Cossack ranks. Cossack ranks and shoulder straps

The Cossacks have always been fanned by a touch of romance, and many consider the Cossacks to be something like knights without fear and reproach of ancient times. However, few people know that they had a very serious organization and a clear list of ranks, which is not typical of medieval knights. As they developed, the ranks and ranks were increasingly reduced to analogues in the regular army of Russia. Cossacks belong to the received ranks and the rights and obligations implying them are much more reverent than some representatives of the army.

Cossacks. Ranks, ranks and shoulder straps

Initially, all Cossack ranks, ranks and epaulets were awarded in an elected manner. However, over time, as the Cossacks became troops and the development of military affairs itself, they gradually expanded, and as a result, according to the provision on Cossack ranks and production, all such insignia were brought into a more convenient, simple and understandable form. Thanks to this, the interaction between the units of the Cossacks and the regular army was greatly simplified, and as a result, the combat effectiveness of all the troops as a whole increased. Naturally, this positively influenced both the spirit of the army and the results of the military operations carried out jointly by regular and Cossack forces. Despite the fact that initially many representatives of the Cossack family opposed such changes, over time they could not fail to recognize the positive properties and did not change their point of view. Or leave her with you, even if you stubbornly refused to recognize but did not want to leave the service to the country and the sovereign.

Lower ranks

The lowest rank was considered an ordinary Cossack, on the shoulder straps of which there were no bastards at all. He corresponded to the rank of ordinary ordinary and had the same responsibilities. Following him, in increasing order, there was a clerk, on the pursuit of which one little tag flaunted. He corresponded to the corporal in the ordinary forces and performed the same functions. Then came the officer, divided into the junior officer, the officer and senior officer. He was an analogue of the sergeant in the standard army and had the same insignia on uniform. Two stitches for the junior officer, three for the officer and one wide for the senior officer. The officers not only corresponded to sergeant ranks, but also were responsible for exactly the same areas of service. It was customary to turn to the officers "mister officer" regardless of whether he was the eldest or the younger. That is how the lower ranks and epaulets of the Cossacks of the Russian Empire at that time looked.

Junior ranks

As already mentioned above, as the Cossack army became established and, as a result, the need for new ranks appeared, they gradually increased in number. So, the Cossack ranks, ranks and shoulder straps of the junior command staff looked as follows: junior wahmister, wahmister and senior wahmister. He was an analogue of the modern rank of ensign. He served as assistant commander in terms of providing the Cossacks with everything necessary and monitored the internal order. On the shoulder straps of the junior wahmister, there was one long line parallel to the shoulder strap, the wahmister had two small stars along the shoulder strap, and the senior wahmister had three. According to tradition, the bearers of this rank (or rank, to be more precise) were referred to only as "Mr. Wahmister." At the same time, it was absolutely not important, the junior or senior, this particular vahmister.

Senior ranks

Cossack ranks and epaulets of senior command staff were more diverse. They were treated in ascending order: undercountry, corral, centurion and podesaul. Undercounter and corralcier were the Cossack version of the second lieutenant and lieutenant, and the centurion was the senior lieutenant. They were responsible for the same elements of the combat effectiveness of the Cossack army as their counterparts in the regular army. Podesaul served as captain and had all the same rights and duties as his counterpart in conventional troops. On the shoulder straps of the underling there was one long, parallel to the shoulder strap, right on which one small asterisk was located. It was customary to turn to him "Mr. Undersailor." The cornet had the same long string shared two similar stars, and the centurion had three. Four stars appeared on the chase of the subaul at once, two of which were separated by a long little ribbon, and two were directly on it. To all, except the under-jungler, "your nobleness." It was understood that all the nobility belonged to the officers, and the attitude was appropriate. As, in fact, the demand from them, significantly increasing as you receive more and more new titles.

Top ranks

Cossack ranks, ranks and shoulder straps of higher Cossacks in their positions consisted of Yesaul, who was an analogue of a major, army foreman, who performed the duties of lieutenant colonel and Cossack colonel, who was, in fact, a colonel, with all the rights and duties that leave this rank. On the esaul's shoulder straps, as well as on the underling, there was one long, parallel to the shoulder strap, but there were no stars. The shoulder strap of the military foreman was immediately decorated with two parallel streamers and three stars, and on the shoulder straps of the Cossack colonel were just two streamers, like a military foreman, and there were no stars at all. The traditional appeal to all the main ranks is your high nobility. It was a senior officer who, for the most part, directly commanded the large forces of the Cossacks both during the conduct of hostilities and in peacetime.

High rank

Cossack ranks, ranks and shoulder straps of the highest command staff are represented by only one rank - the Cossack general. The highest and most honorable post in this army, whose orders were the highest priority and not subject to discussion. The epaulette was absolutely without bastards, with two stars. This ends the Cossack ranks and titles, the description of which is given above. At present, this structure has not undergone any changes and remains the same as many years ago. Cossacks now have a slightly different form than in ancient times, but they still honor the old traditions and adhere to the code of honor, adopted a long time ago.

Understanding of the image of a Cossack is represented by a picture of a young man with a fancy look, an earring in his ear, a mustache, a saber and always with a hat on his head. Such an image was firmly established thanks to numerous works of literature in which the Cossacks were considered as an independent ethnic group, with their traditions, cultural heritage, and way of life. But not everyone reliably knows the history of the emergence of the Cossacks in Russia, and meanwhile, there are many interesting facts in it.

History of the Russian Cossacks

It is not possible to establish the origin of the term “Cossack” without disputes. On this occasion, there are several versions that contradict each other. Only 18 are accepted as official ones. All of them are united in two groups, the main idea of \u200b\u200bwhich is the migration character of the resettlement of Cossacks or the emergence of a new ethnic group, as a radical layer of the population. We do not set ourselves the goal of studying the true history of the emergence of the Cossacks, since this process was quite long and it was associated with a complex mixture of different genera. Of interest is the formation of the Cossack army, and here it is necessary to turn to history.

The first Cossack communities have been known since the 15th century. Initially, they were a group of free Don, Dnieper or Volga Cossacks, and later the famous Zaporizhzhya Sich arose. History knows facts about the existence of Siberian as well as Terek groups. They were engaged in hunting and fishing, but by the 18th century they had mastered farming. By the time of entry into the military structure of the Russian Empire, the Cossacks had become a truly independent group, having income not only from fishing, but also from receiving state salaries.

In the history of battles of Russian troops of the imperial era, a separate line belongs to the Cossacks. They not only took part in the protection of state borders. As part of the expeditions of famous explorers, Cossacks were necessarily present.

In the final of the Patriotic War of 1812, which was marked by the fact that the Russian army stormed the French capital, powerful agitation was carried out among the population aimed at demonizing the Cossack troops. What was the surprise of ordinary citizens when the stately military entered the capital, with all their appearance being a symbol of valor, honor and justice.

Don Cossacks and Kuban

All communities were divided among themselves according to the territory of settlement:

• The troops of the Don Cossacks were formed from representatives of a group settled along the banks of the Don River. Donets are considered the most numerous, since they occupied the territory of the Rostov, Volgograd, Voronezh, Donetsk and Lugansk regions. Even the territory of Kalmykia came under the settlement of the Don Cossacks.
• The tsarist army also included the troops of the Kuban Cossacks. It is easy to guess that the geography of the Kuban Cossacks is connected with the river of the same name. Their territory stretched from the Rostov region, in the North Caucasus, to the Republic of Adygea. Many military exploits were performed by the Kuban in the ranks of the Russian army, but they also became famous for their cultural heritage, which has recently been actively restored.

