Decree amending the regulations of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. The document introduced a new form of response from military personnel when congratulating or expressing gratitude by the commander. Now instead of "I serve Russian Federation“They must answer “I serve Russia.”
The editors of TASS-DOSSIER prepared material on how the wording of military personnel’s responses to the appeals of commanders in the Russian and Soviet armies changed.
Before the October Revolution of 1917
In the Russian Imperial Army, the form of response to the greeting of commanders was regulated by the Charter on internal service in the infantry troops (1877), the Rules of military rank and honor by individuals and as part of teams (1884), etc. To greet the commander, lower ranks (soldiers and non-commissioned officers ) had to answer “We wish you good health (I wish)”; in the case when the boss thanks - “We are glad to try”, when announcing any favor - “We humbly thank you”, when parting - “Happy to stay.” After the answer, the title of commander should be added, for example, officers from warrant officer to staff captain were addressed as “your honor.” The rules stated that “by answering the boss and giving him titles, the lower ranks<...>must pronounce each word clearly, but without stretching or separating one from the other.”
After February Revolution In 1917, the regulations in force in the imperial army were abolished. On May 22 (9 old style), 1917, the Minister of War and Navy of the Provisional Government, Alexander Kerensky, by his order approved the document “Declaration of the Rights of the Soldier.” According to it, “special expressions are used as mandatory for responses of individual people and teams out of formation and in formation” (for example, “that’s right”, “no way”, “I can’t know”, “we’re happy to try”, “we wish you good health” , “I humbly thank you,” etc.) were replaced by commonly used ones (“yes,” “no,” “I don’t know,” “we’ll try,” “hello,” etc.).
In the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army (RKKA) since the time Civil War and until the second half of the 1930s, when giving awards and gratitude, the answer was “I serve (serve) the working people.” This norm, in particular, was enshrined in the Temporary Charter internal service Red Army 1924.
In 1937, a new internal service charter was adopted in the USSR Armed Forces. According to it, in response to the commander’s greeting, the Red Army soldiers had to respond “Hello”, to congratulations - with a drawn-out “Hurray” (individual servicemen - “Thank you”), to the commander’s gratitude - “I serve (we serve) the Soviet Union.”
With minor changes, these response forms remained until the collapse of the USSR in 1991. Thus, according to the Charter of the Internal Service of the Armed Forces of the USSR in 1975 (valid until 1991), when greeted by a superior or senior in rank, all military personnel, in or out of formation, answered “We wish you good health (I wish)”; if the boss or senior said goodbye - “Goodbye”, adding the word “comrade” at the end of the answer and military rank without specifying the type of military service or service. If the commander congratulated or thanked the serviceman, the answer was “I serve the Soviet Union.” When congratulating a military unit or unit, the servicemen responded with a drawn-out triple “Hurray,” and if the commander (chief) thanked the unit, “We serve the Soviet Union.”
In Russian federation
In the 1993 Charter of the Internal Service of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the words “I serve the Soviet Union” were replaced by the phrase “I serve the Fatherland.” After the adoption in 2007 of the new Charter of the internal service of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, instead of “Serving the Fatherland,” military personnel had to say “Serving the Russian Federation.” Otherwise, the forms for responding to commanders' greetings have remained unchanged since 1975.
Until the end of the 17th century, the defensive function of the state was performed by the Streltsy army. They lived on lands issued by the king and were ready to attack the enemy at the first call. The first regular army appeared only under the first Russian emperor, Peter the Great.
The history of the creation of the Russian army takes place from the village of Preobrazhenskoye, to which young Peter was exiled, along with his mother Natalya Naryshkina. There he gathered his army from the children of the boyars, his peers. On the basis of this amusing army, Peter the Great's Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky regiments were created.
They showed themselves brilliantly, arriving to defend Peter at the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. The second time they showed themselves during the battle of Narva, where they were the only ones who stood to the death. As a result of this battle, the Life Guard was created, which became the basis of the army of the Russian Empire.
Beginning of conscription into the Russian army
During northern war, 1705 Peter issued a decree introducing the recruitment of soldiers into the Russian army. From that moment on, the training of lower ranks began. Service in the tsarist army was difficult and many people wonder how many years did you serve in the tsarist army?
In those days, the country was constantly in a state of war, for this reason people were drafted into the army for life.
There was no choice for the nobles; they all had to serve, albeit in the officer rank, except for the guards regiments. The peasants had to choose who they would send to serve. Most often this choice was determined by lot.
The nobles lived in the regimental barracks and received the usual soldier's rations. In the first years of the creation of the state army, escapes of recruits were frequent occurrences, so for safety they were shackled. Later, recruits began to be marked with a cross tattoo on the palm. But Peter generously rewarded his soldiers for good service. A number of bonuses were introduced for participation in significant battles.
Changing the period of military service
Under Peter the Great, they carefully ensured that family ties were not used in assigning titles; titles were assigned only on the basis of personal merit. Soldiers drafted from ordinary peasants had the opportunity to receive a noble rank for service to the Fatherland and pass it on by inheritance.
After the change in Peter's reign, the nobles gradually began to receive the opportunity to be exempt from military service. At first, one family member had this right to manage the estate, but later the service life was reduced to 25 years.
Under Catherine II, the nobles had the opportunity not to serve at all. But the bulk of the nobles continued to serve, since it was a good source of income, and not everyone had estates. In those days, one could buy oneself out of service by paying for an expensive recruit ticket.
Pension for retired soldiers
In Tsarist times in Russia, soldiers who had already served and were of advanced age were cared for with reverence. Under Peter the Great, almshouses were created at monasteries, where they cared for injured soldiers.
Under Catherine II, the state took on this responsibility. All soldiers received pension benefits, and if a soldier was injured, pension benefits were assigned regardless of how long he served. When transferred to the reserves, they were entitled to a considerable payment, with which they could build an estate, as well as a small allowance in the form of a pension.
Due to the fact that the length of service in the army was shortened, many retired officers appeared who were still able to serve. Under Paul, such soldiers were collected into separate companies. These companies served in the protection of prisons, city outposts and other significant objects; they were sent to train young recruits. After service, retired soldiers and officers were exempt from paying taxes and had the right to do what they liked.
Personal life of a soldier
Soldiers were not forbidden to marry. In addition, the girl, being a serf, became free after marrying a soldier. To accompany their husbands, after a certain time, wives were allowed to settle next to the regiment. Soldiers' children were under the control of the military department almost from birth. Upon reaching a certain age, they were required to study. Regimental schools were created to train them. Thanks to their training, they had the opportunity to obtain an officer rank.
In matters of housing for soldiers, everything was more complicated. At first they stopped at local residents, but later they began to build soldier settlements for soldiers. Each settlement had a church, a hospital and a bathhouse. Barracks began to be built only towards the end of the 18th century.
Organization of the conscription principle in the army
In the 19th century there was a significant revolution in matters of military service. During this century, the service life was reduced to 10 years. Emperor Alexander II held military reform, as a result of which there was a change in recruitment duty to universal call. The reform affected not only conscription, but also the military command and control system military educational institutions.
In addition, there was development military industry and rearmament of the army. The whole country was divided into military districts. A central headquarters for the control of ground forces was created. The entire male population, aged 21 and older, served in the army.
But too many people were subject to conscription, so not everyone was sent to serve, but only those fit for military service and who would be drawn by lot. Everyone was divided into two groups:
- The first to whom the lot fell were sent to the location of the active army.
- The second to the militia, from which they could be called up in the event of mobilization.
The call was carried out once a year in the autumn after the harvest.
Early 20th century army
At the beginning of the 20th century, the service life was 3 years for infantry and artillery. Served in the navy for 5 years. After serving in the army, a semi-literate peasant could gain decent knowledge and advance in life, and the service life was not as long as, for example, in Peter's times. But while serving in the imperial army, the ordinary soldier had some restrictions. He had no right to marry or engage in trading activities. During his service, the soldier was exempt from paying debts. If he had a debt, he had to wait until he left the army.
