More on the Cossack Mutiny

Cossacks of the Time

I want to provide a little bit of context for the Cossack mutiny that George mentions in the previous post. According to Willett's Russian Sideshow (which has been indispensable) a large group of Cossacks turned up at the headquarters of the 27th Infantry in Khabarovsk. The men mutinied while their leader, General Kalmykof, was temporarily away. George says the date was January 4th while Willett says January 27th. It's an interesting discrepancy in the details.

The rebel Cossacks offered some official complaints to the Americans that included all kinds of inhumane treatments of citizens and soldiers by the Cossack commanders. Willett puts the number of Cossacks that mutinied at 700 with just under 400 seeking help from the Americans. George says their were 600 who sought help from the Americans. Kalmykof made a series of threats and demands against the Americans, demanding the Cossacks be handed back to his command. But, as George states the commander of the 27th Infantry, Colonel Styer, refused to turn the men over.

The Japanese were not pleased with the Americans refusal to turn over the Cossacks because they considered it to be an internal Cossack issue while the Americans were concerned by the terror being leveled on many of the citizens of the country side as well as the treatment of the rank and file soldiers. The animosity between the Japanese and Americans over this and other issues persisted throughout the expedition in Russia.

Check out this link for more info on the Cossacks and their long history.