Every Cossack prepared for military service from childhood. However, not everyone had to serve. The fact is that the number of each Cossack army was strictly regulated and only a limited number of recruits were called into the army, and their number was in direct proportion to the population of the entire village. Young people were called either by lot or on a voluntary basis (“hunters”). The order of conscription was determined to be the same for the entire Cossack society and was strictly observed by all.

In each village, registers of birth were kept, in which the village atamans entered all males without exception - both the sons of privates and generals' offspring. In accordance with the registers of births, the stanitsa administration prepared for the drawing of lots nominal lists of all "youngsters" from the age of 19, but not older than 25 years. The lists were compiled in the order and sequence corresponding to the entries in the registers of births. They also included persons who arrived for permanent residence from other regions. Simultaneously with the compilation of lists of conscripts, the stanitsa chieftains proposed for discussion the gathering and lists of all persons who declared themselves incapable of serving military service, and the gathering after examination announced a “verdict”. Persons who studied and graduated from secondary and higher educational institutions, rural teachers and others were exempted from conscription.

On the appointed day, the stanitsa chieftains convened the whole society and the “youngsters” who reached their 19th birthday on January 1 of the next year. The chieftains sent to the villages read out to the public the order on military service and the schedule indicating the number of young men called up. After that, they read out a list of all the "youngsters", and the missing and new names were entered into it right there.

For the drawing of lots, as many clean, absolutely identical tickets were made in advance as many young people were included in the list. Each ticket had its own serial number, and the person sent to the station for the drawing of lots, together with three elected officials, compared the number of tickets with the number of the draft contingent. On the senior ticket numbers, the inscription “serve” was immediately publicly made. As many tickets were marked as recruits were to be called into service. If someone expressed a desire to go to the service voluntarily - as a "hunter", then he did not draw lots, and the number of tickets, including signed ones, decreased.

“Signed” and “clean” tickets were uniformly rolled up, mixed up and poured out into a glass urn, put on public display. After that, no one, except for the drawer of lots, had the right to touch the urn. Each young man on the list approached the urn, took out one ticket with his arm bare to the elbow and immediately showed it to the official present. The ticket number was announced publicly, and if there was an inscription “serve” on it, it was noted on the list.

Lot numbers were drawn only once, and a redraw was not allowed under any pretext. Instead of absent young men, the ticket was taken out in the same order by his father, grandfather, mother or authorized representative. After drawing lots in all the villages, the atamans of the departments compiled nominal lists of young men enrolled in the Cossacks, and the chief chieftain, by order of the army, enrolled them in the service Cossacks for a period of 15 years. After 15 years of field service, the Cossacks were transferred to the category of internal servants for 7 years, and then retired.

After taking the oath, the young Cossacks were in the preparatory category for three years. The first year they lived at home, prepared for field service and equipped themselves at their own expense. On the second - they were already trained in military service in the villages, and on the 3rd - in the camp. During these three years, the Cossack had to "completely prepare and equip for service."

For the next 12 years, the Cossack was listed in the military rank. The first 4 years he served in active service in the so-called parts of the 1st stage. For the next 4 years, he was in parts of the 2nd stage (“on a privilege”), lived in the village, but had to have riding horses and go to camps every year. For the last 4 years, the Cossacks were listed in units of the 3rd stage, they could not have riding horses, and they were involved in camp fees only once.

After 15 years of service in the combat (field) category, the Cossacks were listed in the category of internal employees, whose service consisted of guards and servants at military institutions. At the same time, the Cossacks dressed up for the service in turn, each time for a period of not more than one year. They were allowed to hire other people instead of themselves, with the only condition that the hired correspond to the service ahead of them. Domestic Cossacks, "dressed up for active service", received a salary, provisions and welding money on a par with combatant Cossacks.

It should be noted that the entire Cossack class was granted significant benefits in Tsarist Russia: a special procedure for serving, exemption from the poll tax, from recruitment duty, from the state zemstvo tax, the right to duty-free trade within military territories, special rights to use state lands and lands, and others

But special rights were imposed on the Cossacks and special duties. Not a single Cossack was released from military service. Young men who drew lots “not to serve” were only formally released from military service duties, but in fact remained in the army under the name “non-serving Cossacks”. For all the time that they should have been in the field and internal service, i.e. for 22 years, they made certain payments to the military treasury, the amounts of which were established by the tsar, and performed all military, zemstvo duties on a par with internal servants of the Cossacks. All the Cossacks going to the service received "help" from the Cossacks of the field category remaining at home, reaching 350-400 rubles. Non-serving Cossacks were exempted from payments only when they received the right to be dismissed from field and internal service. In exceptional cases, “if the benefit of the state” required, the entire Cossack population, service and non-service, could be called up for service.