Under Nicholas II, the army still formed the backbone of the state. It was staffed according to the principle of conscription, adopted under Alexander II. As long as they were proud of the officer's uniform and preserved the memory of the conquests made by the Russian army, it was invincible. But at the beginning of the 20th century, an unhappy time began for the Russian army.
The war of 1904-1905 was a significant blow. As a result of the First World War, the Russian Empire itself disappeared. Active mobilization took place throughout the country. The soldiers all went to the front as one to repulse the enemy. Only the Bolshevik leaders did not support the start of the war. The leader of the proletariat, Vladimir Lenin, condemned the actions of the authorities. A few years later, this war was used to change power. The tsarist system was replaced by a revolutionary system, which finally changed the composition of the army and its principles.
Everyone tried to destroy the memory of the Russian army possible ways. In the Red Army, the image of the tsarist officers was denigrated, but when faced with a real threat, the army of the Red Army during the battles of the Second World War showed best features old Russian army. The exploits of the great commanders were not forgotten; the Russian army spirit, which was the basis of all victories, was remembered.
Generality:
General's shoulder strap and:
-Field Marshal General* - crossed wands.
-general of infantry, cavalry, etc.(the so-called “full general”) - without asterisks,
- Lieutenant General- 3 stars
- Major General- 2 stars,
Staff officers:
Two gaps and: 
-colonel- without stars.
- lieutenant colonel(since 1884 the Cossacks had a military foreman) - 3 stars
-major**(until 1884 the Cossacks had a military foreman) - 2 stars
Chief officers:
One gap and: 
- captain(captain, esaul) - without asterisks.
-staff captain(headquarters captain, podesaul) - 4 stars
- lieutenant(centurion) - 3 stars
- second lieutenant(cornet, cornet) - 2 stars
- ensign*** - 1 star
Lower ranks
- mediocre - ensign- 1 galloon stripe along the shoulder strap with 1 star on the stripe
- second ensign- 1 braided stripe the length of the shoulder strap
- sergeant major(sergeant) - 1 wide transverse stripe
-st. non-commissioned officer(Art. fireworker, Art. sergeant) - 3 narrow transverse stripes
-ml. non-commissioned officer(junior fireworker, junior constable) - 2 narrow transverse stripes
-corporal(bombardier, clerk) - 1 narrow transverse stripe
-private(gunner, Cossack) - without stripes
*In 1912, the last Field Marshal General, Dmitry Alekseevich Milyutin, who served as Minister of War from 1861 to 1881, dies. This rank was not assigned to anyone else, but nominally this rank was retained.
** The rank of major was abolished in 1884 and was never restored.
*** Since 1884, the rank of warrant officer was reserved only for wartime (assigned only during the war, and with its end, all warrant officers are subject to either retirement or the rank of second lieutenant).
P.S. Encryptions and monograms are not placed on shoulder straps.
Very often one hears the question “why does the junior rank in the category of staff officers and generals begin with two stars, and not with one like for chief officers?” When in 1827 stars on epaulettes appeared in the Russian army as insignia, the major general received two stars on his epaulette at once.
There is a version that one star was awarded to the brigadier - this rank had not been awarded since the time of Paul I, but by 1827 there were still
retired foremen who had the right to wear a uniform. True, retired military men were not entitled to epaulets. And it’s unlikely that many of them survived until 1827 (passed
It’s been about 30 years since the abolition of the brigadier rank). Most likely, the two general's stars were simply copied from the epaulette of the French brigadier general. There is nothing strange in this, because the epaulettes themselves came to Russia from France. Most likely, there never was one general’s star in the Russian Imperial Army. This version seems more plausible.
As for the major, he received two stars by analogy with the two stars of the Russian major general of that time.
The only exception was the insignia in hussar regiments in ceremonial and ordinary (everyday) uniforms, in which shoulder cords were worn instead of shoulder straps.
Shoulder cords.
Instead of epaulettes of the cavalry type, the hussars have on their dolmans and mentiks
Hussar shoulder cords. For all officers, the same gold or silver double soutache cord of the same color as the cords on the dolman for the lower ranks are shoulder cords made of double soutache cord in color -
orange for regiments with a metal color - gold or white for regiments with a metal color - silver.
These shoulder cords form a ring at the sleeve, and a loop at the collar, fastened with a uniform button sewn to the floor an inch from the seam of the collar.
To distinguish ranks, gombochki are put on the cords (a ring made of the same cold cord encircling the shoulder cord):
-y corporal- one, the same color as the cord;
-y non-commissioned officers three-color gombochki (white with St. George's thread), in number, like stripes on shoulder straps;
-y sergeant- gold or silver (like officers) on an orange or white cord (like lower ranks);
-y sub-ensign- a smooth officer's shoulder cord with a sergeant's gong;
Officers have gombochkas with stars on their officer cords (metal, like on shoulder straps) - in accordance with their rank.
Volunteers wear twisted cords of Romanov colors (white, black and yellow) around their cords.
The shoulder cords of chief officers and staff officers are in no way different.
Staff officers and generals have the following differences in their uniforms: on the collar, generals have a wide or gold braid up to 1 1/8 inches wide, while staff officers have a gold or silver braid of 5/8 inches, running the entire length.
hussar zigzags", and for chief officers the collar is trimmed with only cord or filigree.
In the 2nd and 5th regiments, the chief officers also have galloon along the upper edge of the collar, but 5/16 inches wide.
In addition, on the cuffs of the generals there is a galloon identical to that on the collar. The braid stripe extends from the sleeve slit at two ends and converges at the front above the toe.
Staff officers also have the same braid as the one on the collar. The length of the entire patch is up to 5 inches.
But chief officers are not entitled to braid.
Below are pictures of the shoulder cords
1. Officers and generals
2. Lower ranks
The shoulder cords of chief officers, staff officers and generals did not differ in any way from each other. For example, it was possible to distinguish a cornet from a major general only by the type and width of the braid on the cuffs and, in some regiments, on the collar.
Twisted cords were only reserved for adjutants and outhouse adjutants!
Shoulder cords of the aide-de-camp (left) and adjutant (right)
Officer's shoulder straps: lieutenant colonel of aviation squadron 19 army corps and staff captain of the 3rd field aviation squadron. In the center - shoulder straps of Nikolaevsky cadets engineering school. On the right is the shoulder strap of a captain (most likely a dragoon or uhlan regiment)
The Russian army in its modern understanding began to be created by Emperor Peter I at the end of the 18th century. The system of military ranks of the Russian army was formed partly under the influence of European systems, partly under the influence of the historically established purely Russian system of ranks. However, at that time there were no military ranks in the sense in which we are accustomed to understand. There were specific military units, existed and completely specific positions and, accordingly, their names. There was no, for example, the rank of “captain”, there was the position of “captain”, i.e. company commander. By the way, in civil fleet and now, the person in charge of the crew of a ship is called a “captain”, the person in charge of a seaport is called a “port captain”. In the 18th century, many words existed in a slightly different meaning than they have now.
So "General" meant "chief", and not just "highest military leader";
"Major"- “senior” (senior among regimental officers);
"Lieutenant"- "assistant"
"Outbuilding"- "Jr".
“The table of ranks of all military, civil and court ranks, in which class the ranks are acquired” was put into effect by Decree of Emperor Peter I on January 24, 1722 and existed until December 16, 1917. The word "officer" came into Russian from German. But in German, as in English, the word has a much broader meaning. When applied to the army, this term refers to all military leaders in general. In a narrower translation, it means “employee”, “clerk”, “employee”. Therefore, it is quite natural that “non-commissioned officers” are junior commanders, “chief officers” are senior commanders, “staff officers” are staff employees, “generals” are the main ones. Non-commissioned officer ranks also in those days were not ranks, but positions. Ordinary soldiers were then named according to their military specialties - musketeer, pikeman, dragoon, etc. There was no name “private”, and “soldier”, as Peter I wrote, means all military personnel “... from the highest general to the last musketeer, horseman or foot...” Therefore, soldier and non-commissioned officer ranks were not included in the Table. The well-known names “second lieutenant” and “lieutenant” existed in the list of ranks of the Russian army long before the formation of the regular army by Peter I to designate military personnel who were assistant captains, that is, company commanders; and continued to be used within the framework of the Table, as Russian-language synonyms for the positions of “non-commissioned lieutenant” and “lieutenant”, that is, “assistant” and “assistant”. Well, or if you want, “assistant officer for assignments” and “officer for assignments.” The name “ensign”, as more understandable (carrying a banner, ensign), quickly replaced the obscure “fendrik”, which meant “candidate for an officer position.” Over time, the process of separating the concepts of “position” and “rank” took place. early XIX century, these concepts have already been separated quite clearly. With the development of means of warfare, the advent of technology, when the army became large enough and when it was necessary to compare the service status of a fairly large set of job titles. It was here that the concept of “rank” often began to obscure, to relegate to the background the concept of “position”.
