COSSACKS, tribes who inhabit the southern and eastern parts of Russia, and, previous to the Russian revolution, paying no taxes, but performing instead the duty of soldiers. Nearly all of them belong to the Church, to which they are strongly attached. They must be divided into two principal class es, both on account of their descent and their condition—the Cossacks of Little Russia and those of the Don. Both classes, and especially those of the Don, have collateral branches, distributed as Cossacks of the Azoff, of the Danube, of the Black Sea, of the Caucasus, of the Ural, of Orenburg, of Siberia, of the Chinese frontiers, and of Astrakhan. Writers are not agreed as to the origin of this people and of their name, but they are believed to be a mixed Cau casian and Tartar race. In personal appearance the Cossacks bear a close re semblance to the Russians, but are of a more slender make, and have features which are decidedly more handsome and expressive.
Originally their government formed a kind of democracy, at the head of which was a chief or hetman of their own choice; while under him was a long series of officers with jurisdictions of greater or less extent, partly civil and partly military, all so arranged as to be able in any emergency to furnish the largest military array on the shortest notice. The democratical part of the
constitution has gradually disappeared under Russian domination. Each Cos sack, under the Empire, was liable to mili tary service from the age of 18 to 50, and obliged to furnish his own horse. In 1570 they built their principal "stanitza" and rendezvous, called Tcherkask, on the Don, not far above its mouth. As it was rendered unhealthful by the overflowing of the island on which it stood, New Tcherkask was founded in 1805 some miles from the old city, to which nearly all the inhabitants removed. This forms the capital of the country of the Don Cossacks, which constituted, under the Empire, a government of Russia, and has an area of 63,532 square miles, pop. 3.201,000. Their war strength numbers 5,000 officers and 175,000 men. Reserve, 300,000 officers and men. See RUSSIA.