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 clearances and: 
-colonel- without stars.
- lieutenant colonel(since 1884 the Cossacks had a military sergeant major) - 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. constable) - 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 comb;
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 the aviation detachment of the 19th army corps and staff captain of the 3rd field aviation detachment. In the center are the shoulder straps of the cadets of the Nikolaev 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, there were also very 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 the civilian fleet even now, the person in charge of the crew of the ship is called “captain”, the person in charge of the seaport is called “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, there was a process of separation of the concepts of "position" and "rank". After the beginning of the 19th century, these concepts were already divided 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 positions of a fairly large set of job titles, this is where the concept of “rank” often began to be obscured, to be relegated to the background. job title".
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, the ranks are 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) ranks are introduced in the army infantry and cavalry junior and senior sergeant, sergeant major disappears. Since 1796 in Cossack units, the names of ranks are established the same as the ranks of army cavalry and are equated to them, although 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; dismissed from the army a large number of generals who did not meet the requirements of military service (old age, illiteracy, disability, absence from service for a long time, etc.). Ranks were introduced in the lower ranks junior and senior privates. In the cavalry - sergeant(company sergeant) For Emperor Alexander I (1801-1825) since 1802, all non-commissioned officers of the 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 the October Revolution of 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. The shoulder strap was silver-colored without edges with an embossed double-headed eagle sitting on crossed axes. The stars were embroidered with gold thread on the shoulder straps, and the encryption was 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 asterisk had to be placed so as to form an equilateral triangle with the two lower ones, and the fourth asterisk was 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 house doors, 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 the German army, only officers had shoulder straps, while the lower ranks were distinguished 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.
In general, the field uniform of the hussars was of the 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 Rosenschild-Paulin (sitting) and cadet of the Nikolaev 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 the 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 of the next year, but only for vacancies, and it turned out that some waited several years for promotion. 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 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 of the introduction of the Table of Ranks until its abolition in 1917, the rank (rank) of lieutenant colonel belonged to the VII class 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 who have stained themselves with unseemly misconduct) are 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 of the Great War, ensigns are graduated from military schools and ensign 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 the 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 in the career ladder is junior sergeant and senior sergeant, corresponding to 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 in 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 the old army, compared to the Soviet army, 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 the highest rank of chief officer is 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 Yesaul (two per Army) - the 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 village esauls were characteristic only of the Don Army. 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 of the Don 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 the ancient name of the executive body of power among the Cossacks. In the second half of the 18th century, this name, in a modified form, extended to individuals who commanded individual branches 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 comes the colonel, the 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 military rank in the Russian Imperial Army, which existed in the 18th and 19th centuries, is below major general and above colonel. It was introduced by Peter I.
His equivalent in the navy was the rank of captain-commander. in some armies today the rank of "brigadier" corresponds.
Sergeant
This position was common in the cavalry, its non-commissioned officers, as well as in the artillery in the army of our country (Cossack troops, cavalry, and also the gendarme corps). It existed until 1917, when the military ranks of the Tsarist Army of Russia were in effect. Not everyone had an analogue of titles in the USSR. The sergeant, for example, was not there. The duty of a person with this rank was to assist the squadron commander in training troops and organizing internal order and economy. The corresponding rank in the infantry is sergeant major. For non-commissioned officers this rank would be the highest until 1826.
Lieutenant General
We continue to describe military ranks in Tsarist Russia, let's move on to lieutenant general. This rank and military rank was in the Ukrainian and Russian armies. It was used simultaneously (almost as a synonym) with the latter. During the Northern War, more precisely, in its second half, it replaced the rank of lieutenant general.
Field Marshal General
This is the highest military rank in the ground forces of the Austrian, German and Russian armies. It was introduced in our country by Peter I in 1699. This 1st class rank corresponded to the rank of admiral general in the navy, and to the chancellor in the civil service, as well as privy councilor (also 1st class). The field marshal's baton served as a sign of distinction; since the 19th century, in the buttonholes of field marshals, they began to be depicted in a crossed form. In Tsarist Russia, military ranks were distinguished by shoulder straps, where the representatives of the rank we are describing also had batons depicted. An example of a famous field marshal general in the history of our country is D. A. Milyutin.