However, even in the modern army, position, so to speak, is more important than rank. According to the charter, seniority is determined by position and only in case of equal positions is the one with the higher rank considered senior.
According to the “Table of Ranks” the following ranks were introduced: civilian, military infantry and cavalry, military artillery and engineering troops, military guards, military navy.
In the period from 1722-1731, in relation to the army, the system of military ranks looked like this (the corresponding position is in brackets)
Lower ranks (private)
Specialty (grenadier. Fuseler...)
Non-commissioned officers
Corporal(part-commander)
Fourier(deputy platoon commander)
Captainarmus
Sub-ensign(sergeant major of company, battalion)
Sergeant
Sergeant Major
Ensign(Fendrik), bayonet-junker (art) (platoon commander)
Second Lieutenant
Lieutenant(deputy company commander)
Captain-lieutenant(company commander)
Captain
Major(deputy battalion commander)
Lieutenant colonel(battalion commander)
Colonel(regiment commander)
Brigadier(brigade commander)
Generals
Major General(division commander)
Lieutenant General(corps commander)
General-in-chief (General-feldtsehmeister)– (army commander)
Field Marshal General(Commander-in-Chief, honorary title)
In the Life Guards the ranks were two classes higher than in the army. In the army artillery and engineering troops ranks one class higher than in the infantry and cavalry. During the period 1731-1765 the concepts of “rank” and “position” begin to separate. Thus, in the staff of a field infantry regiment of 1732, when indicating staff ranks, it is no longer just the rank of “quartermaster” that is written, but a position indicating the rank: “quartermaster (lieutenant rank).” In relation to company-level officers, the separation of the concepts of “position” and “rank” is not yet observed. In the army "fendrick" is replaced by " ensign", in the cavalry - "cornet". Ranks are being introduced "sec-major" And "prime major" During the reign of Empress Catherine II (1765-1798) V army infantry and cavalry ranks are introduced junior and senior sergeant, sergeant major disappears. Since 1796 V Cossack units the names of the ranks are established the same as the ranks of the army cavalry and are equated to them, although the Cossack units continue to be listed as irregular cavalry (not part of the army). There is no rank of second lieutenant in the cavalry, but captain corresponds to the captain. During the reign of Emperor Paul I (1796-1801) The concepts of “rank” and “position” during this period were already separated quite clearly. The ranks in the infantry and artillery are compared. Paul I did a lot of useful things to strengthen the army and discipline in it. He forbade the enrollment of young noble children into the regiments. All those enrolled in the regiments were required to actually serve. He introduced disciplinary and criminal liability of officers for soldiers (preservation of life and health, training, clothing, living conditions) and prohibited the use of soldiers as labor on the estates of officers and generals; introduced the awarding of soldiers with insignia of the Order of St. Anne and the Order of Malta; introduced an advantage in the promotion of officers who graduated from military educational institutions; ordered promotion in ranks only based on business qualities and ability to command; introduced leaves for soldiers; limited the duration of officers' vacations to one month per year; discharged from the army a large number of generals who did not meet the requirements of military service (old age, illiteracy, disability, absence from service long time etc.).In the lower ranks, ranks are introduced junior and senior privates. In the cavalry - sergeant(company sergeant) For Emperor Alexander I (1801-1825) since 1802 all non-commissioned officers noble class are called "cadet". Since 1811, the rank of “major” was abolished in the artillery and engineering troops and the rank of “ensign” was returned. During the reign of Emperor Nicholas I (1825-1855) , who did a lot to streamline the army, Alexander II (1855-1881) and the beginning of the reign of Emperor Alexander III (1881-1894) Since 1828, army Cossacks have been given ranks different from the army cavalry (In the Life Guards Cossack and Life Guards Ataman regiments, ranks are the same as those of the entire Guards cavalry). The Cossack units themselves are transferred from the category of irregular cavalry to the army. The concepts of “rank” and “position” during this period are already completely separated. Under Nicholas I, the discrepancy in the names of non-commissioned officer ranks disappeared. Since 1884, the rank of warrant officer was reserved only for wartime (assigned only during the war, and with its end, all warrant officers are subject to either retirement or the rank of second lieutenant). The rank of cornet in the cavalry is retained as the first officer rank. He is a grade lower than an infantry second lieutenant, but in the cavalry there is no rank of second lieutenant. This equalizes the ranks of infantry and cavalry. In Cossack units, officer classes are equal to cavalry classes, but have their own names. In this regard, the rank of military sergeant major, previously equal to a major, now becomes equal to a lieutenant colonel
“In 1912, the last Field Marshal General, Dmitry Alekseevich Milyutin, who served as Minister of War from 1861 to 1881, dies. This rank was not awarded to anyone else, but nominally this rank was retained.”
In 1910, the rank of Russian field marshal was awarded to King Nicholas I of Montenegro, and in 1912 to King Carol I of Romania.
P.S. After October revolution 1917 By the Decree of the Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars (the Bolshevik government) of December 16, 1917, all military ranks were abolished...
Officer's shoulder straps of the tsarist army were designed completely differently than modern ones. First of all, the gaps were not part of the braid, as it has been done here since 1943. In the engineering troops, two belt braids or one belt braid and two headquarters braids were simply sewn onto the shoulder straps. For each branch of the military, the type of braid was determined specifically. For example, in the hussar regiments, the “hussar zig-zag” braid was used on officer’s shoulder straps. On the shoulder straps of military officials, "civilian" braid was used. Thus, the gaps of the officer's shoulder straps were always the same color as the field of the soldiers' shoulder straps. If the shoulder straps in this part did not have a colored edging (piping), as, say, it was in the engineering troops, then the piping had the same color as the gaps. But if in part the shoulder straps had colored piping, then it was visible around the officer’s shoulder straps. Shoulder button silver color without sides with an extruded double-headed eagle sitting on crossed axes. The stars were embroidered with gold thread on the shoulder straps, and the cipher was made of metal gilded applied numbers and letters, or silver monograms (as appropriate). At the same time, it was widespread to wear gilded forged metal stars, which were supposed to be worn only on epaulettes.
The placement of asterisks was not strictly established and was determined by the size of the encryption. Two stars were supposed to be placed around the encryption, and if it filled the entire width of the shoulder strap, then above it. The third sprocket had to be placed so as to form with the two lower ones equilateral triangle, and the fourth asterisk is slightly higher. If there is one sprocket on the shoulder strap (for an ensign), then it was placed where the third sprocket is usually attached. Special signs also had gilded metal overlays, although they could often be found embroidered with gold thread. The exception was special aviation insignia, which were oxidized and had a silver color with a patina.
1. Epaulet staff captain 20th engineer battalion
2. Epaulet for lower ranks Ulan 2nd Life Ulan Kurland Regiment 1910
3. Epaulet full general from the retinue cavalry His Imperial Majesty Nicholas II. The silver device of the epaulette indicates the high military rank of the owner (only the marshal was higher)
About stars on uniform
For the first time, forged five-pointed stars appeared on the epaulettes of Russian officers and generals in January 1827 (back in the time of Pushkin). One golden star began to be worn by warrant officers and cornets, two by second lieutenants and major generals, and three by lieutenants and lieutenant generals. four are staff captains and staff captains.