Benefits, privileges ... Yes, but what a heroic dedication at the same time. There was not a single report from the battlefield in which the prowess, courage, selflessness of the Cossacks would not be noted. The permanent vanguard of Russia, in modern terms, the tsarist special forces, was sent to the most responsible and dangerous cases, to risky expeditions, "hot spots". In peace (for everyone else) time, the Cossacks covered the borders of the Fatherland with a living wall. In the war, they conducted searches, reconnaissance in force, carried out raids behind enemy lines, sabotage ...

So, during the Great Caucasian War of the 19th century, Cossack special forces effectively acted on the communications of the highlanders - scouts (from the word layer, that is, lying in a layer) - foot teams and units of the Black Sea, and then the Kuban Cossack army. The main task of these units was to protect the villages from a sudden attack by the highlanders. To this end, they were instructed to conduct continuous monitoring of the cordon line from hidden secret places, to lie down as a kind of living trap on the paths of a possible penetration of the enemy into the depths of the Cossack lands.

The tactics of the actions of the scouts have evolved over the centuries. On the campaign, they were in the advanced reconnaissance patrol, at rest - in ambush in combat guards. In a field fortification - in constant search of the surrounding forests and gorges. At the same time, scouts at night in groups of 3 to 10 people penetrated deep into the location of the enemy, watched him, eavesdropped on conversations.

In the interests of secrecy in conducting reconnaissance, the scouts were even allowed to wear a dyed beard. Many of them knew local dialects, manners and customs. In some auls, the scouts had friends - kunak, who informed them of the plans of the enemy. However, the information received even from the most bosom friends-kunaks, was always subject to careful verification.

During a combat clash during a reconnaissance raid, scouts almost never fell into the hands of enemies. It was considered a rule that a scout would rather lose his life than his freedom. Skillfully choosing a position and pre-planning escape routes, the scouts, in the event of pursuit, fired back or silently took cover on the ground. In both cases, the enemy was afraid to immediately openly attack a small detachment of scouts, knowing the accuracy of the plastun shot and the danger of an ambush. Having thus knocked down the “courage” of the pursuers, the scouts retreated. The wounded were not left in trouble, the dead were buried on the spot or, if possible, carried away with them.

In the early printed editions of pre-revolutionary Russia, many stories about the actions of these units have been preserved. The heroic deeds of the Cossacks entered the oral folk art. A distinctive feature of the Cossack estate was that persons who once entered this estate remained in it forever, losing contact with the estate to which they previously belonged. Exit from the military estate was unconditionally forbidden, and the Cossacks were even forbidden to "marry strangers." It was also not allowed to transfer the Cossacks to serve in foreign departments or in regular troops.

At the same time, officers of the regular troops were sometimes transferred to the Cossack regiments. At the same time, their ranks were renamed as follows: majors - into military foremen; captains and captains - in centurions; second lieutenants, ensigns and cornets - in cornets. The lower ranks served in the positions of sergeants, sergeants, buglers, clerks, clerks, paramedics and convoy Cossacks. The rights and obligations of privates, non-commissioned officers and officers were strictly regulated and strictly observed.

So, the disciplinary charter was approved by the king and announced by order of the military department. For example, the following penalties were imposed on privates and corporals: “1. Prohibition to leave the barracks or from the yard for a period of more or less lengthy. 2. Appointment for work that happens in the company, no more than eight outfits. Z. Appointment not in the queue for service, for a period not exceeding eight days. 4. Simple arrest, for a period not exceeding a month. 5. Strict arrest, for a period not exceeding twenty days. 6. Enhanced arrest, for a period not exceeding eight days. 7. Deprivation of the rank of corporal and shift to lower degrees and lower salaries. 8. Failure to be awarded with stripes.

In addition, by decision of the court, the lower ranks could be punished with rods up to 50 strokes.

High demands on personnel, combined with the mutual responsibility of the Cossack society and centuries-old historical traditions, made it possible to turn the Cossack troops into the most combat-ready and at the same time loyal part of the Russian army. They served in the royal convoys, guarded the grand ducal palaces, pacified the recalcitrant, and dispersed the demonstrators.

They had to do a lot of things, but they carried the title of defender of the Russian land with dignity and honor, strictly fulfilling the once taken oath ...

It is known that the recruiting system for recruiting the army appeared in Russia under Peter I in 1699. Since 1722, by royal decree, it was extended to the Tatars, although in fact they began to replenish the new Russian army with Tatars much earlier.

