Amur Cossacks

The Amur Cossack Host (Russian: Амурское казачье войско), a Cossack host created in the Amur region and Primorye in the 1850s on the basis of the Cossacks relocated from the Transbaikal region and freed miners of Nerchinsk region.

Their resettlement began in 1854. The first Cossack stanitsa (Khabarovskaya) was created in 1858. A decree on the creation of the Amur Cossack Host was issued in 1860. Initially, it subordinated to the military governor of the Amur Oblast and Primorye (from 1879 and on, it would only subordinate to the governor of the Amur Oblast). Then, the Amur Cossack army subordinated to the Governor-General of the Amur region and commander of the armies of the military district of the Amur region (the latter was also the ataman of the Amur and Ussuri Cossack Hosts). The headquarters of the Amur Cossack Host was located in Blagoveshchensk. The Amur Cossack Host patrolled the borders along the Amur River and Ussuri River (In 1889, a separate Ussuri Cossack Host was created for patrolling the Ussuri.) It also staffed the Amur-Ussuri flotilla, created in 1897. The Amur Cossacks possessed 5,8 million desyatinas of land (64,000 km²). The Cossack population (120 settlements) numbered 49,200 people. In times of peace, the Amur Cossack Host supplied 1 cavalry regiment (4 sotnyas) and 1 platoon of guards, in times of war - 2 cavalry regiments, 1 platoon of guards, 5 special and 1 reserve sotnyas and 1 battalion (the total of 3,600 men). In 1911 their parade uniform comprised a dark green chekmen (frock coat), high fleece hat and grey blue breeches. Trouser stripes, hat top and epaulettes were yellow.

The Amur Cossack Host took part in the suppression of the Boxer Rebellion in China, Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 and World War I. During the Russian Civil War, a significant number of the Amur Cossacks fought on the side of the Soviets.