And with April 1854 Russian officers began to wear sewn stars on newly established shoulder straps. For the same purpose, the German army used diamonds, the British used knots, and the Austrian used six-pointed stars.
Although the designation of military rank on shoulder straps is a characteristic feature of the Russian and German armies.
Among the Austrians and the British, shoulder straps had a purely functional role: they were sewn from the same material as the jacket so that the shoulder straps did not slip. And the rank was indicated on the sleeve. The five-pointed star, pentagram is a universal symbol of protection and security, one of the most ancient. IN Ancient Greece it could be found on coins, on the doors of houses, stables and even on cradles. Among the Druids of Gaul, Britain, and Ireland, the five-pointed star (Druid cross) was a symbol of protection from external evil forces. And it can still be seen on the window panes of medieval Gothic buildings. The Great French Revolution revived five-pointed stars as a symbol of the ancient god of war, Mars. They denoted the rank of commanders of the French army - on hats, epaulettes, scarves, and on uniform coattails.
The military reforms of Nicholas I copied the appearance of the French army - this is how the stars “rolled” from the French horizon to the Russian one.
As for the British army, even during the Boer War, stars began to migrate to shoulder straps. This is about officers. For lower ranks and warrant officers, the insignia remained on the sleeves.
In the Russian, German, Danish, Greek, Romanian, Bulgarian, American, Swedish and Turkish armies, shoulder straps served as insignia. In the Russian army, there were shoulder insignia for both lower ranks and officers. Also in the Bulgarian and Romanian armies, as well as in the Swedish. In the French, Spanish and Italian armies, rank insignia was placed on the sleeves. In the Greek army, it was on officers' shoulder straps and on the sleeves of lower ranks. In the Austro-Hungarian army, the insignia of officers and lower ranks were on the collar, those on the lapels. IN German army shoulder straps, only officers had insignia on their shoulder straps, while the lower ranks were distinguished from each other by the braid on the cuffs and collar, as well as the uniform button on the collar. The exception was the Kolonial truppe, where as additional (and in a number of colonies the main) insignia of the lower ranks there were chevrons made of silver galloon sewn on the left sleeve of a-la gefreiter 30-45 years.
It is interesting to note that in peacetime service and field uniforms, that is, with a tunic of the 1907 model, officers of the hussar regiments wore shoulder straps that were also somewhat different from the shoulder straps of the rest of the Russian army. For hussar shoulder straps, galloon with the so-called “hussar zigzag” was used
The only part where shoulder straps with the same zigzag were worn, besides the hussar regiments, was the 4th battalion (since 1910 regiment) of the Imperial Family riflemen. Here is a sample: shoulder straps of the captain of the 9th Kyiv Hussar Regiment.
Unlike the German hussars, who wore uniforms of the same design, differing only in the color of the fabric. With the introduction of khaki-colored shoulder straps, the zigzags also disappeared; membership in the hussars was indicated by encryption on the shoulder straps. For example, "6 G", that is, the 6th Hussar.
But in general field uniform The hussar was a dragoon type, they were combined arms. The only difference indicating belonging to the hussars was the boots with a rosette in front. However, the hussar regiments were allowed to wear chakchirs with their field uniform, but not all regiments, but only the 5th and 11th. The wearing of chakchirs by the rest of the regiments was a kind of “hazing”. But during the war, this happened, as well as the wearing by some officers of a saber, instead of the standard dragon saber, which was required for field equipment.
The photograph shows the captain of the 11th Izyum Hussar Regiment K.K. von Rosenchild-Paulin (seated) and Junker Nikolaevsky cavalry school K.N. von Rosenchild-Paulin (also later an officer in the Izyum Regiment). Captain in summer dress or dress uniform, i.e. in a tunic of the 1907 model, with galloon shoulder straps and the number 11 (note, on the officer's shoulder straps of peacetime valery regiments there are only numbers, without the letters "G", "D" or "U"), and blue chakchirs worn by officers of this regiment for all forms of clothing.
Regarding “hazing,” during the World War it was apparently also common for hussar officers to wear galloon shoulder straps in peacetime.
on galloon officer's shoulder straps of cavalry regiments, only numbers were affixed, and there were no letters. which is confirmed by photographs.
Ordinary ensign- from 1907 to 1917 in the Russian army the highest military rank for non-commissioned officers. The insignia for ordinary ensigns was the shoulder straps of a lieutenant officer with a large (larger than an officer's) asterisk in the upper third of the shoulder strap on the line of symmetry. The rank was awarded to the most experienced long-term non-commissioned officers; with the beginning of the First World War, it began to be assigned to ensigns as an incentive, often immediately before the assignment of the first chief officer rank (ensign or cornet).
From Brockhaus and Efron:
Ordinary ensign, military During mobilization, if there were a shortage of persons meeting the conditions for promotion to the officer rank, there was no one. non-commissioned officers are awarded the rank of warrant officer; correcting the duties of junior officers, Z. great. restricted in the rights to move in the service.
Interesting history of the rank sub-ensign. During the period 1880-1903. this rank was awarded to graduates of cadet schools (not to be confused with military schools). In the cavalry he corresponded to the rank of estandart cadet, in the Cossack troops - sergeant. Those. it turned out that this was some kind of intermediate rank between the lower ranks and officers. Sub-ensigns who graduated from the Junkers College in the 1st category were promoted to officers no earlier than September of their graduation year, but outside of vacancies. Those who graduated in the 2nd category were promoted to officers no earlier than the beginning next year, but only for vacancies, and it turned out that some waited several years for production. According to order No. 197 of 1901, with the production of the last ensigns, estandard cadets and sub-warrants in 1903, these ranks were abolished. This was due to the beginning of the transformation of cadet schools into military ones.
Since 1906, the rank of ensign in the infantry and cavalry and sub-ensign in the Cossack troops began to be awarded to long-term non-commissioned officers who graduated from a special school. Thus, this rank became the maximum for lower ranks.
Sub-ensign, estandard cadet and sub-ensign, 1886:
Shoulder straps of the staff captain of the Cavalry Regiment and shoulder straps of the staff captain of the Life Guards of the Moscow Regiment.
The first shoulder strap is declared as the shoulder strap of an officer (captain) of the 17th Nizhny Novgorod Dragoon Regiment. But Nizhny Novgorod residents should have dark green piping along the edge of their shoulder straps, and the monogram should be a custom color. And the second shoulder strap is presented as the shoulder strap of a second lieutenant of the Guards artillery (with such a monogram in the Guards artillery there were shoulder straps for officers of only two batteries: the 1st battery of the Life Guards of the 2nd Artillery Brigade and the 2nd battery of the Guards Horse Artillery), but the shoulder strap button should not Is it possible to have an eagle with guns in this case?
Major(Spanish mayor - bigger, stronger, more significant) - the first rank of senior officers.
The title originated in the 16th century. The major was responsible for the guard and food of the regiment. When regiments were divided into battalions, the battalion commander usually became a major.
In the Russian army, the rank of major was introduced by Peter I in 1698 and abolished in 1884.
Prime major is a staff officer rank in the Russian imperial army of the 18th century. Belonged to class VIII of the Table of Ranks.
According to the charter of 1716, majors were divided into prime majors and second majors.
The prime major was in charge of the regiment's combat and inspection units. He commanded the 1st battalion, and in the absence of the regiment commander, the regiment.
The division into prime and second majors was abolished in 1797."
"Appeared in Russia as a rank and position (deputy regiment commander) in the Streltsy army at the end of the 15th - early 16th centuries. In Streltsy regiments, as a rule, lieutenant colonels (often of “vile” origin) performed all administrative functions for the Streltsy head, appointed from among the nobles or boyars In the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th century, the rank (rank) and position were referred to as half-colonel due to the fact that the lieutenant colonel usually, in addition to his other duties, commanded the second “half” of the regiment - the back ranks in the formation and the reserve (before the introduction of battalion formation of regular soldier regiments) From the moment the Table of Ranks was introduced until its abolition in 1917, the rank (rank) of lieutenant colonel belonged to class VII of the Table and until 1856 gave the right to hereditary nobility. In 1884, after the abolition of the rank of major in the Russian army, all majors (with the exception of those dismissed or those stained with unseemly offenses) were promoted to lieutenant colonel."