In general, if we start talking about the state of the Cossacks today, it should be noted that the revival of traditions is almost a state program. This was repeatedly stated by President V.V. Putin

Cossacks in the 20th century

The history of the Russian Cossacks in the 20th century is full of tragic events. After the revolution, everything was denied that in any way reminded of the monarchy, and since the Cossacks symbolized the protection and inaccessibility of the imperial throne, this estate was subjected to mass repression. As an army structure, the Cossack army was abolished, and the population was resettled throughout the state, and there is no need to talk about imprisonment and executions.

But loyalty to their Fatherland, which remained in the blood of hereditary Cossacks, gave an impetus to revival. This period fell on a difficult time for the country - the time of the Great Patriotic War. On all fronts, the newly formed Cossack units heroically fought for freedom from the German invaders.

Today, the TFR (Union of Cossacks of Russia) is reviving the Cossack ranks and epaulettes, as well as the order of their wearing and appropriation. Popularization of the Cossacks does not turn it into a fashionable trend. It honors commitment by blood, and not just the desire to join the community.

Hierarchy in the Cossack army

A rather large number of different ranks and ranks were met in the Cossack troops, largely because their original ones were elected. These included the chieftain, cantereus, centurion, hetman and foreman. After some time, to be more precise, in the fifteenth to sixteenth centuries, new military ranks appeared, among which - a fan, Yesaul, Podesaul, Hetman, Ataman and others. It was from this that the development of the systematization of Cossack troops began, which subsequently made the necessary contribution to the development of the Cossacks.

From that moment, sets of Cossack troops began to be conducted in numbers of 600 people. The "head", which was engaged in the recruitment of the required number of soldiers, followed the direct orders of senior military officials represented by the governor. The set was carried out from "devices", which were divided into smaller ones - hundreds. Hundreds were headed by centurions, under whose leadership there were fifty. Further along the hierarchy, dozens followed, which, therefore, were controlled by the foremen. Each managed his unit in due measure.

In each Cossack settlement, military Cossacks were distributed, who performed almost the same duties and had the same rights as ordinary archers. The detachments in the Cossack troops were called villages, headed by atamans. Upon entering the service in a particular city, where they later lived, they obeyed the city governor, fulfilling all his orders and instructions.

As a mansion, other “sentry” Cossacks were sent to this settlement, who already had another manager. Their position was especially high, they were considered more elite than even Pentecostals. In the case of the chieftains, they were also highly rated, they were even put on a par with the "boyar children", as a result of which they were honored to receive, in addition to money, also land within the village.

As a result of the “Table of Ranks,” which came out from the pen of Peter the Great, in the eighteenth century there were global changes in the Cossack ranks of the tsarist army. All ranks and ranks were ordered, distributed in one class - the first. At the end of the same century, changes occurred with the Cossack military system, they were included in the main document and now stood on a par with other ranks.

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, certain innovations occurred, as a result of which the Cossack troops were retrained. But after the monarch Alexander the Third introduced these changes, no further innovations were expected in the future, only at the end of the nineteenth century a new rank appeared - the Undercity.

Cossack epaulets

Although the Cossacks were considered a free formation, a strictly defined unity of command was established in the ranks of the troops. After the introduction of troops into regular formations, military ranks in the Cossack troops of the tsarist army were brought into line with officer ranks. It is still possible to compare Cossack ranks and shoulder straps, for example, with shoulder straps of the army of the Russian Federation or the USSR.

The junior rank of an ordinary is equal to the rank of a Cossack. The Cossack wears epaulettes of a pentagonal shape in blue. A shoulder strap is fastened to the collar with a silver button with the image of the coat of arms. The field version of shoulder straps was also determined; it is made of green cloth. The Cossack has no pads or stripes.

Across the epaulette of the order following in the Cossack hierarchy, a narrow strip in the form of a stripe is placed, it is often called a plaque. In the ranks of the Soviet or Russian army a similar distinction is assigned to the corporal. The title Cossack Cossack could get only after a certain time of service. In the vast majority of cases, the titles were appointed, but some of them were elected by a general meeting.

The junior officer and senior officer are the ranks who were endowed with the same powers as the sergeants. Organizational and team functions were entrusted to them, subject to the availability of appropriate training. The shoulder straps of the order contain two or three narrow strips. It is known that in RA in this way the rank of junior sergeant or sergeant is designated. The color of the stripes is white or silver.

Senior sergeant crowns a sergeant group of military ranks. In the Cossack army there is no such consonance. The rank of the vahmistr, on the pursuit of which flaunts one wide leash of white color. If we draw analogies with the troops of the tsarist era, then the commander served as sergeant major. The main position in the hierarchy remains identical. After this title, a group of officer ranks begins.

Officer's epaulettes have six angles. Part of the shoulder strap facing the collar is made in the form of a trapezoid. As before, it is fastened with a button with a coat of arms, but is no longer made of cloth, but of specially bound galun. Undercounter corresponds to the rank of junior lieutenant. A cornflower blue gleam stands out on a silver field; this gap is sometimes called a strip. In the modern army, one clearance indicates that a soldier is a junior officer. On the pursuit of the underling there is one sprocket, which is mounted along the axis of symmetry. Kant epaulettes cornflower blue.

The coronet and the centurion complete this group. If we give an analogy with modern army ranks, then in terms of status and type of shoulder straps these ranks are similar to a lieutenant and a senior lieutenant. When compared with the imperial army, the centurion corresponded to the rank of lieutenant. These ranks have two stars across the shoulder strap, and three stars form a triangle.

The officer who bears the rank in the Cossack army corresponding to the army rank of major is Yesaul. His epaulette does not contain stars, but it has two gaps of a cornflower blue hue. The difference in the construction of the hierarchy is that the previous rank of the subaul belongs to the junior officers and corresponds to the captain, while the two strips of the Yesaul indicate an increase in rank.

The next step is associated with the title. There is still a difference, since three stars are located on the pursuit of this officer. That is, it is clear that there is no habitual addition of stars, as in RA. This title corresponds to the rank of lieutenant colonel (two stars with two lumens). Unity in the rank of colonel is restored. A Cossack colonel is considered to be in the same rank as a colonel of the RF Armed Forces.

The correspondence of the ranks of the Cossack army and the ranks of the Armed Forces is clearly regulated for effective assistance. Separate formations of the Cossack army are involved in patrolling and to control order in crowded places, although they operate under the auspices of voluntary organizations.

The first ranks, or in modern terms, are positions among the Cossacks; Hetman, chieftain, clerk, centurion, ten's manager were elected. The late appearance of ranks in the Cossack troops dates back to the XV-XVI centuries, which was primarily associated with the transformation of the Cossacks into a military organization, as part of the country's armed forces. In the Russian army, the ranks were first introduced in the middle of the 16th century in the Streltsy army. The last Russian tsar and the first all-Russian emperor Peter I Alekseevich "The Great" established a unified system of military, civil and court ranks, which was finally fixed in 1722 in the Table of Ranks. The ranks were assigned to a particular class, the eldest of which was the first class. At the end of the 18th century, officers ranks of Cossack troops were included in the Table of Ranks. In 1828, under Emperor Nicholas I, a unified system of all military ranks (ranks) was introduced in the Cossack troops. By that time, the Cossacks had the following ranks:

staff officers(senior officers) - colonel, lieutenant colonel and army foreman;

chief officers  (junior officers) - Yesaul, centurion, coronet;

lower ranks  - Wahmister, officer, clerk and Cossack (private). In the future, this system of military ranks (ranks) in the Cossack troops did not suffer any more changes. In 1880, the rank of underling was introduced. In 1884, the rank of lieutenant colonel was replaced by the rank of army foreman, who used to correspond to the army major, and the rank of sub-commander, equal to the staff captain in the army cavalry, was introduced.

Cossack

At the very bottom step of the Cossack army's service ladder stood an ordinary Cossack, corresponding to an ordinary infantry.

Order

The prikazny had one tag and corresponded to a corporal in the infantry.

