Russian Cossacks 1799

Transcription

1 Quick Guides to the Armies of the Wars of the French Revolution No. 1 (Notes for miniatures painters and wargamers) Russian Cossacks 1799 Background The Cossack Hosts were tribal groupings of a martial people who were descended from the mounted steppe peoples, fugitive serfs, and any number of other outlaws seeking freedom from Russian feudalism and other oppressors. They had for the most part maintained a pragmatic relationship with the Russian state since the 16th Century, helping to protect its borders and providing irregular light cavalry for Russia s armies, in return for low taxation and their own democratic freedoms. However the tolerance of Russia s royal house was severely tested by Cossack support for every major revolt against the Tsars and during the 18th Century the Russian government set about weakening Cossack autonomy by a series of measures. These included deportation and resettlement, and manipulating Cossack democratic processes to create a new Cossack ruling elite of rich, mutually exclusive, and above all pro-russian families. By 1799, when Russia joined the War of the Second Coalition against Republican France, the last vestiges of Cossack political and military independence could still be detected, but only just. The Cossacks were excellent light cavalry. Superb horsemen who were masters of reconnaissance warfare, covering actions and raiding (the latter fuelled by their love of plunder). They often acted independently, riding ahead of the rest of the army to seize unguarded towns or to harass a retreating enemy. Their fearsome reputation for thievery and barbaric violence preceded them across Europe whenever Russia s armies marched westward, but it is likely the Cossacks were no worse than the soldiers of any other army in this regard. Cossack Organisation Cossacks were recognised by their Hosts s such as the Don, Ural, Black Sea, or Siberian Cossacks. Each Host raised a certain number of regiments (Pulks) depending on available man-power, and the principal tactical subdivision of these formations was the squadron (Sotnia). Each Sotnia was supposed to be made up of around 100 lancers, but the number of Sotnia deployed by a regiment (usually between fi ve and ten) would depend on the regiment s overall current strength. Regimental strengths could vary wildly. Eureka Guides Cossacks: 1

2 The Cossacks in 1799 Suvarov took six regiments of Cossacks with him to Italy in 1799 (rising to eight for operations in Switzerland) and for most of the coming campaign against the French both in Italy and the Alps these were his only Russian cavalry. (For heavy cavalry his Austrian allies supplied him with a few squadrons of Dragoons during the Italian phase of the campaign). All the Cossack regiments accompanying Suvarov were Don Cossacks. Korsakov s army operating north of the Alps contained a broader Russian cavalry component than Suvarov s force: two cuirassier, three dragoon regiments (all of less than 750 men each), and a hussar regiment of over a thousand. Added to which were two Don Cossack regiments, two Ural Cossack regiments, and a large unit of mounted Tartars. Hermann s Russian force sent to Holland in the same year included two Hussar regiments and assorted Don and Ural Cossack squadrons. On the eve of the campaign in Italy the Don Cossack regiments of Suvarov s army each gave strength returns of just under 500 men (each presumably organised into fi ve Sotnia). The historian Christopher Duffy has pointed out, that the conditions of warfare in heavily cultivated north Italy and mountainous Switzerland were not well suited to the rapid manoeuvres and far ranging light cavalry tactics of the Cossacks. Movement constrained to hard Italian roads or rocky Swiss mountain passes was particularly harsh on the unshod hooves of the Cossacks otherwise amazingly durable ponies. During the Swiss phase of the campaign Suvarov s Russians were so desperately short of supply mules they were obliged to ask a little over a third of the Cossack force (around 1,500) to give up their privately owned mounts to act as pack animals. The unhorsed Cossacks thus operated as light infantry in the high Alpine passes, with initially 50 dismounted Cossacks being assigned to each Russian division and the rest held in reserve. In spite of these diffi culties the Cossacks continued to demonstrate their renowned fi ghting qualities and they served Suvarov well. Cossack Uniforms in 1799 At this time the Cossack regiments were not yet fully governed in their appearance by any formal army regulations. It was not until after the assassination of Tsar Paul I in 1801, that Tsar Alexander I imposed a degree of uniformity across the Hosts s at the onset of the Napoleonic Wars. Prior to this only the Cossack Sotnia of the Tsar s Life Guard wore a formal uniform, and while Paul I had been moving towards uniform regulations for all Cossacks only four other regiments (the 1st and 2nd Chuguev regiments and the 1st and 2nd Teptyar regiments) were offi cially issued with uniforms in None of these formations seem to have served in Suvarov s or Korsakov s armies in 1799, but details of their uniforms are listed at the end of this guide. In 1799 most Cossacks were still expected to supply a good deal of their own clothing and equipment, and as we shall see this irregularity had a bearing on their overall appearance. However, notwithstanding this lack of regulation, contemporary illustrations do indicate some uniformity of appearance in at least a few Cossack regiments other than those mentioned above. Some of this may have been offi cially sanctioned or perhaps a case of regiments independently adopting their own particular dress codes at the instigation and with the fi nancial backing of the new Cossack elite families who now commanded them. It is diffi cult to assess how common this was, but judging by illustrations such as Plate 1 it seems to have been more likely amongst the Don Cossacks than the regiments of other Hosts. Plate 1 shows a group of Don Cossacks wearing a uniform of matching dark to mid blue caftans and trousers with most seams and edges delineated with red tape and piping. They wear the black fur Astrakan cap, common to all Don Cossacks, decorated with white cords and a blue cloth bag. If accurately rendered by the artist the latter might be peculiar to this particular regiment as Astrakan cap bags are usually depicted as red in most other illustrations of Don Cossacks. More apparently standardised items of equipment can be seen here in the form of short black boots, black leather cross belts (usually, but not always, worn from the left shoulder), decorated sword scabbards, and cartridge boxes some of which have embossed metal plates adorning their fl aps. (Note the pistol ramrod stored on top of the cartridge box). Colourful, patterned waist sashes on the other hand seem to be more a matter of personal choice, into which might be tucked one or two pistols. However, one of the mounted fi gures has swapped his sash for a brown leather waist belt. Almost all carry the ubiquitous Cossack lance, typically about three metres in length (longer and shorter examples are recorded) and the seated fi gure on the right appears to have a musket slung across his back (which was a commonly carried weapon in addition to the lance at this time). Nevertheless, as already stated above, uniformed Cossacks such as these were more the exception to the rule in Most wore what was often described by observers as their native dress, and Plate 2 is far more indicative of the typical Cossack s appearance at this time. Plate 1 Eureka Guides Cossacks: 2

