Ussuri Cossacks

The first Cossack stanitsa appeared in the river Ussuri area in 1858. 54 families of the Transbaikal Cossacks moved there to form three new settlements.

Originally they were considered to be part of the Amur Cossack Host, but in 1889 they were detached from it into a separate Ussuri Host. After that there were many volunteer colonists (usually, whole families) from Don, Kuban, Ural and other Cossack hosts.

The conditions of the region were quite severe. The temperature sometimes dropped below – 40 Celsius. The crop often could not survive due to the bad weather, even though the soil itself was good. Cossacks always had to be armed, they never knew who would they face in taiga: Ussuri tiger, bear, wolf or a gang of the Chinese outlaws that sometimes crossed the border, making trouble both in Chinese and Russian zones.

All the inhabitants of the Cossack stanitsa participated in construction of the farmstead for the new settlers. The same joint effort was given to help the poorer families, widows, elderly and those who lost their supporters on the duty. The best lands were given to those needy families, the stanitsa helped them in the farm work. As a result, it was preventing pauperization of the poorer households.

Ussuri Cossacks guarded their segment of the Russo-Chinese border. They also served at the Amur-Ussuri Cossack flotilla. During WWI Ussuri division showed its high qualities both as cavalry and infantry. Future famous leader of the white army during the Russian Civil War, general Wrangel, lead first one of the regiments, and then the whole Ussuri division.

From the letter of the Cossack of 3-rd squadron of the Ussuri Cossack regiment Grigory Bochkov: (from under Warsaw, April, 14, 1915): " Germans call us ‘Manchurian Cossacks’. We had charged German cavalry, but they run away; we also had to attack their infantry, but as soon we catch up with them, they throw their rifles and scream ‘the Cossack’... " (Quoted from Ussuri Cossack Host website, in Russian)

After the Civil War, Ussuri Host was disbanded by the soviets. During the period of "collectivization" Ussuri Cossacks, just like any other Cossack group, were viewed as "unreliable element" by the communists. Just like all other hosts, Ussuri Cossacks went through evictions, repressions and executions by the Stalin's state.

Today Ussuri Cossacks are experiencing the same revival as other hosts.

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