Squad

The ranks of the junior officer and senior officer corresponded to the junior non-commissioned officer, non-commissioned officer and senior non-commissioned officer, respectively, the number of bast is characteristic of the modern sergeant.

Wahmister

The Wahmister is the next rank, which was not only in the Cossacks, but also in the non-commissioned officers of the cavalry and horse artillery. In the Russian army and the gendarmerie, the commander was the closest assistant to the hundreds commander, squadron, and battery for combat training, internal order and economic affairs. The rank of vahmistra corresponded to the rank of sergeant major in the infantry.

Undercounter

According to the provision of 1884, introduced by Alexander III, the next rank in the Cossack troops, but only for wartime, was a sub-sergeant, an intermediate rank between the ensign and the ensign in the infantry, also introduced in wartime. In peacetime, in addition to Cossack troops, these ranks existed only for reserve officers.

Corral

Khorunzhiy - the next degree in chief officer ranks, corresponding to the second lieutenant in the infantry and cornet in the regular cavalry. According to his official position, he corresponded to a lieutenant in the modern army, but wore epaulets with a blue clearance on a silver field with two stars. In the army of the time of the Russian Empire, compared with the Soviet, the number of stars was one more.

Centurion

The centurion is the chief officer rank in the Cossack troops, corresponding to the lieutenant in the regular army. The centurion wore epaulets of the same design, but with three stars, corresponding in position to the modern senior lieutenant.

Podseaul

Podesaul was the assistant or deputy of the esaul and in his absence commanded the Cossack hundred. Shoulder straps had the same design as the centurion, but with four stars. In official position corresponds to the modern captain. This rank was introduced in 1884. In the regular troops, it corresponded to the ranks of the captain and captain.

Esaul

Yesaul (Turk. - chief) were general, military, regimental, hundred, stanitsa, marching and artillery. General Yesaul (two on the Army) - the highest rank after the hetman. In peacetime, the General Yesauls performed inspectorial functions, commanded several regiments in the war, and in the absence of a hetman, the entire Army. But this is typical only for Zaporozhye Cossacks.

  Military esaul  were selected on the Army Circle (in the Donskoy and most of the others, two each for the Army, in the Volzhsky and Orenburg - one each). Engaged in administrative affairs. Since 1835, they were appointed as adjutants at the military ataman.

Regimental Yesaul  (initially two per regiment) they performed the duties of staff officers, were the closest assistants to the regiment commander. Hundreds of Yesauls (one per hundred) commanded hundreds. This link did not take root in the Don Army after the first centuries of the Cossacks. The village Yesauls were characteristic only of the Don Army. They were selected at the village gatherings and were assistants to the village chieftains.

Marching Yesaul (usually two on the Army) were selected when speaking on a campaign. They served as assistants to the military chieftain, in the XVI-XVII centuries, in his absence, they commanded an army, later they executed the orders of the military chieftain. The artillery esaul (one per Army) obeyed the chief of artillery and carried out his instructions.

General, regimental, stanichny and other Yesauls were gradually abolished. Only the military esaul was preserved under the military ataman of the Cossack army. In 1798 - 1800 the rank of esaul was equated with the rank of captain in the cavalry. Esaul, as a rule, commanded the Cossack hundred. According to official position, the modern captain. He wore epaulets with a blue gap on a silver field without stars.

Next are the headquarters officer ranks. In fact, after the reform of Alexander III in 1884, the rank of esaul entered this rank, in connection with which the major link was removed from the headquarters of officers, as a result of which the soldier from the captains immediately became a lieutenant colonel.

Army foreman.The name of the military foreman came from the ancient name of the executive authority of the Cossacks. In the second half of the 18th century, this name in a modified form was extended to persons who commanded certain branches of the Cossack army. Since 1754, the army foreman was equated with a major, and with the abolition of this rank in 1884 - to lieutenant colonel. He wore epaulets with two blue gaps on a silver field and three stars.

Colonel

Colonel - epaulettes are the same as the army foreman, but without asterisks. Starting from this rank, the career ladder is unified with the pan-army, as the purely Cossack names of ranks disappear. The official position of the Cossack general is fully consistent with the general ranks of the Russian Army.

  Cossack ranks

Cossack ranks

Cossack ranks  - These are the ranks that are personally assigned to military personnel and those liable for military service (including Cossacks on privilege) in accordance with their military and special training, official position, merit, seniority, membership in the Cossack army.

STORY

The first ranks (positions) of the Cossacks, the so-called Cossack foreman (Don, Zaporozhye, and so on) - the chieftain, hetman, clerk, clerk, centurion, ten's manager - were elected.

The late appearance of ranks in the Cossack troops (colonel, chief ataman, military clerk, military judge, esaul and so on) dates back to the XV-XVI centuries, which was associated with the development of the military organization of the Cossacks as troops.

In the Russian army, the ranks were first introduced in the middle of the 16th century in the Streltsy army.

City Cossacks of the Russian state in the XVI-XVIII centuries, were in the "device" at his head, who recruited them to serve. The Cossack "head" was directly subordinate to the city governor or the siege "head". The normal composition of the “device” was estimated at 500 people. "Devices" were divided into hundreds, which were in the "order" from the centurions. Hundreds, in turn, were divided into fifty (headed by Pentecostals) and dozens (led by tens). The rights and obligations of city Cossack officials corresponded to the functions of the same officers in archers. Cossacks stationed in cities received the name of the city where they were settled. The Cossacks, who entered the service of detachments (villages), retained their elected chieftains, subordinate to the Cossack "head" or the city governor. Watch Cossacks stood alone, often subordinate to their separate “head”. The rank of private watchdog was higher than the rank of Pentecostal city Cossacks. Cossack chieftains, “heads”, centurions, and sentry Cossacks were equated with “children of the boyars” and received not only money, but also land plots for their service.

The last Russian tsar and the first all-Russian emperor Peter I established a unified system of military, civil and court ranks, which was finally fixed in 1722 in the “Table of Ranks”. The ranks were assigned to a particular class, the eldest of which was the first class.

At the end of the 18th century, officers ranks of Cossack troops were included in the Table of Ranks.

In 1828, under Emperor Nicholas I, a unified system of all ranks (military ranks) was introduced in the Cossack troops. By that time, the Cossacks had the following ranks:

• headquarters officers (senior officers) - Colonel lieutenant colonel and army foreman;

• the lower ranks - the chief officer, the officer, the clerk and the Cossack (private).

In the future, this system of ranks (military posts - ranks) in the Cossack troops did not suffer any more changes. In 1880, the rank of underling was introduced.

In 1884, the rank of lieutenant colonel was replaced by the rank of military foreman, who had previously corresponded to the army major, and the rank of sub-commander, equal to the captain in the army cavalry, was introduced.

In the Russian Empire, persons from the Cossack class, performing the duties of the respective Cossack officers, but not having the right to be promoted to military rank, were called “mediocre-coronet”, “mediocre-centurion”, “mediocre-esaul”. For example, the rank of “mediocre coronet” was given to the warlords and ordinaries for military distinctions. On epaulets of a corral they had “on top” of the epaulet, across it, stripes of that rank from which they were promoted to officer rank. Some of the details of the uniforms, such as the absence of officer lanyards, officer galun on harnesses, etc., were also distinguished from regular Cossack officers by ordinary officers.

RATES

COSSACK

On the lowest step of the service ladder of the Cossack army stood private Cossack  corresponding to ordinary infantry.

ORDERED

Order  had one tag and matched corporal  in the infantry.

ORDER

The ranks of the junior officer and senior officer correspond to the junior non-commissioned officer and senior non-commissioned officer, respectively. In the modern Russian army, the rank of officer is similar to that of sergeant, and shoulder straps have two transverse stripes for the younger and three for the senior officer. The officer could command 26 horsemen (platoon). The Cossack officer is the hero of the song “There Away, Over the River”.