Since 2009, this symbol has also been present on the emblem of the current entire Armed Forces of our country.
Generalissimo
In the Holy Roman Empire, this was the highest military rank, and later became such in the Russian Empire, as well as in the USSR and a number of other countries.
Historically, it was assigned to commanders of several, mainly allied, armies, generals, and in some cases also to statesmen or persons belonging to the families of reigning dynasties, as an honorary title. This rank stood outside the system of other officer ranks.
A.V. Suvorov received this title on October 28, 1799 in accordance with the Military Regulations, since he was the prince of the Sardinian kingdom, and at the same time the count of the Roman Empire, the prince of the Russian, as well as the commander-in-chief of the Austrian, Sardinian and Russian troops. Currently in our country it is not provided for by law.
Esaul
Our list of “Military ranks in Tsarist Russia” continues with the following rank. Esaul is the rank of chief officer in the Cossack and Russian troops. This rank designates an assistant, deputy military commander. Yesauls are: military, general, hundred, regimental, marching, village, artillery.
Captain Commander
This rank existed in 1707-1732, as well as in 1751-1827 in the navy of our country. It was introduced in 1707 and entered into the Table of Ranks in 1722, belonged to class V, and was considered lower than rear admiral and higher than the rank of ship captain (captain of the first rank - since 1713). In the army, this rank corresponded to a brigadier, and in state (civilian) positions - a state councilor. The address to a representative of this rank is “Your Highness.” His duties included commanding detachments of ships (small), as well as temporarily replacing the rear admiral.
Corporal
This military rank, which was held by junior command personnel, is the lowest sergeant (non-commissioned officer) rank. In our country it appeared in 1647, introduced by Peter I in the “Military Regulations”. Later, in the first half of the 19th century, it was replaced by the rank of non-commissioned officer. Today, in modern armed forces, a corporal corresponds to the rank of “junior sergeant.”
Cornet
This is a military rank that was in the armies of some countries, mainly in the cavalry. Its name comes from the ancient position of a trumpeter, located under the commander, who, on his orders, transmitted signals to the troops during the battle. Holders of this rank are listed in the same class as army second lieutenants, and therefore wear the same shoulder straps. Note that in the cavalry the rank of second lieutenant does not exist.
Podesaul
We continue to describe military ranks in Tsarist Russia, presenting to you the following. This position existed since the 16th century, and then in Russia it was the chief officer rank in the Cossack troops of class X (in 1798-1884) and class IX in the above-mentioned list of "Table of Ranks" (1884-1917), in which there were military ranks in Tsarist Russia and their salaries are indicated.
In 1798, it was equated to the rank of staff captain in the cavalry, staff captain in the infantry, and lieutenant in the navy, as well as the rank of titular adviser in the civil service.
Second Lieutenant
This chief officer rank, which existed in the Russian army, was introduced by Peter I in Russia in 1703.
After the rank of ensign for peacetime was abolished in 1884, he became the first officer for all troops except the Cossacks and cavalry, where he corresponded to the ranks of cornet and cornet. In the navy of the Empire, the rank of midshipman was equivalent to it, and in the civil service - the rank of provincial secretary. In the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the rank of second lieutenant corresponds to “lieutenant.”
Lieutenant
The military rank belonging to junior officers in the armies of pre-revolutionary Russia and Poland corresponded to the position of senior lieutenant. In the 18th and 19th centuries, there was also “porutchik” as an orthographic variant of this rank. Military ranks in Tsarist Russia in 1812, for example, included this rank.
This was an assignment officer, which in the USSR and Russia corresponds to the rank of senior lieutenant.
Ensign
We continue to describe military ranks in the royal army. The ensign exists in the armed forces, as well as other security forces in a number of countries. By decree of Alexei Mikhailovich, in the Russian army in 1649, standard bearers began to be called ensigns, who were appointed from among the most physically strong, courageous and battle-tested warriors. Creating a regular army, Peter I in 1712 introduced this rank as a junior (first) rank of officers in the cavalry and infantry. Until 1917, it was awarded to persons who completed an accelerated course at ensign schools or military schools and passed exams according to a certain program. Non-commissioned officers with secondary or higher education were allowed to be awarded it without an examination for military distinction. Warrant officers were usually appointed to the position by platoon commanders. In the Red Army (1917-1946), as well as the Soviet Army (until 1972), there was no equivalent rank of ensign. On January 1, 1972, it was introduced (together with the rank of midshipman) in the Armed Forces of the USSR. In the modern army of our country, he corresponds to the position of junior lieutenant.