INSIGNIA OF CIVIL OFFICERS OF THE WAR MINISTRY (here are military topographers)
Officers of the Imperial Military Medical Academy
Chevrons of combatant lower ranks of long-term service according to “Regulations on the lower ranks of non-commissioned officers who remain voluntarily on long-term active service” from 1890.
From left to right: Up to 2 years, Over 2 to 4 years, Over 4 to 6 years, Over 6 years
To be precise, the article from which these drawings were borrowed says the following: “...the awarding of chevrons to long-term servicemen of the lower ranks holding the positions of sergeant majors (sergeant majors) and platoon non-commissioned officers (fireworks officers) of combat companies, squadrons, and batteries was carried out:
– Upon admission to long-term service - a narrow silver chevron
– At the end of the second year of extended service - a silver wide chevron
– At the end of the fourth year of extended service - a narrow gold chevron
- At the end of the sixth year of extended service - a wide gold chevron"
In army infantry regiments to designate the ranks of corporal, ml. and senior non-commissioned officers used army white braid.
1. The rank of WARRANT OFFICER has existed in the army since 1991 only in wartime.
With the beginning Great War Warrant officers are graduated from military schools and warrant officer schools.
2. The rank of WARRANT OFFICER in the reserve, in peacetime, on the warrant officer's shoulder straps, wears a braided stripe against the device at the lower rib.
3. The rank of WARRANT OFFICER, to this rank in wartime, when military units are mobilized and there is a shortage of junior officers, lower ranks are renamed from non-commissioned officers with an educational qualification, or from sergeant majors without
educational qualification. From 1891 to 1907, ordinary warrant officers on ensign's shoulder straps also wore stripes of the ranks from which they were renamed.
4. The title of ENTERPRISE-WRITTEN OFFICER (since 1907). Shoulder straps of a lieutenant officer with an officer's star and a transverse badge for the position. On the sleeve there is a 5/8 inch chevron, angled upward. Officer's shoulder straps were retained only by those who were renamed Z-Pr. during Russo-Japanese War and remained in the army, for example, as a sergeant major.
5.The title of WARRANT OFFICER-ZAURYAD of the State Militia. This rank was renamed to non-commissioned officers of the reserve, or, if they had an educational qualification, who served for at least 2 months as a non-commissioned officer of the State Militia and appointed to the position of junior officer of the squad. Ordinary warrant officers wore shoulder straps of an active-duty warrant officer with an instrument-colored galloon patch sewn into the lower part of the shoulder strap.
Cossack ranks and titles
At the lowest rung of the service ladder stood an ordinary Cossack, corresponding to an infantry private. Next came the clerk, who had one stripe and corresponded to a corporal in the infantry. The next step on the career ladder is junior officer and senior officer, corresponding junior non-commissioned officer, non-commissioned officer and senior non-commissioned officer and with the number of badges characteristic of modern non-commissioned officers. This was followed by the rank of sergeant, who was not only in the Cossacks, but also in the non-commissioned officers of the cavalry and horse artillery.
In the Russian army and gendarmerie, the sergeant was the closest assistant to the commander of a hundred, squadron, battery for drill training, internal order and economic affairs. The rank of sergeant corresponded to the rank of sergeant major in the infantry. According to the regulations of 1884, introduced by Alexander III, the next rank in the Cossack troops, but only for wartime, was sub-short, an intermediate rank between ensign and warrant officer in the infantry, also introduced in wartime. In peacetime, except for the Cossack troops, these ranks existed only for reserve officers. The next grade in the chief officer ranks is cornet, corresponding to second lieutenant in the infantry and cornet in the regular cavalry.
According to his official position, he corresponded to a junior lieutenant in the modern army, but wore shoulder straps with a blue clearance on a silver field (the applied color of the Don Army) with two stars. IN old army, compared to the Soviet one, the number of stars was one more. Next came the centurion - a chief officer rank in the Cossack troops, corresponding to a lieutenant in the regular army. The centurion wore shoulder straps of the same design, but with three stars, corresponding in his position to a modern lieutenant. A higher step is podesaul.
This rank was introduced in 1884. In the regular troops it corresponded to the rank of staff captain and staff captain.
Podesaul was the assistant or deputy of the captain and in his absence commanded the Cossack hundred.
Shoulder straps of the same design, but with four stars.
In terms of service position he corresponds to a modern senior lieutenant. And most high rank chief officer rank - esaul. It is worth talking about this rank in particular, since from a purely historical perspective, the people who wore it held positions in both the civil and military departments. In various Cossack troops, this position included various service prerogatives.
The word comes from the Turkic “yasaul” - chief.
It was first mentioned in the Cossack troops in 1576 and was used in the Ukrainian Cossack army.
Yesauls were general, military, regimental, hundred, village, marching and artillery. General Captain (two per Army) - highest rank after the hetman. In peacetime, general esauls performed inspector functions; in war they commanded several regiments, and in the absence of the hetman, the entire Army. But this is typical only for Ukrainian Cossacks. Military esauls were elected on the Military Circle (in Donskoy and most others - two per Army, in Volzhsky and Orenburg - one each). We were engaged in administrative matters. Since 1835, they were appointed as adjutants to the military ataman. Regimental esauls (initially two per regiment) performed the duties of staff officers and were the closest assistants to the regiment commander.
Hundred esauls (one per hundred) commanded hundreds. This link did not take root in the Don Army after the first centuries of the existence of the Cossacks.
The stanitsa esauls were characteristic only of Don Troops. They were elected at village gatherings and were assistants to the village atamans. Marching esauls (usually two per Army) were selected when setting out on a campaign. They served as assistants to the marching ataman; in the 16th-17th centuries, in his absence, they commanded the army; later they were executors of the marching ataman’s orders. The artillery esaul (one per Army) was subordinate to the chief of artillery and carried out his orders. General, regimental, village and other esauls were gradually abolished
Only the military esaul was preserved under the military ataman Donskoy Cossack army.In 1798 - 1800 The rank of esaul was equal to the rank of captain in the cavalry. Esaul, as a rule, commanded a Cossack hundred. His official position corresponded to that of a modern captain. He wore shoulder straps with a blue gap on a silver field without stars. Next come the headquarters officer ranks. In fact, after the reform of Alexander III in 1884, the rank of esaul entered this rank, due to which the rank of major was removed from the staff officer ranks, as a result of which a serviceman from captains immediately became a lieutenant colonel. Next on the Cossack career ladder is a military foreman. The name of this rank comes from old name executive body power of the Cossacks. In the second half of the 18th century, this name, in a modified form, extended to persons who commanded individual industries control of the Cossack army. Since 1754, a military foreman was equivalent to a major, and with the abolition of this rank in 1884, to a lieutenant colonel. He wore shoulder straps with two blue gaps on a silver field and three large stars.
Well, then the colonel is coming, shoulder straps are the same as those of a military sergeant major, but without stars. Starting from this rank, the service ladder is unified with the general army one, since the purely Cossack names of ranks disappear. The official position of a Cossack general fully corresponds to the general ranks of the Russian Army.
— the procedure established by the Constitution of the Russian Federation, federal laws and other legal acts of the Russian Federation for the implementation by citizens of their constitutional duty and responsibility to protect the Fatherland, providing for: military registration, compulsory training for military service, conscription and military service upon conscription, being in the reserve, conscription and military training during the period of being in the reserve, as well as conscription, military service and military training during periods of mobilization, martial law and wartime.
Currently the main legislative act for conscripts is the federal law dated March 28, 1998 “On military duty and military service.” According to the amendments introduced, since 2008, the period for completing conscription military service in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation for Russian citizens male is 1 year.
The right to a deferment from military service is enjoyed by full-time students of universities with state accreditation(without interruption in studies). Deferment for postgraduate studies is provided to citizens studying full-time. Persons who entered a vocational school or technical school after completing 11 grades of school also have the right to a deferment from conscription. There is also the possibility of deferment family circumstances and on health, etc.