In 1737, a nominal imperial decree was issued on the recruitment of the navy half by Gentiles, half by Russians living by the sea - residents of the Arkhangelsk province. According to the same decree, infantry regiments located in the Ostzee region (modern Baltic states) were completed with foreigners.

In 1738, 2761 recruits were sent to the fleet from Kazan, Simbirsk, Astrakhan, Siberian provinces and Ufa province.

"The general institution on the collection of recruits in the state ..." of 1766 once again confirmed this principle of recruitment.

Service in the army and navy at that time, even among Russian peasants, was considered unusually difficult. It was a completely different world, about which the peasant son knew nothing. Even the clothes were radically different from those worn by the peasants.

Here is how he described the soldiers' clothes of the 18th century. Field Marshal Prince Potemkin: “In a word, the clothes of our troops and ammunition are such that it is almost impossible to come up with a better way to oppress the soldiers, all the more so because he, being taken from the peasants at almost 30 years of age, recognizes narrow boots, many garters, tight underwear dress and the abyss of things that shorten the age ... ".

To this should be added the cruel treatment of officers (primarily foreigners, of whom there were many in the Russian army) with the "lower ranks".

“Here are three men for you, make one soldier out of them”, “Forget two, but learn one” - officers were often guided by such “pedagogical” instructions when training soldiers and sailors. And if you consider that the foreigners called up for service practically did not know the Russian language ...

“... The young soldier Mukhamedzhinov, a Tatar who barely understood and spoke Russian, was completely bewildered by the tricks of his superiors - both real and imaginary. He suddenly became furious, took the gun in his hand and responded to all persuasion and orders with one decisive word: - Z-zakolu! - Yes, wait ... yes, you are a fool ... - non-commissioned officer Bobylev persuaded him. After all, who am I? I'm your guard chief, so... - Zakolu! the Tartar shouted frightened and angrily, and with his eyes filled with blood, he nervously thrust his bayonet at anyone who approached him. A bunch of soldiers gathered around him, delighted with a funny adventure and a moment's rest in a bored study ... ”(A. Kuprin.“ Duel ”).

Service in the Navy was perhaps the most difficult.

The ships of that time, from the point of view of modern man, were completely unsuitable for life.

To begin with, there was simply not enough space on the ships: on average, one sailor had about one meter of living space. The monotonous diet and the lack of vitamins contributed to the emergence of scurvy, which literally mowed down crews on long voyages. The work with sails was carried out exclusively by hand. On large ships there could be up to 250 hand hoists - cables that raised the yards and sails. They could not be confused in order to avoid breakdowns and accidents.

The statutes initially did not provide for the possibility of performing religious rites by non-Christians. In the "Code of Military Ordinances" of 1839 (Collection of all laws that have regulated the life of the armed forces since 1716), non-Christians who "swear according to their rites" are only casually mentioned. By the Charter of the Internal Service, the regimental priest was only prescribed: “... with soldiers of foreign faiths, by no means enter into any debate about faith,” however, since 1838, by the Emperor’s Personal Decrees, to “fulfill spiritual requirements between the lower ranks of the Mohammedan law” were appointed to different cities of the Russian Empire official mullahs. Such mullahs were in Simbirsk, Kazan, Ufa, Anapa, the Separate Orenburg Corps, Finland, the Separate Caucasian Corps, in the districts of the military settlement, "at the headquarters of the troops in the Kingdom of Poland" in Warsaw (since 1865).

Later, an article appeared in the "Code ..." that "gentiles ... perform religious duties in the churches of their religion", and in 1869 - a special form of oath for "Mohammedans". Nevertheless, at the end of the 18th century, during the reign of Paul I, the Muslim soldiers of the St. Petersburg garrison, on the initiative of Mulla Yusupov, were allowed to gather for worship in the Tauride Palace. In addition, the commanders of the units where the Muslims served did not interfere with the selection of freelance mullahs from among the military.

In 1845, by the Personal Decree of the emperor, the posts of imams were established in the military ports “for the correction of spiritual requirements according to the rite of the Mohammedan faith”, and the posts of the imam and his assistant were established in the Kronstadt and Sevastopol ports.

In 1846, the positions of imams, elected from among the lower ranks in the Guards Corps, were legalized. The service life of such imams was to be equal to "the service life of these ranks."

In 1849, the Personal Decree allowed the lower ranks, applying for the position of freelance mullahs in military units, “to be examined in the knowledge of the faith at any time when Mohammedan Mullahs are located at the locations of the troops.”