3 From their Astrakan caps the men illustrated here are most likely also Don Cossacks. Dark blues and various shades of brown were the most common colours for caftans and trousers amongst the Don regiments, but buff, grey, dark greens and muted reds or mauves were also worn. There was little additional embellishment to this clothing. The fi gure on the left with the bright red trousers, a jacket decorated with tape / lace, and an ornate coloured cross belt, is an offi cer. The bags of the Astrakan caps are shown here in the more typical red cloth (except for the mounted fi gure) but the fur of the caps themselves varies between black, brown and grey. The smart black leather belts seen on the uniformed Don Cossacks in Plate 1 are here replaced with crude cloth straps and simple rope cords, although sword scabbards remain ornate and cartridge boxes (when carried) can still be decorated. The mounted fi gure has a musket slung about his back which intriguingly seems to have some form of swinging bipod rest hung under the barrel. Another example, propped up on its rest, can just be seen behind the prone fi gure at the front of the illustration. One anonymous eyewitness in 1799 reported seeing dismounted Cossacks fi ring and loading their muskets while lying down with great skill and perhaps the musket rest was intended to facilitate this method of skirmishing. The contemporary artist Wilhelm von Kobell recorded several of Suvarov s Don Cossacks in Switzerland in 1799 wearing very similar attire to that in Plate 2. There are two notable modern reconstructions of von Kobell s work published in the Osprey Men-at-Arms volume number 189 (Plate A: fi gure 4) and Uniforms of the French Revolution (Plate 29 b) in the Blandford series of uniform books (full details in the bibliography). As with the examples in Plate 2, the only items of identifi able uniform being worn in these Kobell reconstructions are their distinctive Plate 2 black Astrakan caps with white cords and a red bag. They otherwise wear plain brown caftans with baggy grey trousers (in the Osprey) or similarly baggy trousers in bold horizontal red and white stripes (Blandford). Several sources refer to the popularity of striped and checked trousers in Cossack units. With the Ural Cossack regiments there was even less regularity in their appearance. There is no evidence of any uniform regulations being imposed upon them prior to around 1801 aside from the Ural Sotnia incorporated into Tsar Paul s Life Guard. An eyewitness in 1799 described the notorious Ural Cossacks as farmers drawn from the fi elds by the promise of booty. They are not uniformed, but wear multicoloured peasant clothes they are the best armed troops in Europe. Each carries a Damascus blade and English pistols. The Ural Cossacks were distinguishable from their Don Cossack brethren by their pointed or domed cloth caps which could be worn in a high erect position or squashed down onto the fur band around the head. The cloth caps could be any colour, even within the same Sotnia and the fur bands might be black, brown or grey. Plate 3 shows a group of Ural Cossacks wearing red, blue, brown and multicoloured striped clothing, with plain cross belts, colourful waist sashes, and all manner of trinkets and personal adornments. As with all Cossacks the lance is the primary weapon, but the musket features prominently as well. The mounted fi gure in the centre has a musket with the same swinging bipod rest attached as noted in the previous plate. Plate 3 Among some general points of interest to note concerning Cossacks is that a few regiments painted their lance shafts (red seems to have been a popular colour in Don Cossack units) and not all the clothing need be of muted shades. A British Royal Navy Lieutenant once witnessed that all Cossacks were fond of fi ne clothes, never mind of what colour or fashion and that they would often wear four or fi ve coats one over the other according to size. Furthermore, the painter should avoid making their Cossacks look too grubby. Although the rough and ready appearance of the Cossacks was often commented upon by contemporaries it was Eureka Guides Cossacks: 3