It is possible to replace military service with an alternative civilian one, but its duration is longer (from 18 to 42 months), and the right to replacement must be justified.
Currently, conscription into the army is carried out 2 times a year: from April 1 to July 15 and from October 1 to December 31.
The material was prepared based on information from open sources
In our special issue “Professional” (“Red Star” No. 228) we talked about the fact that the regular Russian army not only began its formation in Peter’s times on a contract basis, but also then, in all subsequent reigns - from Catherine I to Nicholas II - partly consisted of “lower ranks” who voluntarily entered the service, that is, soldiers and non-commissioned officers. The system of manning the armed forces was changing: there was conscription, there was all-class conscription, but “contract soldiers,” in modern language, still remained in the army... Today we will continue the story on the same topic and try to understand what benefits these same ones brought to the army "contractors" are not noble rank and why they themselves voluntarily served in its ranks.
About the soldiers who were old enough to be grandfathers to officers
So-called“recruitment” existed from 1699 (by the way, the word “recruit” itself was introduced into use only in 1705) and before, in accordance with the manifesto of Alexander II, Russia switched to “all-class military service” in 1874.
It is known that people were recruited from the age of 20, and not from the age of 18, as we were called up in the 20th century, which, you see, represents a certain difference. Then the same age - 20 years - remained during the transition to conscription service... It would also not be superfluous to say that people under the age of 35 were taken as recruits, which means that with a twenty-five-year service life a soldier could, as it was said then , “pull the strap” until a very respectable age - until the seventh decade. However, in the “era Napoleonic Wars“They even began to take 40-year-olds... As a result, the army, or rather its soldier composition, grew old inexorably and inevitably.
But officers He was not only young, but rather, simply young. Let's take the book by Dmitry Tselorungo “Officers of the Russian Army - Participants in the Battle of Borodino” and open the table that shows age level these officers. It analyzed data for 2,074 people, and from this figure calculations were made that were quite consistent with the “arithmetic average” for the entire Russian army of 1812.
The main age of the officers who fought at Borodino was from 21 to 25 years old - 782 people, or 37.7 percent. 421 people, or 20.3 percent of all officers, were between 26 and 30 years old. Overall, officers aged 21 to 30 accounted for almost 60 percent of the total. Moreover, it should be added that 276 people - 13.3 percent - were aged 19-20 years; 88 people – 4.2 percent – are 17-18 years old; 18 people - 0.9 percent - were 15-16 years old, and another 0.05 percent was a single young officer 14 years old. By the way, under Borodin there was also only one officer over the age of 55... In general, almost 80 percent of the commanders in the army were between the ages of 14 and 30, and just over twenty of those who were over 30. They were led - let us remember the famous poetic lines - “young generals past years": Count Miloradovich, who commanded the troops of the right flank at Borodino, was 40, brigade commander Tuchkov 4th was 35, the chief of artillery of the 1st Army, Count Kutaisov, was 28...
So imagine a completely ordinary picture: a 17-year-old warrant officer, a young man at the age of our modern Suvorov senior student, goes out in front of the formation of his platoon. Standing in front of him are men of 40 to 50 years old. The officer greets them with the exclamation “Hello, guys!”, and the gray-haired “guys” unanimously shout back, “We wish you good health, your honor!” “Come on, come here! - the ensign calls out some 60-year-old grandfather from the ranks. “Explain to me, brother...”
All this was as it should be: the form of greeting - “guys”, and the liberal-condescending address to the soldier “brother”, and the conversation with the lower rank, a representative of the “vile class”, exclusively on a personal basis. The latter, however, has come down to our times - some bosses see any of their subordinates as a “lower rank”...
By the way, the memory of those morals was preserved both in old soldiers’ songs - “Soldiers, brave boys!”, and in literature - “Guys, isn’t Moscow behind us?”
Of course, much can be explained by the peculiarities of serfdom, that distant time when a soldier saw in an officer, first of all, a representative of the upper class, to whom he was always obliged to obey unquestioningly. But was it so easy for yesterday’s graduates? cadet corps, recent cadets who learned the basics of practical military science here in the regiment under the leadership of “uncles” - experienced soldiers, to command elderly soldiers who sometimes “broke” more than one campaign?
Here, by the way, although the time is somewhat different - already the very end of the 19th century - but a very accurate description of a similar situation, taken from the book of Count Alexei Alekseevich Ignatiev “Fifty Years in the Army”:
“I come to class...
“Command,” I say to the non-commissioned officer.
He clearly pronounces the command, upon which my students quickly scatter around the hall in a checkerboard pattern.
- Protect your right cheek, stab to the left, cut down to the right!
The whistle of checkers in the air, and again - complete silence.
What should I teach here? God willing, I wish I could remember all this myself for the review, where I will have to command.
“It’s not very clean,” the sergeant tells me intelligibly, “they do it very badly there in the third platoon.”
I’m silent because the soldiers do everything better than I do.”
Meanwhile, Count Ignatiev was not one of the “regimental cadets”, but was educated in the Corps of Pages, one of the best military educational institutions in Russia...
It is clear that between the two categories of military personnel - officers and soldiers - there had to be some kind of, let's say, connecting link. One can also guess that sergeants - non-commissioned officers at that time - should have been such.
Yes, theoretically this is true. But we have the sad experience of the Soviet Army, where sergeants were often called “private soldiers with badges” and they always complained that officers had to replace them... Moreover, if representatives of a socially united society served in the Soviet Army, then in the Russian Army , as already said, officers represented one class, soldiers another. And although today " class approach“is not in fashion, however, honestly, it’s in vain that we forget about “class contradictions” and, by the way, about “class hatred.” It is clear that in the depths of his soul the peasant did not particularly favor the landowner-nobleman - and, I think, even at a time when one of them wore shoulder straps, and the other wore epaulettes. The exception, of course, is the year 1812, when the fate of the Fatherland was decided. It is known that this time became an era of unprecedented unity of all layers of Russian society, and those who found themselves at the theater of war - soldiers, officers and generals - then equally shared the march loads, stale crackers and enemy bullets... But, fortunately or unfortunately, this did not happen too often in our history.
But in peacetime, as well as during some local military campaigns, there was no trace of such closeness in the army. So is it worth clarifying that not every non-commissioned officer sought to curry favor with the officers, in one sense or another to “betray” his comrades. In the name of what? There was, of course, a material interest: if during the reign of Emperor Paul I in the Life Guards Hussar Regiment, a combat hussar received 22 rubles a year, then a non-commissioned officer received 60, almost three times more. But in our lives, human relationships are not always determined by money. Therefore, a normal, let’s say, non-commissioned officer more often found himself on the soldier’s side, trying in every possible way to cover up his sins and protect him from the command... It was, of course, different, as Count Ignatiev again testifies: “Latvians are the most serviceable soldiers , are bad riders, but people with strong will, turned into fierce enemies of the soldiers as soon as they received non-commissioned officer braid.”
However, the role of that very connecting link, and maybe even some kind of “layer”, was, of course, not they, but, again, “contract soldiers” - that is, the lower ranks who served under the contract...
“Where should the soldier go now?”
Before 1793 Russian soldier served for life. Then - twenty-five years. It is known that Emperor Alexander Pavlovich, at the end of his stormy and controversial quarter-century reign, wearily complained to those close to him: “Even that soldier, after twenty-five years of service, is being released to retire...” This period remained in the memory of posterity, in which it seemed to “extend” to everything XIX century.
