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Baikal Cossacks wereCossacks of theTransbaikal Cossack Host (Russian:Забайка́льское каза́чье во́йско); aCossack host formed in 1851 in the areas beyondLake Baikal (hence, Transbaikal).
The Transbaikal Cossack Host was one of those created during the 19th century as the Russian Empire expanded to the Far East and South-East. It remained smaller than the Don Cossacks and other longer-established Hosts. The Transbaikal Cossack Host partially consisted ofSiberian Cossacks,Buryats,Evenk (Tungus) military units, and included thepeasant population of some of the regions. The military component included threecavalryregiments and three unmountedbrigades. Its main purpose was to patrol theSino-Russian border and perform everyday military duties in the region. The official leader of the Transbaikal Cossack Host had the title ofNakaznyataman ("the one who was appointed"). From 1872 he also served as military governor of the Transbaikaloblast, which had with itsheadquarters inChita.[1][2]
In the early 20th century, the Transbaikal Cossack Host normally supplied onepolusotnya (fifty men) of guards for rural policing work, four cavalry regiments, and twobatteries in time of peace. DuringWorld War I, the Host expanded to one polusotnya, nine cavalry regiments, four batteries, and three reservesotnyas (each of one hundred men). In 1916, the Cossack population of the Transbaikal Cossack Host numbered 265,000 people, out of which 14,500 men served in the military.[3]
The Transbaikal Cossack Army is known to have participated in the suppression of theBoxer Rebellion in 1899–1901, theRusso-Japanese War of 1904–1905, andWorld War I. Many of the Cossack divisions were disbanded in 1917, but were recreated in 1918. During theRussian Civil War, the more prosperous Cossacks joined the ranks of theanti-Soviet armies ofGeneralGrigory Semenov and baronRoman Ungern. The poorer Cossacks took an active part in theguerrilla movement.
In 1920 at the end of theRussian Civil War, the Transbaikal Cossack Host was disbanded.
However, the remnant of Baikal Cossacks fled toManchuria and some of their troops came under the command of the JapaneseManchukuo Imperial Army in order to resist Soviet Union.[4]
The distinguishing colour of the Transbaikal Cossack Host was yellow; worn on the cap bands,epaulettes and wide trouser stripes of a dark green uniform of the loose-fitting cut common to the Steppe Cossacks. Individual regiments were distinguished by numbers on the epaulettes. High lambs-wool hats (papakha) were worn on occasion, with yellow cloth tops.[5] From 1908 the new khaki service jacket of the regular Russian cavalry was adopted, but the yellow shoulder straps of the full dress uniform were retained, as was yellow piping on the blue/grey breeches.[6]