4 also noted that they took a lot of pride in their appearance and that contrary to the popular image they looked healthy and they took care to keep themselves clean. Officers, Standards and Musicians Offi cers were usually distinguished by the short leather whips they carried (sometimes called a Nagaika or Knout) and although invariably of limited fi nancial means many offi cers wore jackets or caftans adorned with white or yellow cloth tape in simulation of hussar style lace. The offi cer in Plate 2 suggests that some could also afford brighter coloured, more eye-catching clothing. Around this time Russian authorities began to issue Cossack units with standards (although they may have carried their own emblems prior to this and some regiments no doubt continued to do so). The 1st and 2nd Sotnia of the Life Guard were given swallow tailed pennant Guidons of white and raspberry cloth respectively, fringed in gold, and bearing a Maltese Cross emblem close to the staff. Some ordinary Cossack regiments had received similar pennant style Guidons by The Ural Sotnia of the Life Guard were issued with a square Dragoon pattern fl ag quartered vertically and horizontally by four white rays tapering to the centre set against a red background. At the centre was an orange roundel typical of all Russian fl ags during this era containing a wreath and double headed imperial eagle. In April 1798 the Ural Voisko regiment were given a square standard comprising of a blue cross set on a white background. The cross was adorned with four gold stars at its centre and four imperial monograms at the ends of each arm. Each of the white quarters contained painted religious icons. Dr Stephen Summerfi eld s book Cossack Hurrah! contains illustrations of these standards. Plate 1 in this document (above) shows an early pennant fl ag of an interesting design. No buglers or other musicians were offi cially fi elded in ordinary Cossack regiments, but trumpets were issued to the Sotnia of the Life Guard. Details of the official Cossack uniforms The Life Guard Horses and Horse furniture Cossack horses were unprepossessing beasts, usually described as small, rough looking and even emaciated, but the same observers also recorded their surprise at these ponies great resilience, endurance, and speed. Cossacks provided their own horses (two of them one for riding and the other for carrying supplies and baggage) and they could be of any coat colour or pattern. Shaggy manes and long un-cropped tails were typical. Bridles were often basic, sometimes simple snaffl es of rope that allowed the horse to graze more easily while on the move. Other horse furniture was often no more than a folded blanket of any colour thrown over a very rudimentary wooden frame saddle. Many of the domestic wooden saddles the Cossacks brought with them were padded with two pronounced leather cushions that sat laterally across the saddle. Saddle cloths, if carried were usually simple blankets but some more uniformed regiments had pointed shabraques. (See the red and blue examples in Plate 1). Leib-Cossacks Crimson half-caftans possibly with a blue upstanding collar. Baggy trousers (called shirovary) in turquoise (some sources such the Osprey The Cossacks show matching crimson trousers). Black neck cloths. Black Bukhara fl eece Astrakan style caps with scarlet cloth bags and cords / tassels of worsted sky-blue and raspberry, and a plume of white feathers. White linen waistbelts in the 1st or Leib Sotnia, and dark-blue linen in the 2nd Sotnia. Black scabbards with iron fi ttings, carried on black leather waist belt and straps. Lance shafts were painted red. The saddle had a red cloth pillow, and the saddlecloth was red - trimmed around the edges and diagonally across the corners with white tape. White cloth valise. All horse leatherwork is black with iron buckles and rings. During the winter a long dark-blue caftan was worn over the red half-caftan. (See Plate A: Osprey Warrior volume number 67). Leib-Ural Sotnia Rasberry caftans with thin lace trim (white for lower ranks and silver for offi cers) and raspberry shirovary trousers with no trim. High standing Ural caps, also raspberry, with black fur headband. (Cloth part of the cap was square at the bottom rising to a point at the top). Offi cers caps were trimmed in silver lace. Black leather equipment except for white leather carbine belt. (See Plate A: fi gure 3 in Osprey Men-at-Arms volume number 189). Eureka Guides Cossacks: 4