Captain
Our list of “Military ranks in the tsarist army” is completed by captain. This was the senior officer rank in the cavalry (in the Russian Empire - chief officer). In 1730, in connection with the creation of heavy cavalry, new names of ranks appeared, among which was captain. Ulan and in 1882 were transformed into dragoons, and in order to establish uniformity in ranks throughout the cavalry, dragoon captains began to be called captains. In 1917, this rank was abolished. In the 20th century it existed, for example, in Poland.
These are the main military ranks in the Tsarist Army of Russia.
Shoulder straps of the 19th-20th centuries
(1854-1917)
Officers and generals
The appearance of galloon shoulder straps with rank insignia on the uniforms of officers and generals of the Russian Army is associated with the introduction of military-style military overcoats on April 29, 1854 (the only difference was that the new officer’s overcoat, unlike the soldiers’ overcoats, had side welt pockets with flaps).
In the picture on the left: an officer's traveling overcoat of the 1854 model.
This overcoat was introduced only for wartime and lasted a little over a year.
At the same time, by the same Order, braided shoulder straps were introduced for this overcoat (Order of the Military Department No. 53, 1854)
From the author. Until this time, apparently the only statutory model of outer clothing for officers and generals was the so-called “Nicholas Greatcoat,” which did not bear any insignia at all.
Studying numerous paintings and drawings of the 19th century, you come to the conclusion that the Nikolaev overcoat was not suitable for war and few people wore it in field conditions.
Apparently, officers more often used a frock coat with epaulettes as a traveling overcoat. In general, the frock coat was intended for everyday wear outside the formation, and not as outerwear for winter.
But in the books of that time there are often references to frock coats with warm lining, frock coats “lined with cotton wool” and even frock coats “lined with fur”. Such a warm frock coat was quite suitable as a replacement for the Nikolaev overcoat.
However, the same expensive cloth was used for frock coats as for uniforms. And by the middle of the 19th century, the army was becoming more and more massive, which entailed not just an increase in the size of the officer corps, but also an increasing involvement in the officer corps of people who had no income other than an officer’s salary, which in those days was very meager. There is an urgent need to reduce the cost of military uniforms. This was partially resolved through the introduction of officer's field overcoats made of rough, but durable and warm soldier's cloth, and the replacement of very expensive epaulettes with relatively cheap braided shoulder straps.
By the way, this characteristic-looking overcoat with a cape and often with a fastened fur collar is generally called “Nikolaevskaya” by mistake. It appeared in the era of Alexander I.
In the picture on the right is an officer of the Butyrsky Infantry Regiment of 1812.
Obviously, they began to call it Nikolaev after the appearance of the traveling overcoat with shoulder straps. It is likely that, wanting to emphasize the backwardness in military affairs of this or that general, they used to say in the last quarter of the 19th century: “Well, he still wears Nikolaev’s overcoat.” However, this is more of my speculation.
Actually, in 1910, this Nikolaev overcoat with a fur lining and a fur collar was preserved as outerwear out of service along with a coat (in fact, this is also an overcoat, but of a different cut than the marching one, model 1854). Although rarely did anyone wear the Nikolaev overcoat.
Initially, and I ask you to pay special attention to this, officers and generals had to wear soldier's shoulder straps (pentagonal shape), the color assigned to the regiment, but 1 1/2 inches wide (67mm). And braids are sewn onto this soldier’s shoulder strap.
Let me remind you that the soldier's shoulder straps in those days were soft, 1.25 inches wide (56mm). Shoulder length (from shoulder seam to collar).
Shoulder straps 1854
Generals 1854
A 2-inch (51 mm) wide braid was sewn onto a shoulder strap 1.5 inches (67 mm) wide to indicate general ranks. Thus, the field of 8 mm shoulder straps remained open. from the side and top edges. Type of braid - "...from the braid assigned to the collars of Hungarian hussar generals...".