Since 1857, such lower ranks began to be sent to pass exams at the Orenburg Mohammedan Spiritual Assembly.

Since 1860, mullahs appeared at military hospitals.

The lower ranks elected to the mullahs wore a soldier's uniform, they were not allowed to have beards. At the end of their service life, they could, like other military personnel, retire.

Among Russian officers, the attitude towards the Muslim Tatars was ambiguous.

Thus, the profession of Islam was considered by many of them as a disadvantage.

“This contingent, subordinating its life, activity and direction to its ignorantly fanatical convictions, upon entering the ranks of the Christian army, will find itself in a very strange position: either it will have to renounce its rituals for the entire time of its service and become in appearance an indifferent Muhammadan, or it will have to to the detriment of the service to enjoy special benefits ... ”, - wrote Colonel of the General Staff, Full Member of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society A.F. Rittikh in his book "The tribal composition of the contingents of the Russian army". Further, in the text dedicated to the Tatars, Mr. Colonel generally shows himself as a primitive chauvinist: “The peculiarities of the Tatars include the smell of sweat and fumes assigned to them, which is believed to come from the use of horse meat. By this alone, it is possible to determine which section is presented for the [recruitment] recruitment, Russian or Tatar.”

Refuting such an unfair assessment by some high-ranking officers of Tatar soldiers and sailors, one can cite several examples of their exceptional military prowess.

For example, in the lists of 91 Knights of St. George of the Guards Naval Crew "for the French campaign of 1812-1814" there is a Tatar sailor Murtaza Murdaleev. It is worth noting that at that time there was one degree of awarding the lower ranks with the St. George Cross, and this award was the only one for them at that time. Considering that the regular crew strength was 518 people, and it was updated at least twice during the campaign, it becomes clear that Murdaleev was one of the best crew sailors.

In addition, like all Russian guards - participants in the Battle of Kulm, he received the Iron Cross from the Prussian king.

Tatar sailors acted bravely in repulsing the Anglo-French landing during the defense of the city of Petropavlovsk-on-Kamchatka during the Crimean War in 1854. Here is an excerpt from the report on the results of the battle, compiled by the head of the city's defense, Admiral Zavoyko: “1st degree sailor Khalit Saitov, fighting off a crowd of English soldiers that had run into him, put three of them on the spot. Sailor Bikney Dindubaev, being wounded by a bullet, continued to fight ... Non-commissioned officer Abubakirov, having four wounds, although light, but also from which blood flowed in streams; I bandaged him myself, and he went back to business ... ". Abubakirov was awarded the St. George Cross for his feat, among other 16 lower ranks.

Finally, when it was formed in 1827, Rakhmet Karimov, an honored veteran of the Semyonovsky Guards Regiment, was awarded the St. George Cross for participation in the wars with Napoleon and the insignia of the Order of St. Anna for 20 years of impeccable service. It is worth noting that there were only 120 lower ranks in the company, and the company itself was recruited from the most honored soldiers of the guards regiments at the personal choice of their commanders.

... Having served the required 25 years, the Tatar veterans of the Russian army returned to their native villages. They returned much less than they left - only a third of all called-up recruits lived to the end of their service life. These were already elderly people, whose youth was spent in the service of the Fatherland ...

I am a retired soldier, nothing more
Not a non-commissioned officer, but just a retired soldier I am!
All youth remained in the soldiery,
Only old age has reached home with me.
All his life he served exactly to failure,
Correct - I have never been punished.
Reward? As a reward, the hand of the general
I, an old man, was patted on the shoulder.

Ildar Mukhamedzhanov

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In pre-Petrine times, the archers were the military class, who spent their whole lives in public service. They were the most trained and almost professional troops. In peacetime, they lived on land that was granted to them for their service (but lost it if for some reason they left the service and did not pass it on by inheritance), and performed a lot of other duties. Sagittarius had to keep order and participate in extinguishing fires.

In the event of a serious war, when a large army was required, a limited recruitment was carried out from among the taxable estates. The service of archers was for life and was inherited. Theoretically, it was possible to retire, but for this it was necessary either to find someone to replace yourself, or to earn it by diligent service.