VACHMISTER

In the Russian cavalry and gendarmerie, the commander was the closest assistant to the hundreds commander, squadron, battery for drill, internal order and economic affairs. The rank of vahmistra corresponded to the rank of sergeant major in the infantry. In modern Cossacks, there are the ranks of the junior wahmister (foreman), wahmistra (warrant officer) and senior wahmistra (senior warrant officer), which most clearly reflects the correspondence of the wahmisters of the tsarist army and current army ranks and positions.

Undershot

According to the provision of 1884, introduced by Alexander III, the next rank in the Cossack troops, but only for wartime, was the "Under-Jung", which corresponded to the rank of ensign in the infantry (approximately equal to the ensign in the modern army) and was introduced only in wartime. In peacetime, in addition to Cossack troops, these ranks existed only in reserve. Undercount did not belong to the officer rank and was the oldest non-commissioned officer rank.

The first officer rank in the infantry, only in wartime and for militia, was the rank of “ensign”, which corresponds to the modern rank of “junior lieutenant”.

ROUND

Corral - the next degree, in fact the primary chief officer rank, corresponds to the second lieutenant in the infantry or cornet in the cavalry. According to his official position, he corresponds to a lieutenant in the modern army, wore epaulets with a blue gap on a silver field (applied color of the Don Army) with two stars.

SOTNIK

Centurion  - Chief officer rank in the Cossack troops, corresponding to the lieutenant in the regular army. The centurion wore epaulets of the same design, but with three stars, corresponding in position to the modern senior lieutenant. He commanded fifty.

PODESAUL

Podseaul  he was an assistant or deputy esaul, commanded the Cossack hundred. Shoulder straps had the same design as the centurion, but with four asterisks. In official position corresponds to the modern captain. This rank was introduced in 1884. In the regular forces, it corresponded to the ranks of the captain and captain.

ESAUL

Esaul  were general, military, regimental, hundred, stanitsa, marching and artillery. General Yesaul (two on the Army) - the highest rank after the hetman. In peacetime, the General Yesauls performed inspectorial functions, commanded several regiments in the war, and in the absence of a hetman, the entire Army. But this is typical only for Zaporozhye Cossacks.

Military esaul  were selected on the Army Circle (in the Don and most others - two each for the Army, in the Volga and Orenburg - one at a time). Engaged in administrative affairs. Since 1835, they were appointed as adjutants at the military ataman.

Regimental Yesaul  (initially two per regiment) they performed the duties of staff officers, were the closest assistants to the regiment commander. Hundreds of Yesauls (one per hundred) commanded hundreds. This link did not take root in the Don Army after the first centuries of the Cossacks. The village Yesauls were characteristic only of the Don Army. They were selected at the village gatherings and were assistants to the village chieftains.

Marching Yesaul  (usually two on the Army) were selected when speaking on a campaign. They served as assistants to the marching chieftain, in the XVI - XVII centuries, in his absence, they commanded an army, later they executed the orders of the marching chieftain.

Artillery Yesaul  (one for the Army) obeyed the chief of artillery and carried out his instructions.

General, regimental, stanichny and other Yesauls were gradually abolished.

Only the military esaul was preserved under the military ataman of the Cossack army.

In the years 1798-1800. the rank of esaul was equated with the rank of captain in the cavalry.

Esaul, as a rule, commanded (on behalf of the senior commander) a detachment from one to several hundred. He corresponded in official position to a modern major. He wore epaulets with one clearance without stars.

MILITARY ELDER

Title foreman  came from the ancient name of the executive authority of the Cossacks. In the second half of the 18th century, this name in a modified form was extended to persons who commanded certain branches of the Cossack army. Since 1754, the army foreman was equated with a major, and with the abolition of this rank in 1884 - to lieutenant colonel. He wore epaulets with two blue gaps on a silver field and three stars (until 1884, with two stars).

Colonel

Colonel  - epaulets are the same as the military foreman, but without asterisks with two gaps or epaulets. The highest headquarters officer in the Cossack troops. Assigned to regiment commanders.

ATAMAN HIKING

Ataman Pokhodny - epaulettes are the same as those of the general staff. The rank was assigned in wartime to the generals of the Cossack troops in each army; they observed the proper use and saving of Cossack troops.

ATAMAN WAR ORDER

Ataman of the Military Punishment. The rank was assigned to the chief of military and civilian administration of the Don, Siberian, Caucasian and Amur Cossack troops.

ATAMAN PERFECT

The rank was assigned to the chiefs of military and civil administration in Terek, Kuban, Astrakhan, Ural, Semirechensky,.

AUGUSTING ATAMAN OF ALL COSSACK TROOPS

An honorary rank, assigned from 1827 to the Heir Tsesarevich before his accession to the throne.

HETMAN

Hetman  - The traditional title of leaders of the Zaporizhzhya Army. In April-December 1918 - the name of the post of head of the Ukrainian State.

MODERN COSSACKS IN RUSSIA

Currently, Cossack ranks may exist in Cossack organizations. The ranks of members of Cossack societies included in the State Register of Cossack Societies are established by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation and belong to special ranks. The ranks of public organizations are established by a public organization and are not regulated by regulatory legal acts. At the same time, Cossack organizations, as a rule, adhere to the historical names of ranks and insignia. At the same time, part of the public Cossack organizations establish generals previously not existing in the Cossacks.

The following are the ranks of members of Cossack societies included in the State Register of Cossack Societies

Lower and lower ranks
Lower ranks					Junior ranks
Shoulder straps for everyday uniform
Cossack rank	Cossack	Order	Junior officer	Squad	Senior officer	Junior Wahmister	Wahmister	Senior Wahmister
Chin in the Armed Forces of Russia	Private	Corporal	Lance Sergeant	Sergeant	Staff Sergeant	Foreman	Ensign	Senior Warrant Officer
... in the tsarist army			Junior Non-Commissioned Officer	Senior Non-Commissioned Officer		Vakhmistr, sergeant major (patch like a sergeant sergeant)		Ensign
Shoulder straps for camp uniform
Group	Privates		Non-commissioned officers

Senior, main and highest ranks
Senior ranks				Top ranks			High rank
Shoulder straps for everyday uniform
Cossack rank	Undercounter	Corral	Centurion	Podseaul	Esaul	Foreman	Cossack Colonel	Cossack General
Chin in the Armed Forces of Russia	Ensign	Lieutenant	Senior lieutenant	Captain	Major	Lieutenant colonel	Colonel	Major general
... in the tsarist army	Ensign	Second lieutenant Cornet	Lieutenant	Headquarters captain Head Captain	Captain Captain
Shoulder straps for marching uniform
Group	Chief officers				Headquarters officers			Generals

To assign the next rank, the following terms of service are established:

From the Cossack to the junior officer -6 months.
From the junior officer to the officer -6 months.
From the officer to the senior officer -6 months.
From the senior officer to the junior vahmistra -6 months.
From a junior wahmistra to a wahmistra -6 months.
From a wahmister to a senior wahmister -3 years.
From Undercountry to Undercount -1 year 6 months
From cornet to centurion -2 years.
From the centurion to the poddesaul -2 years.
From Podesaul to Yesaul -3 years.
From Yesaul to military foreman -3 years.
From military foreman to Cossack colonel 4 years.
The ranks correspond to the following posts in the Cossack society:
Ataman of the farm Cossack society - up to the centurion (inclusive)
Ataman of the stanitsa (city) Cossack society to Yesaul (inclusive)
Ataman of the district (separate) Cossack society to the Cossack colonel
Ataman of the military Cossack society to the Cossack general.
The deputies of the indicated atamans are assigned the limit rank one step lower than the rank of ataman of the corresponding Cossack society.
The highest representative body (Circle) determines and approves the structure of ranks corresponding to other positions in the Cossack society, in accordance with this paragraph and the recommendations of the Main Directorate of Cossack Troops under the President of the Russian Federation.
The next rank is assigned to a member of the Cossack society on the day of expiration of his service in the previous rank, if he occupies a position for which, in the prescribed manner, a rank is equal to the previous rank of a member of the Cossack society or higher.
The next rank can be assigned ahead of schedule, for special personal merits but not higher than that prescribed in the established order for the position.
Persons expelled from the Cossack society in accordance with its Charter are not entitled to use the corresponding insignia on ranks and wear uniforms unless otherwise decided by the person who assigned the rank.
Illegal appropriation and use of ranks, as well as wearing the corresponding insignia and uniform, entail liability in the prescribed manner.