Note that later the pattern of the general's braid on the shoulder straps will change noticeably, although the general character of the pattern will remain..
The color of the braid matches the color of the instrument metal of the shelf, i.e. gold or silver. The asterisks indicating rank are of the opposite color, i.e. on silver braid there is gold, on gold there is silver. Forged metal. The diameter of the circle into which the star fits is 1/4 inch (11 mm).
Number of stars:
*2 - major general.
*3 - Lieutenant General.
*without asterisks - general (infantry, cavalry, field general, general engineer).
*crossed wands - Field Marshal.
From the author. People often ask why the major general had not one, but two stars on his shoulder straps and epaulettes. I believe that the number of stars in Tsarist Russia was determined not by the name of the rank, but by its class according to the Table of Ranks. The general ranks included five classes (V to I). Hence - fifth class - 1 star, fourth class - 2 stars, third class - 3 stars, second class - no stars, first class - crossed wands. By 1827, class V existed in the civil service (state councilor), but this class did not exist in the army. Following the rank of colonel (VI class) was the rank of major general (IV class). Therefore, the major general has not one, but two stars.
By the way, when in 1943 new insignia (epaulets and stars) were introduced into the Red Army, the major general was given one star, thereby leaving no room for a possible return to the rank of brigade commander (brigadier general or something like that). Although even then there was a need for it. After all, in the tank corps of 1943 there were not tank divisions, but tank brigades. There were no tank divisions. There were also separate rifle brigades, marine brigades, and airborne brigades.
True, after the war they completely switched to divisions. Brigades as military formations, in general, have disappeared from the nomenclature of formations of our army, with very rare exceptions, and the need for an intermediate rank between colonel and major general seems to have disappeared.
But now, when the army is moving to a brigade system altogether, the need for the rank between colonel (regiment commander) and major general (division commander) is greater than ever. For a brigade commander, the rank of colonel is not enough, and the rank of major general is too much. And if the rank of brigadier general is introduced, what insignia should he be given? General's shoulder straps without stars? But today it will look ridiculous.
Staff officers 1854
On the shoulder strap, to designate headquarters officer ranks, three stripes were sewn along the shoulder strap "from the braid assigned to cavalry sword belts, sewn (slightly retreating from the edges of the shoulder strap in three rows, with two gaps of 1/8 inch."
However, this braid was 1.025 inches (26 mm) wide. Clearance width 1/8 inch (5.6mm). Thus, if we follow the “Historical Description”, the width of the headquarters officer’s shoulder straps should have been 2 x 26mm + 2 x 5.6mm, and a total of 89mm.
And at the same time, in the illustrations for the same publication we see a staff officer’s shoulder straps the same width as a general’s, i.e. 67mm. In the middle there is a belt braid with a width of 26 mm, and to the left and right of it, retreating by 5.5 - 5.6 mm. two narrow galloons (11mm) of a special design, which later in the Description of Officers' Uniforms of the 1861 edition will be described as..."slanting stripes in the middle, and towns along the edges." Later, this type of braid will be called "staff officer braid".
The edges of the shoulder strap remain free at 3.9-4.1 mm.
Here I specifically show enlarged types of galloons that were used on the shoulder straps of headquarters officers of the Russian Army.
From the author. Please note that, despite the external similarity of the braid pattern, the shoulder straps of the Russian Army before 1917. and the Red (Soviet) Army since 1943. still differ quite a bit. This is how individuals are caught embroidering the monograms of Nicholas II on Soviet officer shoulder straps and selling them under the guise of genuine royal shoulder straps, which are now in great fashion. If the seller honestly says that this is a remake, then he can only be blamed for his mistakes, but if he foams at the mouth and assures that this is his great-grandfather’s epaulette, which he personally accidentally found in the attic, it is better not to have business with such a person.
Number of stars:
*major - 2 stars,
*lieutenant colonel - 3 stars,
*Colonel - no stars.