Shackles for the conscript

A regular army appeared in Russia under Peter I. Wanting to create a regular army on the European model, the tsar issued a decree on recruitment. From now on, the army was recruited not for individual wars, but for permanent service. Recruitment duty was universal, that is, absolutely all estates were subject to it. At the same time, the nobles were in the most disadvantageous position. A general service was provided for them, though almost always they served in officer positions. Peasants and philistines recruited only a few people from the community. On average, only one man out of a hundred was recruited. Already in the 19th century, the entire territory of the country was divided into two geographical bands, each of which recruited 5 recruits per thousand men every two years. In force majeure situations, an emergency recruitment could be announced - 10 or more people per thousand men. The community determined who to recruit. And in the event that it was a question of serfs, as a rule, the landowner decided. Much later, by the end of the existence of the recruiting system, it was decided to draw lots between candidates for recruits. As such, there was no draft age, but, as a rule, men in the age range of 20–30 years became recruits. It is very curious that the first regiments in the regular armies were named after their commanders. In the event that the commander died or left, the name of the regiment had to change in accordance with the name of the new one. However, fearing the confusion that such a system invariably generated, it was decided to replace the names of the regiments in accordance with Russian localities.
Getting into the recruits was for a person, perhaps, the most significant event in life. After all, this practically guaranteed that he would leave his home forever and never see his relatives again. "training", recruits were accompanied by escort teams, and they themselves were shackled for the night. Later, instead of shackles, recruits began to get a tattoo - a small cross on the back of the hand. A curious feature of the Peter's army was the existence of the so-called. full of money - compensation paid to officers and soldiers for the hardships they endured while in enemy captivity. The reward differed depending on the enemy country. For being in captivity in European states, compensation was half as much as for captivity in the non-Christian Ottoman Empire. In the 60s of the 18th century, this practice was canceled because there were fears that the soldiers would not show due diligence on the battlefield, but would more often surrender. feats in battle, but also for victories in important battles. Peter ordered to reward each participant in the Battle of Poltava. Later, during the Seven Years' War, for the victory in the battle of Kunersdorf, all the lower ranks participating in it received a bonus in the form of a six-month salary. After the expulsion of Napoleon's army from Russian territory in the Patriotic War of 1812, all army officials, without exception, also received a bonus in the amount of a six-month salary.

No pull

Throughout the 18th century, the conditions of service were gradually softened for both soldiers and officers. Peter faced an extremely difficult task - literally from scratch to create a combat-ready regular army. It had to be done by trial and error. The tsar sought to personally control many things, in particular, almost until his death, he personally approved each officer's appointment in the army and vigilantly monitored that ties, both family and friendly, were not used. The title could be obtained solely for one's own merits. In addition, the Peter's army became a real social elevator. Approximately a third of the officers of the army of Peter the Great were those who had served from ordinary soldiers. All of them received hereditary nobility.
After the death of Peter, a gradual softening of the conditions of service began. The nobles received the right to exempt one person from the family from service, so that there was someone to manage the estate. Then they reduced the period of compulsory service to 25 years. Under Empress Catherine II, the nobles received the right not to serve at all. However, most of the nobility was dispossessed or of little place and continued to serve, which was the main source of income for these nobles. A number of categories of the population were exempted from recruitment duty. In particular, honorary citizens were not subject to it - the urban stratum was somewhere between ordinary philistines and nobles. Also, representatives of the clergy and merchants were exempted from recruitment duty. Everyone (even serfs) could quite legally pay off the service, even if they were subject to it. Instead, they had to either purchase a very expensive recruiting ticket, which was issued in exchange for contributing a significant amount to the treasury, or find another recruit instead of themselves, for example, promising anyone who wanted a reward.

"Rear Rats"