OFFICIALS AND POWS OF THE COSSACS OF THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE

(on the example of the 4th Don Cossack Count Platov regiment)

Shoulder straps Ranks Cossack Order Junior officer Senior officer Wahmister Undercounter Cossack Warrant Officer (only in wartime) Corral Centurion Podseaul Esaul Foreman Colonel General ranks in the Cossack troops corresponded to the combined arms

At the lowest level of the service ladder was an ordinary Cossack, corresponding to an ordinary infantry.

This was followed by a clerk who had one little lap and corresponding to a corporal in the infantry. The next step in the career ladder is the junior officers, the senior officers, corresponding to the junior non-commissioned officer, non-commissioned officer and senior non-commissioned officer, and with the number of rods characteristic of the modern sergeant.

This was followed by the rank of commander, who was not only in the Cossacks, but also in non-commissioned officers of the cavalry and horse artillery. In the Russian army and the gendarmerie, the commander was the closest assistant to the hundreds commander, squadron, and battery for combat training, internal order and economic affairs. The rank of vahmistra corresponded to the rank of sergeant major in the infantry.

According to the provision of 1884, introduced by Alexander III, the next rank in the Cossack troops, but only for wartime, was a sub-military, an intermediate rank between the ensign and the ensign in the infantry, which was also introduced in wartime. In peacetime, in addition to Cossack troops, these ranks existed only for reserve officers.

The next degree in chief officer ranks is the coronet, corresponding to the second lieutenant in the infantry and the cornet in the regular cavalry. According to his official position, he corresponded to a junior lieutenant in the modern army, but wore epaulettes with a blue clearance on a silver field (applied color of the Don Military) with two stars. In the old army, compared with the Soviet, the number of stars was one more.

This was followed by the centurion - the chief officer’s rank in the Cossack troops, corresponding to the lieutenant in the regular army. The centurion wore epaulets of the same design, but with three stars, corresponding in position to the modern lieutenant. The higher step is the subaul. This rank was introduced in 1884. In the regular troops, it corresponded to the ranks of the captain and captain. Podesaul was the assistant or deputy of the esaul and in his absence commanded the Cossack hundred. Shoulder straps of the same design, but with four stars. In official position corresponds to the modern senior lieutenant.

And the highest rank of chief officer rank is Yesaul. This rank should be discussed especially, since, in a purely historical plane, the people who wore it held positions in both the civilian and military departments. In various Cossack troops, this position included various service prerogatives. The word comes from the Turkic "Yasaul" - the head. In the Cossack troops was first mentioned in 1576 and was used in the Ukrainian Cossack army. The Yesauls were general, military, regimental, hundred, stanitsa, marching and artillery. The General Yesaul (two on the Army) - the highest rank after the hetman. In peacetime, the General Yesauls performed inspectorial functions, commanded several regiments in the war, and in the absence of a hetman, the entire Army. But this is typical only for Ukrainian Cossacks. The military esaul were selected on the Army Circle (in the Don and most of the others, two each for the Army, and one for each in the Volga and Orenburg). Engaged in administrative affairs. Since 1835, they were appointed as adjutants at the military ataman. Regimental Yesauls (originally two per regiment) served as staff officers and were the closest assistants to the regiment commander. Hundreds of Yesauls (one per hundred) commanded hundreds. This link did not take root in the Don Army after the first centuries of the Cossacks. The village Yesauls were characteristic only of the Don Army. They were selected at the village gatherings and were assistants to the village chieftains. Marching Yesaul (usually two on the Army) were selected when speaking on a campaign. They served as assistants to the marching chieftain, in the XVI-XVII centuries, in his absence, they commanded an army, later they executed the orders of the marching chieftain. The artillery esaul (one per Army) obeyed the chief of artillery and carried out his instructions. General, regimental, stanichny and other Yesauls were gradually abolished. Only the military esaul was preserved under the military ataman of the Don Cossack army. In the years 1798-1800. the rank of esaul was equated with the rank of captain in the cavalry. Esaul, as a rule, commanded the Cossack hundred. According to official position, the modern captain. He wore epaulets with a blue gap on a silver field without stars.

Next are the headquarters officer ranks. In fact, after the reform of Alexander III in 1884, the rank of esaul entered this rank, in connection with which the major link was removed from the headquarters of officers, as a result of which the soldier from the captains immediately became a lieutenant colonel.
In the Cossack service ladder, then comes the army foreman. The name of this rank comes from the ancient name of the executive authority of the Cossacks. In the second half of the 18th century, this name in a modified form was extended to persons who commanded certain branches of the Cossack army. Since 1754, the army foreman was equated with a major, and with the abolition of this rank in 1884 - to lieutenant colonel. He wore epaulets with two blue gaps on a silver field and three large stars.

Well, then comes the colonel, epaulettes are the same as those of the army foreman, but without asterisks. Starting from this rank, the career ladder is unified with the pan-army, as the purely Cossack names of ranks disappear.

Cossacks' ranks - past and present

Before the appearance of ranks in the Cossacks, there were elected administrative and command posts. In the middle of the 16th century, the Cherkasy elder Dmitry Vishnevetsky combined disparate Cossack units in the Zaporizhzhya Army with a permanent base on the Dnieper island Malaya Khortitsa - the Zaporizhzhya Sich. The word “chopping” or “notch” originally meant a fortification made of cut down trees, and later on a fortified military camp. Cossacks of the Zaporizhzhya Sich united in 38 smokers on the principle of fraternity, hence their names - Baturinsky, Kanevsky, Korsunsky, etc.
The Zaporizhzhya army was divided into Sich and winter Cossacks. The former had the right to choose elders from among their members and participate in management affairs. Winter Cossacks were not allowed on the Sich, but lived near it, but were also part of the Zaporizhzhya Army.


The command and command of the Sich, the so-called Army foreman was elected by the Sich Rada for a period of one year. It included: the ataman (the Turkic word "kosh" meant nomadism. The Cossacks, using the word "Sich", meant the permanent capital of the Army, and the word "Kosh" meant the entire territory of the nomadic army during the campaigns), a military judge who in the absence of a ataman, he performed his functions as a military clerk (chief of the military chancellery), military esaul (initially he was an assistant to the ataman, and later in charge of weapons and supplies, and also executed orders of the ataman for military unit), 2 esaula, military cornet - keeper military banners (banner), 2 Shafar (treasurer), 4 podshafariya, military gunner (artillery head) and 2 podpushkariya. All of them, together with the smoking atamans, made up a sergeant of elders, led by a cat chief ataman. Smoking foreman was composed of: a smoking ataman, a clerk, a corral and a cook (cook).
The land of the Zaporizhzhya Army was divided into 8 palanques (Turkic district), the population of which consisted of Cossacks and peasants. Each such social group within a settlement constituted a community governed by an elected chieftain. The colonel, who performed the military-administrative functions, appointed the Sich Rada. In his submission were palanca esaul and clerk.
After the liberation of Ukraine from Polish rule, its territory was divided into shelves, shelves were divided into hundreds, and hundreds into smokers. The highest layer of the Cossacks was the general foreman, which included: the hetman (the name of the post came from Poland, borrowed from German: hauptmann - chief), the general wagon (chief of staff. He was in charge of artillery and ammunition. In addition, during the campaign, his duties included: station the army, put the convoy and strengthen it), the general clerk (chief of the general military chancellery), general judges (2 each), general podkarbii (2 each) - heads of the treasury, general yesauls (2 each) - heads of armaments food and supplies, the general coronet (the keeper of the military gonfalon) and the general bunker (the keeper of the hetman's bunchuk - the sign of the hetman’s headquarters, which was a long shaft with a figured top and a lock of horse hair). The honor guard was made by the Bunchuk comrades, who were under the Bunchuk of the Hetman during the campaign.