5 Outside of the Life Guard According to the Russian historian Viskovatov only four other Cossack regiments outside of the Life Guard were issued with formal uniform regulations during the reign of Paul I. These were 1st and 2nd Chuguev Regiments Red half-caftans with diagonal hussar cuffs and red shirovary trousers. Black Astrakan style caps with red cloth bags. Boots were black for lower ranks, yellow for offi cers. Outer long caftan coats were black with red lining and trimmed with tape along the edges of the collar and cuffs (offi cers additionally trimmed down the coat s front opening edge with lace). Trim and buttons were yellow / gold in the 1st Chuguev Regiment (gold for offi cers) and white / silver in the 2nd Chuguev Regiment. Saddlecloths were red. 1st and 2nd Teptyar Regiments Dark blue caftans and black shirovary trousers. No trim and no button colours specifi ed. Girdles of straw-coloured cloth with red trim along the edges. Headdresses of unknown type, but probably similar to that worn by Ural Cossacks; described as being of dark blue cloth with a black band. Summary When painting Cossack units for 1799 (that were not part of the Life Guard or one of the other rare regiments which were offi cially regulated) there are no hard and fast rules. Collectors can consider painting just one or two of their Don Cossack units all wearing dark blue uniforms with neat red seam trims, consistently coloured leatherwork, and Astrakan caps of the same fur colour with identical coloured cap bags. However, for the majority of Don Cossacks (and certainly ALL of the Ural Cossacks) the fi gure painter should look to a far ranging combination of blues, browns, greys, greens, dark reds and other muted shades with little or no trim or decoration. Caftans and trousers should rarely match on the same fi gure. This overall earthy look to the unit can be contrasted with offi cer fi gures picked out in slightly brighter colours and applied white or yellow decoration along the front edges of caftans and around button holes. Other splashes of colour can be achieved with an occasional Cossack trooper wearing some colourful item of acquired clothing, or by painting some Cossacks in striped and checked trousers. Leatherwork can be a mixture of black and brown, even on the same fi gure or horse, or cream to represent the poorer quality cloth belts. The majority of Don Cossack Astrakan caps should probably be of black fur with red bags, but a liberal scattering of examples in different shades of brown and darker grey fur and perhaps even a unit with different coloured cap bags is perfectly acceptable (although on the last point the bags should probably be kept the same shade within the one unit). The Ural Cossacks caps can be painted any colour within the one regiment, and combined with black, brown and grey fur headbands. For the horses, the inclusion of one or two skewbald or piebald mounts among all the bays and chestnuts will help add to the irregular look of the unit. The painted miniatures interpreted here by our painter, Kosta Heristanidis, used a combination of the following Vallejo Paint colours for the basic clothing: 841 Andrea Blue; 811 Blue Violet; 816 Luftwaffe Uniform; 965 Prussian Blue; 857 Golden Olive; 968 Flat Green; 879 Green Brown; 321 (Pz Aces) Highlight British Tanker; 846 Mahogany; 805 German Orange; 818 Red Leather; 859 Black Red Eureka Guides Cossacks: 5

6 Bibliography The bulk of the information contained in some of the following titles not surprisingly deals mainly with the Cossacks who fought against Napoleon between 1805 and 1814 rather than the earlier Wars of the French Revolution. To some extent this is a refl ection of the disproportional wealth of accessible historical material that has been generated by the intense study of the later Napoleonic campaigns. More signifi cantly the absence of any far reaching Cossack uniform regulations prior to 1801 means that there is but a limited amount of reliable evidence and documentation that the historian can draw upon when attempting to defi ne how the Cossacks looked at this time. However, these titles all contain at least some useful information pertinent to the Cossacks in Duffy, C (1999) Eagles over the Alps: Suvorov in Italy and Switzerland 1799, Emperor s Press Haythornthwaite, P (1981) Uniforms of the French Revolutionary Wars , Blandford Press Haythornthwaite, P (1987) The Russian Army of the Napoleonic Wars (2) Cavalry, Osprey Men-at-Arms Series No Opsrey Publishing Spring, L (2003) The Cossacks , Osprey Warrior Series No. 67. Osprey Publishing Summerfi eld, S (2005) Cossack Hurrah! Russian irregular cavalry organisation and uniforms during the Napoleonic War, Partizan Press Finally, a special mention must be made of Mark Conrad s Russian Military History website A vital resource for anyone interested in the Russian army who cannot read Russian! Mark has translated into English numerous Russian articles and offi cial regulations including A V Viskovatov s multi volume guides to the organisation and uniforms of the Russian army between 1796 and Although light on illustrations the text fi les are well worth wading through. Try Viskovatov Vol. 9 - Guards, Cossacks, National Troops, Administration for the limited amount of information on the 1799 Cossacks. John Chadderton Eureka Miniatures (Version th February 2011) Eureka Guides Cossacks: 6