After lifelong service was abolished, the question arose of how to find a place in society for people who had spent most of their conscious lives away from society, in a closed army system. In Peter's time, this question did not arise. If a soldier was still capable of at least some kind of work, he was used somewhere in the rear, as a rule, he was sent to train new recruits, at worst he became a watchman. He was still in the army and received a salary. In case of decrepitude or severe injuries, the soldiers were sent to the care of the monasteries, where they received a certain amount of maintenance from the state. At the beginning of the 18th century, Peter I issued a special decree, according to which all monasteries were to equip almshouses for soldiers.
During the time of Catherine II, the state took over the care of the needy, including old soldiers, instead of the church. All monastic almshouses were dissolved, in return the church paid certain amounts to the state, to which were added state funds, for which there was an Order of Public Charity, which was in charge of all social concerns. All soldiers who were injured in the service received the right to pension maintenance, regardless of their duration services. When they were discharged from the army, they were given a lump sum payment for the construction of a house and a small pension. The reduction in the service life to 25 years led to a sharp increase in the number of disabled people. In modern Russian, this word means a person with disabilities, but in those days, any retired soldiers were called disabled, regardless of whether they had injuries or not. Under Paul, special disabled companies were formed. The modern imagination, at these words, draws a bunch of unfortunate cripples and decrepit old men, but in fact only healthy people served in such companies. They were recruited either by veterans of military service, who are close to the end of their service life, but at the same time are healthy, or by those who, due to some illness, became unfit for military service, or transferred from the army for any disciplinary offenses. Such companies they were on duty at city outposts, guarded prisons and other important facilities, escorted convicts. Later, on the basis of some disabled companies, escort companies arose. A soldier who had served his entire service life, after leaving the army, could do anything. He could choose any place of residence, engage in any kind of activity. Even if he was called a serf, after the service he became a free man. As an incentive, retired soldiers were completely exempt from taxes. Almost all retired soldiers settled in cities. It was much easier for them to find work there. As a rule, they became watchmen, officers or "uncles" for boys from noble families. Soldiers rarely returned to the village. For a quarter of a century, they managed to forget him in his native lands, and it was very difficult for him to re-adapt to peasant labor and the rhythm of life. And besides this, there was practically nothing to do in the village. Starting from Catherine's time, special homes for the disabled began to appear in the provincial cities, where retired soldiers who were not capable of self-sufficiency could live on a full board and receive care. The first such house, called Kamennoostrovsky, appeared in 1778 at the initiative of Tsarevich Pavel.
In general, Pavel was very fond of soldiers and the army, therefore, having already become emperor, he ordered the Chesme Palace, one of the imperial travel palaces, to be converted into a home for the disabled. However, during the life of Paul, this was not possible due to problems with water supply, and only two decades later he nevertheless opened his doors to veterans of the Patriotic War of 1812. Retired soldiers became one of the first categories of people who received the right to a state pension. Soldiers' widows and young children were also entitled to it if the head of the family died during the service.

"Soldiers" and their children

Soldiers were not forbidden to marry, including during the service, with the permission of the commander. The wives of soldiers and their future children were included in a special category of soldiers' children and soldiers' wives. As a rule, most of the soldiers' wives got married even before their chosen ones got into the army.
"Soldiers" after the call of her husband to the service automatically became personally free, even if before that they were serfs. At first, recruits were allowed to take their families with them to the service, but later this rule was canceled and families of recruits were allowed to join them only after they had served for some time. All male children automatically fell into a special category of soldier's children. In fact, from birth they were under the jurisdiction of the military department. They were the only category of children in the Russian Empire who were legally obliged to study. After training in regimental schools, "soldier's children" (from the 19th century they began to be called cantonists) served in the military department. Thanks to the education they received, they did not very often become ordinary soldiers, as a rule, having non-commissioned officer positions or serving in non-combatant specialties. In the first years of its existence, the regular army usually lived in field camps in the summer, and in the cold season went to winter apartments to stay in villages and villages. Huts for housing were provided to them by local residents as part of the housing service. This system led to frequent conflicts. Therefore, from the middle of the 18th century, special areas began to appear in cities - soldiers' settlements. In each such settlement there was an infirmary, a church and a bathhouse. The construction of such settlements was quite costly, so not all regiments received separate settlements for themselves. In parallel with this system, the old barracks, which was used during military campaigns, continued to function. The barracks familiar to us appeared at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries and at first only in large cities.

By call

Throughout the 19th century, the service life of recruits was repeatedly reduced: first to 20 years, then to 15, and finally to 10. Emperor Alexander II carried out a large-scale military reform in the 70s: compulsory military service replaced conscription. However, the word "universal "should not be misleading. It was universal in the USSR and is in modern Russia, and then not everyone served. With the transition to the new system, it turned out that there were several times more potential recruits than the needs of the army required, so not every young man fit for health reasons served, but only the one who drew the lot.
It happened like this: the conscripts cast lots (pulled pieces of paper with numbers from the box). As a result, part of the recruits went to the active army, and those who did not draw lots were enlisted in the militia. This meant that they would not serve in the army, but could be mobilized in case of war. The draft age was somewhat different from the modern one; it was impossible to call up the army earlier than 21 years old and later than 43 years old. The draft campaign took place once a year, after the completion of field work - from October 1 to November 1. All classes were subject to the call, with the exception of the clergy and the Cossacks. The service life was 6 years, but later, at the beginning of the 20th century, it was reduced to three years for infantry and artillery (they served four years in other branches of the military, and five years in the navy). At the same time, the completely illiterate served the full term, those who graduated from a simple rural parochial or zemstvo school served for four years, and those who had a higher education served for a year and a half. In addition, there was a very extensive system of deferrals, including property status. In general, the only son in the family, the grandson with grandfather and grandmother who had no other able-bodied descendants left, the brother who had younger brothers and sisters without parents (that is, the eldest in the family of orphans), as well as university teachers were not subject to conscription. property status for several years was provided to business owners and migrant peasants for the arrangement of affairs, as well as students of educational institutions. Part of the non-Christian (i.e. non-Christian) population of the Caucasus, Central Asia and Siberia, as well as the Russian population of Kamchatka and Sakhalin, were not subject to conscription. They tried to recruit regiments according to the territorial principle so that conscripts from the same region served together. It was believed that the joint service of fellow countrymen would strengthen cohesion and military fraternity.