And here is what Colonel Pavel Ivanovich Pestel, the head of the secret Southern Society: “The term for service, determined at 25 years, is so long by any measure that few soldiers go through it and stand it, and therefore, from infancy, they get used to looking at military service as a severe misfortune and almost as a decisive sentence to death "
What is said about the “sentence to death” is quite fair. Without even touching on participation in hostilities, let us clarify that, firstly, life expectancy in Russia in the century before last was still shorter than now, and, as we said, they could be recruited even at a fair age. Secondly, the then army service had its own specifics. “Kill nine, train the tenth!” - Grand Duke and Tsarevich Konstantin Pavlovich, a veteran of the Italian and Swiss campaigns, used to say. He, who on April 19, 1799 personally led a company in an attack near Basignano, distinguished himself at Tidone, Trebbia and Novi, showed considerable courage in the Alpine Mountains, for which he was awarded by his father Emperor Paul I the diamond insignia of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, “became famous” later for such “pearls” as “war spoils the army” and “these people don’t know how to do anything except fight!”
« Recruit
- a recruit, a newcomer to military service, who has entered the ranks of soldiers, privates, by conscription or for hire.”
(Explanatory dictionary of the living Great Russian language.)
Although this should not be surprising: after all, in the army, especially in the regiments of the guard, the imperial family first of all saw the support and protection of the throne from all sorts of enemies, and Russian history proved quite convincingly that the external danger for our sovereigns was much less dangerous than the internal one. Whatever you say, not one of them was killed by the interventionists... That is why the soldiers were trained for years, so that at any moment, without hesitation, they would be ready to fulfill the highest will.
It is clear that in a quarter of a century almost any man could be turned into a capable soldier. Moreover, they took into the army, and even more so into the guard, not just anyone, but in accordance with certain rules.
The recruit who came to the service was taught not only the basics of military art, but also the rules of behavior, one might even say, “noble manners.” Thus, in the “Instructions for the Colonel’s Cavalry Regiment” of 1766 it is said, “so that the peasant’s mean habit, evasion, grimace, scratching during conversation would be completely exterminated from him”. The aforementioned Tsarevich Konstantin demanded “so that people would disdain to sound like peasants, ... so that every person would be able to speak decently, intelligently and without shouting, would answer his superior without being timid or insolent in front of him, would always have the appearance of a soldier with proper posture, for knowing his business, he has nothing to fear..."
Quite soon - under the influence of persuasion and everyday drill, as well as, if necessary, a fist and a rod - the recruit turned into a completely different person. And not only externally: he was already becoming different in essence, because the soldier was emerging from serfdom, and long years of service completely separated him from his family, homeland, and usual way of life. That’s why, after serving, the veteran faced the problem of where to go, how to live next? By releasing him “cleanly,” the state obliged the retired soldier to “shave his beard” and not engage in begging, and somehow no one cared about anything else...
Retired soldiers had to make their own lives. Some went to the almshouse in old age, some were assigned to be janitors or doormen, some to the city service - depending on age, strength and health... 
By the way, It is worth noting that throughout the 19th century, the number of years of military service according to conscription gradually decreased - which means that younger, healthier people retired. Thus, in the second half of the reign of Alexander I, his service in the guard was reduced by three years - to 22 years. But the Blessed One, as Emperor Alexander Pavlovich was officially called, who always looked abroad and was very favorable towards the Poles and Balts, already in 1816 shortened the period of military service in the included Russian Empire Kingdom of Poland up to 16 years old...
In Russia itself, this was achieved only at the end of the reign of his brother, Nicholas I. And then only in several stages - after reductions in 1827, 1829, 1831 and other years - the service life by 1851 gradually reached 15 years.
By the way, there were also “targeted” reductions. IN “The History of the Life Guards of the Izmailovsky Regiment,” for example, states that after the suppression of the rebellion of 1831, “a command was issued that again showed the love, care and gratitude of the monarch to the pacifiers of Poland. This command shortened two years of service for troops who were on the campaign... Those wishing to remain in the service were ordered to receive an additional one and a half salary and, after serving a five-year period from the date of refusal to resign, to turn all this salary into a pension, regardless of the specific state pension.”
« Recruitment set- the old way of recruiting people for our army; began in 1699 and continued until 1874... Recruits were supplied by tax-paying classes. At first, recruitments were random, as needed. They became annual in 1831, with the publication of the recruiting regulations.”
(Small Encyclopedic Dictionary. Brockhaus - Efron.)
And since in the conditions of Europe at that time, pacified after the Napoleonic storms, there was no need for extraordinary recruitment, then mostly people 20-25 years old were taken into service. It turned out that by the age of 40 the warrior had already finished his service - it seemed new life It’s still possible to start, but not everyone wanted it, not everyone liked it... So some decided to completely connect their lives with the army, with which they had become close over many years of service.
I would be glad to serve!
Let's take the book “Life Hussars” published last year by Military Publishing House - the history of the Life Guards of His Imperial Majesty the Hussar Regiment - and we will select the following information from there:
“Until 1826... a private who wanted to continue serving after the end of his legal term received a salary increased by a six-month salary...
On August 22, 1826, on the day of the sacred coronation, the sovereign emperor was pleased... to dismiss the lower ranks who had served in the guard for 20 years (23 years in the army)... As for the lower ranks who wished to remain in service even after the appointed time, then... their salary increase was supposed to be increased not only by half salary, but by an additional full salary, that is, for privates who voluntarily remained in the service, their salary was increased two and a half times. But this was not the end of the highest benefits and advantages granted to them.
Those of them who, after refusing to resign, served for another five years, their salary, increased by two and a half times, is supposed to be converted into a pension upon death, and they receive this pension regardless of the funds that are provided to them by the insignia of the Military Order and the Holy Anna."
By the way, as a sign of special distinction, such “contract” warriors received a gold braid patch on their left sleeve, and every five years they were given another patch.
“On July 1, 1829, it was ordered to lower ranks who had served in the rank of non-commissioned officer for 10 years (in the army for 12 years) and, after passing the established exam, refused promotion to officers, to make a payment in the service of two-thirds of the cornet salary and after they had served for five years after Therefore, this salary will be converted into a lifelong pension.”
We already talked about why not all non-commissioned officers wanted to receive chief officer epaulettes and with them the dignity of nobility...
On March 26, 1843, the method of promoting non-commissioned officers to chief officers was changed: all those who passed the exam were divided into two categories based on its results. “Non-commissioned officers who passed the first-class examination in the program received the right to be promoted to army regiments, and for refusing it they enjoyed the following advantages: they had a silver lanyard, a braided sleeve patch, were exempt from corporal punishment and demotion to the rank and file without court... and also to receive two-thirds of the cornet's salary as a pension after service for five years from the date of assignment of this salary.
Non-commissioned officers of the second category, that is, those who passed the weakest examination, were not promoted to officers, but if they wished to remain in the service, they were assigned one-third of the cornet salary, which, after five years of service, was converted into a pension, and at the same time all other advantages were presented non-commissioned officers of the first category, with the exception of only a silver lanyard..."
Unfortunately, A modern military man, wearing our completely impersonal, “non-national” uniform, has no idea how much certain details of ancient uniforms meant. For example, a silver lanyard on a saber or sword was an honorary accessory of an officer’s rank - it was not without reason that after the Battle of Austerlitz on November 20, 1805, when the Novgorod Musketeer Regiment faltered, its officers were deprived of such a distinction. So the lower rank, awarded the silver lanyard, was close to the officers, who now had to address him as “you.”
All of the listed benefits and features of the service of the then “contract soldiers” - and for them there were their own rules for placement and organization of life - not only radically separated them from ordinary soldiers and non-commissioned officers, but also to a certain extent changed the psychology of both themselves and their colleagues in relation to them. These people really had something to lose, and they categorically did not want to return to the original one. And not only because of what they directly gained from the service, but also because of their attitude towards it. People who did not like service did not remain to serve beyond their term and officer rank, giving the right to retire, they did not refuse... But here there was truly selfless love, based on the awareness that a military man is superior to a civilian in all respects. That’s how it was, that’s how we were raised!
It is clear that no one would have dared to call such a “bourbon” a “soldier with stripes,” as the toughest representatives of the non-commissioned, as well as the officer, class were called in those days. This was no longer a soldier, although not an officer at all - he was a representative of precisely that extremely necessary connecting link, which, in the words of one German military theorist, was “the backbone of the army.”