The regimental foreman was composed of: colonel, convoy, judges (2 each) Yesaul (2 each), coronet and clerk. The structure of the one hundred foreman included: the centurion, the hundred chieftain (who performed judicial functions). Yesaul, coronet and clerk. Smoked chieftains controlled separate villages.
In the 18th century, hetman was assigned a military comrade for military merits, equal to the rank of centurion, but this was not a command post, but an honorary title. At the same time, in the suburban regiments (Akhtyrsky, Izyumsky, Ostrogozhsky, Sumy and Kharkov) the post of regimental rotimstra (German rittmeister - equestrian chief) was introduced - the chief of the regimental cavalry (in seniority was between the judge and the esaul), and in hundreds related to the same regiments - the post of sub-lieutenant (assistant centurion).
The sign of the power of hetmans and ataman of the cat was a mace - a rod with a spherical pommel, and the sign of the power of the colonels - a feather or a six-man - a mace with a pommel, longitudinally divided into six parts - “feathers”.
The military banner was a rectangular panel of initially red, and later - raspberry (purple) color with an image on one side of the white archangel Michael, on the other - a white equilateral cross with images of celestial bodies - the sun, crescent and stars placed in its corners.
The colors of the regimental, hundredth and smoked banners were not regulated, the most common colors were white, blue, yellow, green, red, raspberry, blue. The towels carried images of Jesus Christ, Our Lady, saints. angels, celestial bodies, objects of Cossack weapons, as well as the military coat of arms, which was a golden shield with the figure of an armed Cossack. The banners (banners) of the regiments and hundreds had a rectangular shape, smoked banners were triangular, smaller and were called badges.
In the late 18th - early 19th centuries. completely eliminated Cossack freemen. Cossack service is becoming a kind of state, in connection with which the ranks are introduced, i.e. service categories, giving the right to fill a particular position.
For the first time, ranks were introduced in the middle of the 16th century in the Streltsy army. Later, Peter I established a unified system of military, naval, civil and court ranks, which was finally fixed in 1722 in the “Table of Ranks”. Each rank belonged to a certain class, the eldest of which was the first class.
At the end of the 18th century, officer ranks of the Cossack troops were included in the “Table of Ragnes”. In 1828, under Emperor Nicholas I, a unified system of all military ranks (ranks) was introduced in the Cossack troops. By that time, the Cossacks had the following ranks:
  headquarters officers (senior officers who made up the regimental headquarters) - colonel, lieutenant colonel, military foreman;
  chief officers (junior officers) - Yesaul, centurion, coronet;
  non-commissioned officers (podofitsery) - chief officer, officer;
  lower ranks - the cossack.
Cossack ranks are equated with the army and get the insignia (shoulder straps) of the army sample.
Shoulder straps of the Russian imperial army were somewhat different from modern ones. Captains, colonels and full generals (current colonel generals) had no stars on uniform. The ensign on uniform with one clearance had 1 star, second lieutenant 2, lieutenant 3, staff captain 4. The major on two-lane shoulder straps had 2 stars, lieutenant colonel 3. The major general wore 2 stars on shoulder straps of a zigzag pattern, Lieutenant General 3, General the field marshal had on his shoulder strap an emblem in the form of two crossed field marshal rods. Pogongeneralissimus did not exist, since this rank was assigned in exceptional cases.
The fact that majors and major generals had not one but two stars is explained by the fact that they previously existed, and later the ranks of the brigadier general were abolished (the first general rank, in seniority was higher than the colonel and lower than the major general), and also the prime major and second major (literally - the first major and second major), subsequently replaced by one rank - major.
In 1807 epaulettes were introduced for officers of the army, navy and Cossacks (fr. Epaule - shoulder pads) - a special kind of epaulettes with widened and rounded ends, the so-called “Cups” mounted on the shoulders with a transverse galloon stripe, the so-called counter-flight. The "cups" of the headquarters officer epaulettes were framed with thin fringe, the general epaulettes had a fringe of thick twisted plaits, the chief officer epaulettes had no fringe. The location of the stars was the same as on uniform. Since 1881, epaulettes have become an accessory only in full uniform.
In 1854, instead of the pre-existing fabric cockade, a rosette of flowers of the St. George ribbon on the headgear of the army, navy and Cossacks, a metal oval cockade with enamelled concentric ovals of black and orange colors was introduced. The edges of the cockade had a silver rim. Since 1862, the rim of the cockades of non-commissioned officers and cadets (modern cadets) has received transverse notches and takes the form of a “radiance,” on officer and general badges the orange ovals are replaced with golden ones, and the cockades are framed with a wide “radiance”.
Starting with the creation of Peter the Great's regular army, a title system was introduced, i.e. appeal to the ranks. So, the chief officers were titled “Nobleness”, the head officers- “High Honor”, \u200b\u200bthe brigadiers-general “The Highness”, the major generals and lieutenant generals (in 1730-98 they were called lieutenant generals) - “Excellency”, full generals (in 1722-97 - generals-generals, literally - "main generals") and field-marshals - "Excellency". Persons who wore a count or princely title, regardless of rank, were titled "Your Grace." The title was abolished by a decree of the interim government in March 1917.


In the first half of the 19th century, the Cossack table of ranks acquired the following form. At the lowest level was an ordinary Cossack, corresponding to an army ordinary. then followed the order (literally - “the first time I got the order”), who had on the shoulder straps one narrow braid and corresponding to the corporal. He was an assistant to the cadre and, if necessary, replaced him. The next step is the junior officer and senior officer (literally “standing by the row”, that is, the formation), corresponding to the junior and senior non-commissioned officers or the modern junior sergeant and sergeant, with the number of bastards 2 and 3. respectively. German wachtmeister - sentry officer), which corresponded to sergeant-major or to the modern senior sergeant and had one wide little bow. The oldest non-commissioned officer rank was the undersun (introduced in 1880), corresponding to the ensign or modern foreman. On his shoulder straps was one wide longitudinal galloon. At the beginning of the First World War, in connection with the large decline in officer cadres, an additional rank of ordinary coroner was introduced, which was assigned to persons who held officer positions, but were not officers. The epaulet of an ordinary coroon had a wide longitudinal galloon with a star located in its upper third.
The first chief officer’s rank was a coronet (literally, “carrying a banner”, that is, a standard bearer) equal to an army ensign or a modern junior lieutenant who had 1 star on a one-lane pursuit. The next degree is a centurion (hundreds commander), equal to a lieutenant or a modern senior lieutenant (3 stars). The next in seniority is Yesaul (Turk. Yasaul - chief), equal to the captain and wore epaulets with one clearance without stars. This was followed by the staff officers' ranks - the military foreman (literally - “having seniority in the army”) equal to the major and wore 2 stars on double-lane epaulets, then lieutenant colonel (2 lumens, 3 stars) and colonel (commander of the regiment, 2 lumens without stars) . Starting with the rank of lieutenant colonel, the Cossack office ladder is completely unified with the army, as the purely Cossack names of ranks disappear.
During the reign of Alexander III in 1884, military reform was carried out, as a result of which the rank of major was abolished, and the captain was transferred to the rank of headquarters officer ranks. In the Cossack troops, the rank of Cossack lieutenant colonel is abolished and his place is taken by the army foreman, who received the lieutenant colonel epaulets (2 clearance, 3 stars). Yesaul, who has kept one-lane epaulettes without stars, is being transferred to the rank of headquarters officer ranks. An additional rank of the subaul is introduced, equal to the army staff captain, who received one-lane epaulettes with 4 stars. A corral is equated with a second lieutenant (a modern lieutenant) and receives a second star on shoulder straps. The first chief officer’s rank is the Cossack ensign (one gap and one star).
In the case of a lack of officers with sufficient educational and professional level to fill a team position, a Cossack with a lower rank and level of education and training could be appointed to this position. In this case, he could get an administrative rank, otherwise - an ordinary rank. The entire term that the Cossack served in this position, he enjoyed all the rights and advantages of this rank, while leaving the post, the Cossack returned to the rank that he wore earlier. Epaulets of ordinary officials differed from ordinary epaulets by the presence of one transverse silver ribbon on the lower edge of the epaulet.
In this form, Cossack official production lasted until 1917.