***
The army of Peter's time became a difficult test for society. Unprecedented conditions of service, lifelong service, separation from their native land - all this was unusual and difficult for recruits. However, in the time of Peter the Great, this was partly compensated by the excellently functioning social elevators. Some of the first Peter's recruits laid the foundation for noble military dynasties. In the future, with a reduction in the service life, the army became the main instrument for the liberation of the peasants from serfdom. With the transition to the draft system, the army turned into a real school of life. The term of service was no longer so significant, and the conscripts returned from the army as literate people.

In the Russian state, starting from the 30s of the 17th century. attempts were made to create a more advanced military system. Streltsy and the local cavalry were no longer reliable means of strengthening the borders.

The regular Russian army arose under Emperor Peter I (1682-1725). His Decree "On the admission to the service of soldiers from all free people" (1699) laid the foundation for recruiting into a new army. In the Decree of February 20, 1705, the term "recruit" was first mentioned, the term of service of which was established by Peter I - "as long as strength and health allow." The recruiting system firmly fixed the class principle of organizing the army: the soldiers were recruited from peasants and other tax-paying strata of the population, and the officers from the nobility. Each rural or petty-bourgeois community was obliged to provide a man between the ages of 20 and 35 from a certain number (usually 20) of households to the army.

In 1732, the favorite of Empress Anna Ioannovna (1730-1740) - B.Kh. Minich (President of the Military Collegium) approved the recruitment of recruits aged 15 to 30 by lot. The life term of service was replaced by 10 years; moreover, peasant soldiers could be promoted to officers, i.e. get out in the nobles. In addition, in 1736, an order was issued allowing the only sons in the family not to serve in the army, and one of the brothers to avoid recruitment.

In 1762, Emperor Peter III (1761-1762) set the term of service in the army at 25 years.

In 1808-1815. under Emperor Alexander I (1801-1825), military settlements were organized - special volosts inhabited by state peasants, who were transferred to the category of military settlers. Soldiers' regiments settled here, their families were assigned to the soldiers, soldiers were married (often not by their choice). Military settlers served lifelong military service and did agricultural work to provide for themselves. All boys from the age of 7 became cantonists, dressed in uniform and carried both soldier and peasant service for life. The State Archive of the Chuvash Republic stores books on the registration of cantonists. In the 50s of the 19th century. settlers, cantonists, dismissed from the military department, were included in the rural societies of state and appanage peasants, as evidenced by the revision tales and other documents.

Since 1834, under Emperor Nicholas I (1825-1855), a soldier was dismissed on indefinite leave (“reserve”) after 20 years of service. From 1839 to 1859, the term of service was reduced from 19 to 12 years, the age limit for a recruit was from 35 to 30.

From the official (draft) list of the Cheboksary district presence for 1854:

620. Mikhailo Vasilyev (Note: this recruit came hunting for his brother Kozma Vasilyev), age - 20 years old, height - 2 arshins 3 inches, signs: dark brown hair and eyebrows, blue eyes, ordinary nose and mouth, chin - round, in general the face is pockmarked. Special signs: on the right side of the back there is a spot from the disease. From what estate he was adopted, according to what set: Kazan province, Cheboksary district, Sundyr volost, village Bolshaya Akkozina, from state peasants, 11 private sets, Orthodox, single. Read, write, does not know any skill.

719. Vasily Fedorov, age 21/2 years, height - 2 arshins 5 inches, signs: hair on the head and eyebrows - black, eyes brown, nose - wide-sharp, mouth - ordinary, chin - round, generally clean face. Distinguishing Features: Birthmark on lower back. From what class he was adopted, according to what set: Kazan province, Cheboksary district, Lipovskaya volost, Bagildina village, from state peasants, according to 11 private sets, Orthodox, married to Elena Vasilyeva, no children. Read, write, does not know any skill.

In the family recruiting list of the Cheboksary district of the Alymkasinsky volost of the Alymkasinsky rural society for 1859, there is information about the entry of peasants into recruits since 1828, there is no data on the return of recruits.