From the author. And again, people often ask why the major has not one (as now), but two stars on his shoulder straps. In general, this is difficult to explain, especially since if you go from the very bottom, then everything goes logically up to the major. The most junior officer, warrant officer, has 1 star, then by rank there are 2, 3 and 4 stars. And the most senior chief officer rank - captain, has shoulder straps without stars.
It would be correct to give the youngest of the staff officers one star too. But they gave me two.
Personally, I find only one explanation for this (albeit not a particularly convincing one) - until 1798, there were two ranks in the army in the VIII class - second major and prime major.
But by the time stars were introduced on epaulettes (in 1827), there was only one major rank left. Obviously, in memory of the two major ranks of the past, the major was given not one, but two stars. It is possible that one star was, as it were, reserved. At that time, debate was still ongoing as to whether it was advisable to have only one major rank.
Chief officers 1854
On the shoulder strap, to designate chief officer ranks, two strips of the same braid were sewn along the shoulder strap as the middle braid (26mm) on the headquarters officer's shoulder strap. The gap between the braids is also 1.8 inches (5.6 mm).
The color of the braid matches the color of the instrument metal of the shelf, i.e. gold or silver. Asterisks indicating a rank of the opposite color, i.e. on silver braid there is gold, on gold there is silver. Forged metal. The diameter of the circle into which the star fits is 1/4 inch (11 mm).
Number of stars:
*ensign - 1 star,
*second lieutenant - 2 stars,
*lieutenant - 3 stars,
*staff captain - 4 stars,
*captain - no stars.
Shoulder straps 1855
The first experience of wearing shoulder straps was successful, and their practicality was undeniable. And already on March 12, 1855, Emperor Alexander II, who ascended the throne, ordered the replacement of epaulettes for everyday wear with shoulder straps on the newly introduced vice half-kaftans.
This is how epaulettes gradually begin to disappear from officer uniforms. By 1883 they would remain only on dress uniforms.
On May 20, 1855, the military-style military overcoat was replaced by a double-breasted cloth coat (cloak). True, in everyday life they also began to call it an overcoat. In all cases, only shoulder straps are worn on a new coat. The stars on the shoulder straps are ordered to be embroidered with silver thread on gold shoulder straps and with gold thread on silver shoulder straps.
From the author. From that time until the end of the existence of the Russian Army, the stars on the epaulettes had to be forged metal, and embroidered on the shoulder straps. In any case, in the 1910 edition of the Rules for Wearing Uniforms by Officers, this norm was preserved.
However, it is difficult to say how strictly the officers followed these rules. The discipline of military uniforms in those days was significantly lower than in Soviet times.
In November 1855, the type of shoulder straps changed. By order of the Minister of War of November 30, 1855. Liberties in the width of shoulder straps, so common previously, were now not allowed. Strictly 67 mm. (1 1/2 inches). The lower edge of the shoulder strap is sewn into the shoulder seam, and the upper edge is fastened with a button with a diameter of 19 mm. The color of the button is the same as the color of the braid. The upper edge of the shoulder strap is cut off like on epaulettes. Since that time, officer-style shoulder straps differ from soldiers' ones in that they are hexagonal rather than pentagonal.
At the same time, the shoulder straps themselves remain soft.
Generals 1855
The galloon of the general's shoulder strap has changed in design and width. The old braid was 2 inches (51 mm) wide, the new one was 1 1/4 inches (56 mm) wide. Thus, the cloth field of the shoulder strap protruded beyond the edges of the braid by 1/8 inch (5.6 mm).
The picture to the left shows the braid that generals wore on their shoulder straps from May 1854 to November 1855, to the right, which was introduced in 1855 and which has been preserved to this day.
From the author. Please pay attention to the width and frequency of large zigzags, as well as the pattern of small zigzags running between the large ones. At first glance, this is imperceptible, but in fact it is very significant and can help uniform art lovers and military uniform reenactors avoid mistakes and distinguish low-quality remakes from genuine products of those times. And sometimes it can help to date a photograph or painting.
The upper end of the braid now bends over the upper edge of the shoulder strap. The number of stars on shoulder straps by rank remains unchanged.