After the collapse of the USSR, the revival of the Cossacks begins. Cossack ranks are unified with the ranks of the modern army while maintaining traditional epaulets. New ranks and insignia are introduced that did not exist before. The Undercity becomes the first officer rank equal to the junior lieutenant, after the junior officer the rank of the officer who received 3 narrow stitches is introduced, the senior officer is assigned one wide shoulder, the younger vahmistra-1 wide longitudinal gallon, the vahmistra - the same gallon, but with two axes located along the longitudinal axis stars, the senior vahmistra - the same, but with three stars.
In the Cossacks of Russia and the Transnistrian Moldavian Republic, the highest rank is the Cossack General, equal in seniority to the Army Major General, and in the All-Belarusian United Cossacks - Colonel General. In Ukraine, due to the existence of numerous disparate Cossack units, the ranks are dominated by complete confusion, which is difficult for the Cossacks to understand. Some of the Ukrainian Cossacks use the traditional ranks and shoulder straps, others adopted a system of ranks using the names of command and administrative posts of the Zaporizhzhya Troops, and the third completely copy army ranks.

  Appendix No. 23

  / to the Charter /

Structure -cossack ranks and the procedure for their appropriation

The OKW adopted the ranks and the corresponding insignia that existed in the Cossack Troops until 1917 (and during the Civil War), based on the Regulation of 1884, with amendments, integrated into modern realities.

To streamline the appropriation of Cossack ranks, the following grid of assigned Cossack ranks is introduced: When joining the ranks of the Cossack association, without exception, everyone is assigned a Cossack rank for certification, upon successful completion of the certification month, a petition is made for the Cossack to be assigned by correspondence or administrative *. The petition is submitted and approved by the Board *.

Cossack rank	Position	Work in the Cossacks. Merit to the Cossacks	Service in R.A., Armed Forces, Navy, Ministry of Emergencies, FSB, Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation	Education	Military department
esaul	deputy chieftain	yes	major	higher (academic degree)	yes
poddesaul	department head	yes	captain	higher (academic degree)	yes
centurion	—	—	senior lieutenant	higher	yes
corral	—	yes	lieutenant	Higher
piedmouth	department specialist	yes	—	secondary special
warmaster	—	yes	—	secondary special
senior officer	—	—	—	secondary special
squad	—	—	—	—
Jr	—	yes	urgent	secondary / secondary - special
instructive	—	yes	—	secondary / secondary - special
cossack	—	—	—	secondary / secondary - special

* Administrative Cossack ranks are divided into:

- lower: Cossack, order;

- non-commissioned officers: junior officer, officer, senior officer, chief officer;

- Chief Officer: Undercrow, Corral, Centurion, Podesaul;

- headquarters officer: Yesaul, army foreman, colonel (Cossack).

At the suggestion of Ataman or members of the Management Board, a petition may be submitted for the assignment of a Cossack rank outside the established grid, which in exceptional cases must be approved by the Management Board.

* Cornflower - bright blue. It means wisdom. There is an ancient legend ... where a flower grows among cereals, like shepherds among a great nation - ears of corn. The colors of azure, the colors of the firmament, pastoral attire to distinguish you, as servants of heaven, sent to earth to preach faith to people, and to gods - fidelity. Have patience, the goddess says: the day of harvest will come when all these ears fall at the hands of reapers and reapers, and then you, now seemingly abandoned and lonely, pay attention to yourself. The reapers will seek and tear you and, having twisted wreaths from you, will decorate their heads with them, or, having tied the bouquets of you, will pin them on their chest. ”

Correspondence table of military ranks of the Russian Air Force, Russian Navy and Cossack ranks

№	Corresponding military rank in the Armed Forces, Navy of the Russian Federation and Cossack ranks OKV
1	Rank: OKV - Cossack   RF Armed Forces - Private   Russian Navy - Sailor Epaulets * Cossack  rectangular shape, the upper edge is triangular. In the upper part there is a running button of silver color. The color of the main cloth is vasilky (field - according to the Code).
2	Rank: OKV - Mandatory   RF Armed Forces - "Corporal"   FMV - “Art. sailor" Shoulder strapsrectangular shape, the upper edge is triangular. In the upper part there is a running button of silver color. The color of the main cloth is cornflower blue (field – by Code). At the top of the shoulder strap there is one narrow transverse patch.
3	Rank: OKV - junior officer   RF Armed Forces - Junior Sergeant   FMF - foreman 2 articles Shoulder straps of the junior officer  rectangular shape, the upper edge is triangular. In the upper part there is a running button of silver color. The color of the main cloth is cornflower blue (field - according to the Code). At the top of the shoulder strap are two narrow transverse stripes.
4	Rank: OKV - officer   RF Armed Forces - Junior Sergeant FMF - foreman 2 articles Shoulder straps  rectangular shape, the upper edge is triangular. In the upper part there is a silver-plated button. The color of the main cloth is cornflower blue (field - according to the STATEMENT). At the top of the shoulder strap are three narrow transverse stripes.
5	Rank: OKV - senior officer RF Armed Forces - Senior Sergeant   FMF - Chief Petty Officer Shoulder straps of the senior officerrectangular shape, the upper edge is triangular. In the upper part there is a running button of silver color. The color of the main cloth is cornflower blue (field version - according to the Code). At the top of the shoulder strap is one wide transverse patch.
6	Rank: OKW - Wahmister   RF Armed Forces - foreman   FMF-hl ship. foreman Shoulder strapsrectangular shape, the upper edge is triangular. In the upper part there is a running button of silver color. The color of the main cloth is vasilky (field - according to the Code). At the top of the shoulder strap there is one wide longitudinal patch.
7	Rank: OKV - Undercount   RF Armed Forces - junior lieutenant FMF of the Russian Federation - junior lieutenant Shoulder strapsrectangular shape, the upper edge - in the form of a trapezoid. In the upper part there is a running button of silver color. The main field is made of galun with a special silver-colored weave (field version - according to the Code) with one cornflower blue clearance. Along the edges are cornflower-colored edgings. In the center of the epaulette on the longitudinal centerline there is one small golden star.
8	Rank: OKV - Coronet   RF Armed Forces - lieutenant   FMF - lieutenant Shoulder straps  rectangular shape, the upper edge - in the form of a trapezoid. In the upper part there is a running button of silver color. The main field is made of galun with a special silver-colored weave (field version - according to the Code) with one cornflower blue clearance. Along the edges are cornflower-colored edgings. Two small golden-colored stars are located on both sides of the longitudinal axial line of the epaulet.
9	Rank: OKV - centurion   Armed Forces of the Russian Federation - Art. lieutenant   FMF - Art. lieutenant Centurion epaulettes  rectangular shape, the upper edge - in the form of a trapezoid. In the upper part there is a running button of silver color. The main field is made of galun with a special weave of silver-colored flower (field version - according to the Code) with one cornflower-colored gap. Along the edges of the edging cornflower blue. Two small golden-colored stars and a third, above the first two, are located on two sides of the longitudinal axial line of the epaulette on the longitudinal axial line of the epaulet.
10	Rank: OKV - Podesaul   RF Armed Forces - captain FMF - Captain - Lieutenant Shoulder strapsrectangular shape, the upper edge - in the form of a trapezoid. In the upper part there is a running button of silver color. The main field is made of galun of a special weave of silver color (field - according to the Code) with one lumen of a silk color. Along the edges are cornflower-colored edgings. Two small golden stars, as well as a third and a fourth, higher than the first two, are located on two sides of the longitudinal axial line of the shoulder strap.
11	Rank: OKV - Yesaul   RF Armed Forces - Major   FMF - Captain 3rd Rank Yesaul epaulettes  rectangular shape, the upper edge - in the form of a trapezoid. In the upper part there is a running button of silver color. The main field is made of galun with a special silver-colored weave (field version - according to the Code) with one cornflower blue clearance. Along the edges are cornflower-colored edgings. No stars.
12	Rank: OKV - military foreman   RF Armed Forces - lieutenant colonel   FMF - Captain 2 Rank Shoulder straps of military foreman  rectangular shape, the upper edge - in the form of a trapezoid. In the upper part there is a running button of silver color. The main field is made of galun of a special weave of silver color (field - according to the Code) with two cornflower blue gaps. On the edges - wide edging of cornflower blue color. Two small golden-colored stars and a third, above the first two, are located on two sides of the longitudinal axial line of the epaulette on the longitudinal axial line of the epaulet.
13	Rank: OKV Colonel RF Armed Forces - Colonel   FMF - Captain 1st Rank Shoulder straps of the colonel  rectangular shape, the upper edge - in the form of a trapezoid. In the upper part there is a running button of silver color. The main field is made of galun of a special silver-colored weave (field option, according to the Code) with two cornflower blue gaps. On the edges - wide edging of cornflower blue color. No stars.