However, it is known that “contract soldiers” in the army of that time performed the duties not only of junior commanders, but also various kinds non-combatant specialists, which was also very valuable. An absolutely amazing episode was described by the former cavalry guard Count Ignatiev - I will give his story in abbreviation...
Death of a Stoker
“On one regiment duty, the following happened: in the evening... the non-commissioned officer on duty on a non-combatant team came running and, with excitement in his voice, reported that “Alexander Ivanovich died.”
Everyone, from the private to the regiment commander, called Alexander Ivanovich the old bearded sergeant major who stood for hours next to the orderly at the gate, regularly saluting everyone passing by.
Where did Alexander Ivanovich come to us from? It turned out that still... at the beginning
In the 1870s, the stoves in the regiment smoked incredibly, and no one could cope with them; Once the military district sent a specialist stove maker from the Jewish cantonists, Oshansky, to the regiment. With him, the stoves burned properly, but without him they smoked. Everyone knew this for sure and, bypassing all the rules and laws, they detained Oshansky in the regiment, giving him a uniform, titles, medals and distinctions for long-term “unblemished service”... His sons also served in long-term service, one as a trumpeter, the other as a clerk , the third - a tailor...
I could never have imagined what happened in the next few hours. Luxurious sleighs and carriages drove up to the regimental gates, from which elegant, elegant ladies in furs and respectable gentlemen in top hats emerged; they all made their way to the basement, where the body of Alexander Ivanovich lay. It turned out - and this could not have occurred to any of us - that Sergeant Major Oshansky had been at the head of the St. Petersburg Jewish community for many years. The next morning the body was carried out... In addition to all Jewish St. Petersburg, not only all the available officers of the regiment came here, but also many old cavalry guards, led by all former commanders shelf".
The given fragment indicates that, firstly, in former times even very dear people and, secondly, that in the regiments their “contract soldiers” were truly valued...
However, we always say “in the shelves,” whereas in XIX century in the Russian army there was at least one separate military unit, fully staffed by “contract workers”.
Eighty years in service
In issue 19 of the magazine I found the “Bulletin of the Military Clergy” for 1892 completely amazing biography Russian “contract soldier” Vasily Nikolaevich Kochetkov, born in 1785.
In May 1811 - respectively 26 years old - he was taken into military service and assigned to the famous Life Grenadier Regiment, which was soon assigned to the guard and named the Life Guard Grenadier. In 1812, taking part in rearguard battles, this regiment retreated to Mozhaisk, and Kochetkov fought in its ranks at Borodino, and then at Leipzig, taking Paris. Then there was the Turkish War of 1827-1828, where the life grenadiers seemed to justify their presence among rebel troops on Senate Square December 14, 1825... After that, the Russian guard pretty much beat up the Polish rebels on the Grochowski field and near the town of Ostroleka, and in 1831 the guards grenadiers took part in the capture of Warsaw.
By this time, Kochetkov had just served 20 years, having refused the officer rank - therefore, he was a non-commissioned officer, but he did not “outright” leave, but stayed for extra-long term. Moreover, the old grenadier decided to continue his service not on the St. Petersburg parquets, but in the Caucasian Corps, where he spent five years in battle - and for ten months he was captured by robbers. Vasily Nikolayevich returned from the Caucasus in 1847; he was then already “sixty-odd”; it was time to think about retirement. And he really finished his service - however, only after he visited Hungary in 1849, where the troops of Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich helped the Austrian allies restore order...
Probably, the traces of the grenadier Kochetkov would have been lost, but the events of the Crimean War again called the veteran into service. The old man reached Sevastopol, joined the ranks of those fighting for the city, and even took part in the forays of the besieged garrison. When he returned to St. Petersburg, Emperor Alexander II enlisted the old soldier in the Life Guards Dragoon Regiment, where Kochetkov served for six years, and after that he entered the Palace Grenadier Company - that very special unit where all soldiers served voluntarily... Company served in the Winter Palace, and the court service clearly did not appeal to the veteran, who soon went to Central Asia, where he fought under the banners of the glorious general Skobelev, conquering Samarkand and Khiva... He returned to his company only in 1873 - note, 88 years old. True, he again did not stay here for long, because three years later he volunteered for the active army beyond the Danube and, it’s just scary to think, he fought on Shipka - these are the steepest mountains, completely unimaginable conditions. But the veteran of the Patriotic War of 1812 was able to cope with everything...
Having finished the war, Kochetkov again returned to the Palace Grenadier company, served in it for another 13 years, and then decided to return to his native land. But it didn’t come true... As stated in “Bulletin of the Military Clergy”, “death overtook the poor soldier completely unexpectedly, at a time when, having received his dismissal, he was returning to his homeland, rushing to see his relatives and live in peace after a long service.”
Perhaps no one else had a greater combat path than this “contract soldier” grenadier.
Palace Grenadiers
Dvortsov Company The grenadier was formed in 1827 and performed honor guard duty in the Winter Palace. At first, it included guards soldiers who had gone through the entire Patriotic War- first from Neman to Borodino, then from Tarutino to Paris. If the guards, dressed up from the guard regiments, protected the sovereign, then the main task of the palace grenadiers was to maintain order and keep an eye on the cunning court servants - footmen, stokers and other brethren. If in the twentieth century they loudly shouted about “ civil control"over the army, then in the 19th century they understood that it would be safer and calmer when disciplined and honest military men looked after the civilian dodgers...
“Volunteers are persons with educational qualifications who entered voluntarily, without drawing lots, for active military service in the lower ranks. The voluntary service of those who volunteer is based not on a contract, but on the law; it is the same military service, but only with a modification of the nature of its implementation.”
(Military Encyclopedia. 1912).
At first, old-timers were selected for the company, and later they began to recruit those who had fully served their term, that is, “contract soldiers.” At the behest of Emperor Nicholas I, he immediately determined that the salary was very good: non-commissioned officers equal in rank to army warrant officers - 700 rubles per year, grenadiers of the first article - 350, grenadiers of the second article - 300. A non-commissioned officer of the palace grenadiers was actually an officer , so he received an officer’s salary. Such obscenity, that even a “contract” soldier of even the most “elite” unit received a salary greater than an officer’s, has never happened in the Russian army. By the way, in the company guarding the Winter Palace, not only were “contract” soldiers serving, but all its officers were promoted from ordinary soldiers, they began their service as the same recruits as their subordinates!
It can be understood that Emperor Nicholas I, who founded this company, had a special trust in it, which the palace grenadiers fully justified. Suffice it to recall the fire in the Winter Palace on December 17, 1837, when they, together with the Preobrazhensky guards, carried out portraits of generals from the Military Gallery of 1812 and the most valuable palace property.
After all, they were always guided by what is considered the most expensive here, what requires special attention... By the way, here it is worth remembering how Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich appeared in the middle of the burning hall and, seeing that the grenadiers, straining themselves, were dragging a huge Venetian mirror, told them: “No need, guys, leave it! Save yourself!” - “Your Majesty! – one of the soldiers objected. “It’s impossible, it costs so much money!” The king calmly broke the mirror with a candelabra: “Now leave it!”
Two of the grenadiers - non-commissioned officer Alexander Ivanov and Savely Pavlukhin - died then in a burning building... Real army service is never easy, it is always fraught with some potential danger. In previous times, they tried to compensate for this “risk factor” at least financially...
...That's basically it and everything that I would like to tell about the history of “contract service” in Russia. As you can see, it was not something far-fetched or artificial, and, provided its organization was comprehensively thought out, it brought considerable benefits to the army and to Russia.
However, it would be worth recalling that never – even at the very beginning of its history – our regular army was purely “contract”. “Contract soldiers”, no matter how they were called, were an elite part of the “lower ranks”, they were a reliable link between officers, command staff and the rank and file, non-commissioned officers, the “backbone” of that very Russian army that fought bravely at Poltava and Borodino, defended Sevastopol, crossed the Balkans and, thanks to the mediocrity of the highest state leadership, disappeared undefeated on the fields of the First World War.
In the pictures: Unknown artist. Palace Grenadier.
V. SHIRKOV. Extra-conscript private of the Yamburg Uhlan Regiment. 1845.