The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1914-10-22
WORLDS GREATEST CAVALRY.

OF all the mounted soldiers Of the
world. the COssacks Of Russia are per
haps the most famous. Certainly as
horse soldiers they have no superior,
II any equal among the mounted arms
Of any other army 1t has been said Of
the Cossacks that they are born TO the
horse. Now that the Russian armies in
countless thousands are advancing to
| the frontiers OF Germany and Austria
Hungary, the newspapers daily report
some action in which these famous
mounted soldiers OF the Gar have
played an important part,
The Cossack population Of the Rus
sian empire is scattered, being divided
into military groups and distributed
along or in proximity to the frontiers.
The distribution is purely for strategi-
cal puposes. On a war footing the Cos
sacks number about $4,000 men, OF
whom about 43OO are commissioned
officers. says the New York Times.
Practically every male Cossack who
has attained the age OF IS years and is
physically ht-and a COssack Is gener-
ally ft-must serve the Gar in mill
tary capacity for a period Of twenty
years bs far the longest enlisted
period enforced in any army on earth.
OF this term OF service for the Gar,
three years are spent in probation
airy stage twelve on active duty
wherever required, and five in the ar
my reserve. The government furnish
es the arms, but the Cossacks furnish
their own horses and saddles for to a
Cossack, next 10 his own family, his
horse is his dearest possession, and he
; would be insulted if anybody suggest
ed that he ride any horse other than
t the one he himself owned and had
, personally trained.
r "The military organization OF the
, Cossacks," says Army and Navy OF
r London, dates a long way back in
, history. Their first service took the
/ shape of garrisoning certain forts
, erected by the Muscovy Cars anc
Kings Of Poland in combination as q
safeguard against invasion by hostile
r tribes over the frontier. The Cossack'
i Of that time enjoyed many unique priv
I ileges in return for this They paid NJ
r taxes. and no one was allowed TO pas!
T through their territory without per
- mission. Nominally they were Rus
S slams and adherents to Christianity
;. practically, they were Tartars and ia
e yored no religion in particular A
> may be imagined, they were con
stant source of diplomatic embarass
ment. When the Sultan OF Turke,
, complained that they had rayaged hi
borders, the Gar would reply that h
was not responsible for them, Wit
n the result that strained relation
y would Immediately ensue between tn
two countries.
IL AS for their early loyalty 1t ma
4 be mentioned that when Peter tn
d Great was at war with Sweden, one {
the most powerful of their commun
- ties-the Cossacks of the Dnieper-
= openly ranged themselves against hin
Catherine III. took the extreme ste
of disbanding them, while the remail
der we're deprived of their indepen
ence. This had an excellent effeC
and ever since then the whole of Il
Cossack population, extending in Il
long line from the Sea OF Azof to Il
Caspian. have proved loyal and VIC
thy subjects OF the Emperor of q
the Russias.'
As Army and Navy points out, q
Cossack regiments are, as a rule, col
posed of six squadrons or sotnias,
l25 men each. There are also Cossa
infantry and artillery detachments, c
Grating with the mounted Cossaci
The mounted force OF this wonderf
organization has been described as
body of men who ride like a Cental
shoot like a Boer, and possess a r
Indians eye for country"
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