* Shoulder strap   - Each element of the military uniform has a specific purpose and appears on it not by chance, but under the influence of certain conditions (utilitarian purposes), including chronological ones. It is a widespread misconception that shoulder straps as an element of a military uniform come from knightly armor, more precisely metal shoulder plates that protect the warrior's shoulders from saber attacks. This misconception from year to year, from publication to publication, is so often repeated that even many military people believed in this purely speculative conclusion of people who did not bother with any careful study of military uniforms, ancient armor, knightly equipment.

Even a more or less careful examination of paintings, illustrations, engravings, samples of military clothing of past centuries allows us to conclude that until the end of the 17th century there were no shoulder straps on the shoulders of soldiers (neither metal nor other).

So - no “shoulder-mounted metal plates protecting the warrior’s shoulders” ever existed. It is a myth. Even the archers of the Russian army, having a clearly regulated form, had no shoulder straps on it. Shoulder straps, as an element of a military uniform in the Russian army created by Peter the Great, appear between 1683 and 1699.

Shoulder straps appear on the shoulders of the fusiliers, grenadiers of the Peter's regiments, with a purely utilitarian goal - to hold on the shoulder the strap of an ammunition, grenadial bag or a school bag. It is this utilitarian purpose of the epaulet that determines its location and form. The epaulettes of soldiers wear one! And it is located on the left shoulder. The lower edge of the shoulder strap is sewn tightly on the shoulder shoulder seam, and the upper is fastened on a button sewn to the caftan. The officers do not carry bags and satchels, and their uniform does not have shoulder straps at all! Moreover, in cavalry not only officers but also soldiers have epaulettes. Bags here are an element of horse equipment and the need for shoulder straps does not arise at all. There is no shoulder strap in artillery. (Quite quickly, this very noticeable element of the form began to be used as a decorative element of clothing).

By 1762, the epaulette took on a second utilitarian role - according to its coloring, the soldier’s belonging to a certain regiment was distinguished. At the same time, an attempt was made to make a shoulder strap a means of distinguishing soldiers and officers, for which, in the same regiment, officers and soldiers weaving shoulder straps from a sailing cord was different. At the lower end of the epaulette there were ends hanging downwards, which made it look somewhat like an epaulet. This fact in a number of modern publications leads the authors to the erroneous assertion that this is an epaulet. However, the design of the epaulet is completely different. This is exactly the epaulette.

Emperor Paul I returns the epaulettes to a purely practical purpose - to hold the strap of the bag on his shoulder. Again the epaulette disappears from the officer and non-commissioned uniforms. However, for officers and generals, an axelet appears on the right shoulder, the upper part of which is very similar to the track epaulet.

With the accession to the throne of Alexander I, the value of epaulettes increases. His appearance is changing. Again, this is a cloth valve. Since 1802, the color of shoulder straps has been clearly regulated, depending on the number of the regiment in the division; the division number is filled with paint on the pursuit. The second utilitarian role of the epaulette is increasing. Officers also receive shoulder straps on their right shoulder. Unlike soldiers, officers' shoulder straps are trimmed around the edge with a golden galloon.

Since 1802, epaulettes have played two distinct utilitarian roles:

1.Holding on the shoulder of the shoulder strap of the bag, satchel.

2. The distinction between soldiers and officers, the difference between soldiers in regiments and divisions.

With the introduction in 1803 of a satchel worn behind the back (until this time, soldiers wore a satchel like a bag over one shoulder like a bag) there are two shoulder straps - on both shoulders. For officers, epaulettes replace epaulets. However, hussar officers as they did not have shoulder straps, they did not have them. Only in 1827 did epaulettes (only epaulettes!) Receive a third utilitarian role - the distinction between the ranks of officers and generals.

Epaulettes, on the other hand, receive their third utilitarian role — distinction only by 1843 (only soldiers and non-commissioned officers). They begin to sew on the "stitch" number by the rank of non-commissioned officer. For officers, epaulets return to their shoulders only by 1854, first with an overcoat (until that time it was impossible to determine the rank of an officer wearing an overcoat), and then gradually into different types of uniforms since epaulets are more convenient than epaulettes. Then the officer shoulder straps acquire the role of a qualifier of ranks. Epaulettes are gradually lost from the form and in the end remain only as an element of the full dress until 1917. At the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, as knapsacks, bags and the transition to a duffel bag disappeared from the army, the first utilitarian role of epaulettes gradually lost. The loss of the role of shoulder straps as an element of retention on the shoulder of the shoulder straps was also predetermined by the change in the ways of attaching shoulder straps to the shoulder - from the method of “button and undercover shoulder strap” to the method of blind sewing of shoulder straps.

Epaulettes in the Russian army lasted until its liquidation in late 1917 and early 1918. During the years of the Civil War, shoulder straps were preserved in most armed units of the White Movement. Here, they besides two utilitarian loads (qualifiers of ranks; qualifiers of belonging to a particular part) also carried a symbolic burden (continuity of Russian statehood, and therefore the legality of the existence of a part, of a compound).

In the Red Army, epaulets on military uniforms were not and their functions were performed by sleeve insignia, later insignia in buttonholes. The Bolsheviks denied epaulettes as symbols of the old power, of tsarist Russia, as symbols of the "inequality of the working and exploiting classes." Shoulder straps returned to Soviet military uniforms in early 1943 with a very specific task: to cross the historical bridge from the Red Army to the Russian Army, to be able to educate soldiers and commanders in the spirit of patriotism, love for their country on the examples of the historical glory of Russian soldiers of the past, the glory of Russian weapons . It is no accident that the type of shoulder straps and the placement of insignia on them so closely repeated the shoulder straps of the Russian Army. In the Soviet Army, with the return of epaulettes in 1943, he was left with only one utilitarian role - the distinction of ranks (initially they tried to maintain the second role - the distinction of units by applying unit numbers to the epaulettes).