The next changes in terms of service are associated with the head of the Military Ministry D.A. Milyutin (1861-1881), who carried out the reform in 1873. As a result, from January 1, 1874, the recruiting system was replaced by universal military service. The entire male population who has reached the age of 20, without distinction of class, served directly in the ranks for 6 years and was in the reserve for 9 years (for the fleet - 7 years of active service and 3 years in reserve). Those who served the terms of active service and in the reserve were enrolled in the militia, in which they stayed up to 40 years. Exempted from active service: the only son, the only breadwinner in the family with young brothers and sisters, conscripts whose older brother is serving or has served his term of active service. The rest fit for service, who did not have benefits, drew lots. All fit for service, incl. and beneficiaries, were enlisted in the reserve, and after 15 years - in the militia. Deferrals were given for 2 years on property status. The terms of active military service were reduced depending on the educational qualification: up to 4 years for those who graduated from elementary school, up to 3 years for a city school, up to one and a half years for those who had higher education. If an educated person entered active service voluntarily (“volunteer”), the terms of service were halved. In the service, soldiers were taught to read and write. The clergy were exempted from military service.

From the recruiting list Yandashevo, Alymkasinsky volost, Cheboksary district for 1881:

… d. Chodina

No. 2. Nikita Yakimov, b. May 24, 1860, marital status: sister Ekaterina, 12 years old, wife Oksinya Yakovleva, 20 years old.

Decision of the Presence on military service: “Has first-class benefits as the only worker in the family. Enroll in the militia ";

v. Oldeevo - Izeevo

No. 1. Ivan Petrov, b. January 4, 1860, marital status: mother - widow, 55 years old, sisters: Varvara, 23 years old, Praskovya, 12 years old, wife Ogafya Isaeva, 25 years old.

Decision of the Presence on military service: “The privilege of the first category was given as the only worker in the family with a mother - a widow. enlisted in the militia."

From the report of the assistant foreman of the Alymkasinsky volost board to the Cheboksary district police officer dated August 17, 1881: “... in the village. Yurakovo is now retired soldier Porfiry Fedorov - a musician of the choir of the 66th Infantry Regiment of Butyrka, who entered military service on December 16, 1876, due to weakness was enlisted in the Arzamas reserve battalion, in which he took part in the Turkish war ... ".

Under the Minister of War P.S. Vannovsky (1882-1898), according to the new military regulations of 1888, there were new reductions in the service life: 4 years in foot troops, 5 years in cavalry and engineering troops. Service life in the reserve increased from 9 to 18 years. A person fit for service was registered in the militia until the age of 43, the draft age for active service increased from 20 to 21, the terms of service for persons who graduated from secondary and higher educational institutions, as well as for volunteers, increased by 2-4 times.

From the draft list of the Ishley-Sharbashevsky society of the Syundyr volost of the Kozmodemyansky district for 1892:

2. Markov Lavrenty Markovich, b. August 4, 1871 Marital status: brother Nikolai, 11 years old, sister Daria, 16 years old.

Decision of the Presence on military service: “He has the right to a first-class benefit under Article 45. as the only capable brother with his brother and sister - complete orphans ... Enroll as a warrior of the 2nd category in the militia.

3. Nikolaev Philip Nikolaevich, b. November 2, 1871 Marital status: father Nikolai Fedorov, 45 years old, mother Agrafena Stepanov, 40 years old, brothers: Peter, 17 years old, Ivan, 13 years old, Kuzma, 10 ½ years old, Nikifor, 6 years old.

Decision of the Presence: “He has the right to a privilege of the second category under 45 Art. as the only son able to work with a capable father and brothers under 18 years old. Enlist as a 1st class warrior in the militia.

From the draft list of the Syundyr volost for 1895:

40. Elakov Roman Evdokimovich, b. November 12, 1873 Marital status: father Evdokim Ivanov, 50 years old, mother Nastasya Petrova, 45 years old, brothers: Grigory, 23 years old, entered the draft in 1892 and is in the service, Philip, 18 years old, sisters: Nadezhda, 15 years old, Tatyana, 12 years old; Orthodox, single, by education belongs to the fourth category (certificate of the Kozmodemyansk district school council dated August 17, 1888), drawing lot number No. 230, height 1.7 1 , is entitled to third-class benefit as the next oldest brother in active service. Solution: enroll in the militia, warrior of the 1st category.

The last change in the term of service in the tsarist army took place in 1906: they began to serve in the infantry for 3 years, in the rest of the troops - 4 years.

IN AND. Elakhova,

Head of Department

safeguarding

and accounting documents