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Astrakhan Cossack Host (Russian:Астраханское казачье войско,romanized: Astrakhanskoye kazachye voysko) was aCossack host ofImperial Russia drawn from theCossacks of theLower Volga region, who had been patrolling the banks of theVolga River from the time of Russia'sannexation ofAstrakhan Khanate in 1556.
In 1737, the Russian government relocated a number of theVolga Cossacks to Astrakhan and formed a Cossack unit of 3sotnyas, or 300 men, for escorting couriers and correspondence and for guard duty, which would be re-organized into the Astrakhanregiment (5 sotnyas, or 500 men) on March 28, 1750. It was settled along the right bank of the Volga River from Astrakhan toCherniy Yar (a town in theAstrakhan Oblast). In the early 19th century, the regiment was reinforced with the Cossacks fromTsaritsyn,Kamyshin,Saratov, and also with the remnants of theVolga Cossacks, someKalmyks andTatars. In 1817, the Astrakhan regiment (16 sotnyas, by that time) was reorganized into a 3-regiment Astrakhan Cossack Host. In 1833, it was transferred from under the authority of theCaucasuscorps to thegovernor (ataman) of Astrakhan. In 1872, the Astrakhan Cossack Host was divided into 2 departments and re-grouped into 1 cavalry regiment. The Astrakhan Cossack Host possessed 4stanitsas next to Tsaritsyn, Saratov, Cherniy Yar andKrasniy Yar, 16yurt stanitsas, 57khutors (farms), and 808,000desyatinas of land. One desyatina equals 2,7acres (11,000 m2).
The Astrakhan Cossack Host took part in thePatriotic War of 1812 andRusso-Turkish Wars of the 19th century. Major GeneralPyotr Mikhailovich Skarzhinsky [ru] was a notable commander(1790-1792).[1] Skarzhinsky would also serve as governor ofAstrakhan. At least two mounted regiments of Astrakhan Cossacks saw active service as part of the Tsarist armies in World War I.
During theRussian Civil War, Prince Tundutov formed a small army of Astrakhan Cossacks.[2] A significant number of participated in the Astrakhanoffensive. In October–November 1919, theWhites were defeated at Astrakhan, causing the disbandment of the Astrakhan Cossack Host in 1920.
In 1916, the total number of Astrakhan Cossacks was approximately 40,000 people. In times of peace, the Astrakhan Cossack Host supplied 1 cavalry regiment (4 sotnyas) and 1platoon of guards (local police); in times of war - 3 cavalry regiments, 1 platoon of guards, 1battalion of infantry, 1 special and 1 reserve sotnyas (to a Host total of 2,600 men). In addition, one platoon of the Composite Cossack Regiment of the Imperial Guard was provided by the Astrakhan Host.
The Astrakhan Cossacks were unusual in that there was no single Host area. They had instead evolved into a number of separate districts, communities and farms located in clusters along the right bank of the Volga River between Astrakhan and Chenyi Yar. Although long-established, their relatively small numbers and scattered locations made the Astrakhan Cossacks one of the less significant of the Hosts, overshadowed by the neighboringDon Cossacks.
The distinguishing colour of the Astrakhan Cossack Host was yellow; worn on the cap bands, epaulettes and wide trouser stripes of a dark blue uniform of the loose-fitting cut common to the Steppe Cossacks. Individual regiments were distinguished by numbers on the epaulettes. Lambs-wool hats (papakha) were worn on occasion with yellow cloth tops.[3]
No spurs were worn by the Astrakhan and other cossack hosts. After 1907 a khaki-grey jacket was adopted for field uniform, worn with blue-grey breeches.[4] The astrakhan hats and yellow trouser stripes of the peacetime uniform were however retained during World War I.
This article includes content derived from theGreat Soviet Encyclopedia, 1969–1978, which is partially in thepublic domain.