equipment
In practice many changes have been made.
and the root principle Ia not one that Is
any longer generally respected. Many Cos
sacks are too poor to provide their own
horses and the cost Of the equipment falls
upon the stanitsa. which is put to heavy ex-
pense and Is very hard hit by order Of
mobilization. War for the Cossack Is no
longer a business that pays.
In 1875 q radical change was made in the
old-established methods Of Cossack service;
the regiments were brigaded with the regu-
lar cavalry. and their Independence as q
1ghting branch was destroyed. 1t Is doubt
ful whether the change was of ADVANTAGE
The greatest successes Of the Cossacks in
war, striking records Of which we find scat
tered throughout the writings of Napoleon's
generals, were due to the preservation of
their particular and very unconventional
methods OF combat which were the abso-
lutte antitfests Of the traditions of regular
cavalry. The tendency of late years has
been to merge the Cossacks with the rest OF
the population. and old Platofr would hard
ly recognize in the Cossack of TODAY his
unkempt warriors who wore down the chiy
airy OF France.
Hold Vast Tracts Of Land.
The Cossack voiskos. however. stiu nos-
sess enormous tracts Of territory. two
tnIrds OF which are held in trust for the
general community on the principle of the
MIR while the other third belongs to thu
Cossack nobility or is in the hands of non
Cossack peasants. The Don. Kuban, Terek.
Ural and Orenburg territories. all lying
northeast OF the Black sea. are fairly COM
pacI; eut those OF Siberia. Trans-BaikaI.
the Pri-Amur and Ussuri occupy long bands
OF country. corresponding with the lines or
frontiers which have in times past been
committed to Cossack guardianship.
These eastern voiskos have been constant
ly engaged with Asiatic enemies and have
had no experience Of regular aghtinE; those
furthest east have been reinforced by con-
tingents from the Trans-Baikal territory,
while the Ussurf Cossacks have been fortt-
fed by heavy drafts from the Don, which
have been brought round by sea in the VOL
unteer fleet: The five voiskos which are
most Immediately concerned in the present
war are those Of Siberia. Semiretchinsk
Trans-Bafkal, Pri-Amur and Ussuri Their
total population may be put down at $50 900
besides non-Cossacks. the number of males
Of what is known as "Cossack condition."
being some 10000.
Can Muster go, 900 Men.
The war strength Of these five communt-
ties at present is about $4,000 men and 90
600 horses. but in these numbers Ussuri and
Pri-Amur do not bulk largely. The total
number OF Cossacks In the same five vols
kos. presuming that the whole available
twenty classes are called out. and the
opoitchenie or landsturm embodied, is go 600
men, but not more than 5000 Of these be-
long to the Ussuri and Pri-Amur communi-
ties. Although these Ave eastern voiskos
have 100000 horses. not a third are At for
service and only $4,000 are fit for the saddle
Of which only 1000 are to be found in Pri-
Amur and Ussuri This fact Is important
since 1t results that nearly all the horses
in the army modified against Japan must
come from the west save what can be col
lected from non-Cossack districts or from
China.
OF course these five voiskos do not repre-
sent the most important part Of the Cos
sack forces. which are mainly in the Don
and to the north OF the Caucasus. with
most Of their active regiments spread out
like fan round Russias southwestern
frontiers. Some Of these, no doubt, can be
sent east and We have reports that regi-
ments from the Caucasus and the Don have
already marched, but 1t must be remember
ed that the Cossacks represent the chief
element in the Russian cavalry OF the pres
ent day.