It should be noted that the places of stars on the shoulder straps of generals and officers were not strictly determined by location, as is the case today. They were supposed to be located on the sides of the codes (regiment number or monogram of the highest chief), the third one is higher. So that the stars form the ends of an equilateral triangle. If this was not possible due to the size of the encryption, then the asterisks were placed above the encryption.
Staff officers 1855
Like the generals, the braid on the headquarters officers' shoulder straps curved around the upper edge. The middle braid (belt) was not 1.025 inches (26 mm) wide, as on the shoulder straps of the 1854 model, but 1/2 inch (22 mm). The gaps between the middle and side braids were 1/8 inch (5.6 mm). The side braids are 1/4 inch wide (11 mm) as before.
Note. Since 1814, the colors of the shoulder straps of the lower ranks, and naturally since 1854, the colors of the officer's shoulder straps, were determined by the rank of the regiment in the division. So in the first regiment of the division the shoulder straps are red, in the second - white, in the third - light blue. For the fourth regiments, the shoulder straps are dark green with red piping. Grenadier regiments have yellow shoulder straps. All artillery and engineering troops have red shoulder straps. This is in the army. 
In the Guard, the shoulder straps in all regiments are red.
Cavalry units had their own peculiarities in the colors of shoulder straps.
In addition, there were numerous deviations in the colors of shoulder straps from the general rules, which were dictated either by the historically accepted colors for a given regiment, or by the wishes of the emperor. And these rules themselves were not established once and for all. They changed periodically.
It should also be noted that all generals, as well as officers serving in non-regimental units, were assigned to specific regiments and accordingly wore shoulder straps of regimental color.
Chief officers 1855
On the chief officer's shoulder straps, two belt braids with a width of 1/2 inch (22 mm) were sewn on. They retreated from the edges of the shoulder strap, as on the previous ones, by 1/8 inch (5.6 mm), and had a gap of 1/4 between themselves top (11 mm).
Stars sewn in the opposite color to the color of the braid with a diameter of 11 mm. Those. stars are embroidered on gold braid with silver thread, and on silver braid with gold thread.
The shoulder straps shown above for clarity are shown only with insignia of ranks. However, it is worth remembering that in the times described, shoulder straps had a dual function - an external determinant of ranks and a determinant of a serviceman’s belonging to a particular regiment. The second function was fulfilled to some extent due to the colors of the shoulder straps, but fully due to the attachment of monograms, numbers and letters on the shoulder straps indicating the regiment number.
Monograms were also placed on the shoulder straps. The monogram system is so complex that a separate article is required. For now we will limit ourselves to brief information.
On the shoulder straps there are monograms and codes, the same as on the epaulettes. The stars were sewn onto shoulder straps in the shape of a triangle and were located as follows - the two lower stars on both sides of the encryption (or, if there is no space, above it), and on shoulder straps without encryption - at a distance of 7/8 inch (38.9 mm) from their bottom the edges. The height of the letters and numbers of the encryption was generally 1 vershok (4.4 cm).
On shoulder straps with piping, the braid in the upper edge of the shoulder strap reached only to the piping.
However, by 1860, on shoulder straps that did not have piping, the braid also began to be cut, not reaching the upper edge of the shoulder strap by about 1/16 of an inch (2.8 mm).
The picture shows on the left the shoulder straps of the major of the fourth regiment in the division, on the right the shoulder straps of the captain of the third regiment in the division (on the shoulder strap is the monogram of the highest chief of the regiment, the Prince of Orange).
Since the shoulder strap was sewn into the shoulder seam, it was impossible to remove it from the uniform (caftan, semi-caftan). Therefore, in cases where they were to be worn, epaulettes were attached directly over the shoulder straps.
The peculiarity of attaching the epaulette was that it lay completely free on the shoulder. Only the top end was fastened with a button. He was kept from moving forward or backward by the so-called. counter-shoulder (also called counter-epaulette, shoulder strap), which was a loop of narrow braid sewn onto the shoulder. The epaulette was slipped under the counter shoulder strap.
When wearing shoulder straps, the counter shoulder strap lay under the shoulder strap. In order to put on the epaulette, the shoulder strap was unfastened, passed under the counter shoulder strap and fastened again. Then an epaulette was passed under the counter shoulder strap, which was also then fastened to a button.
However, such a “sandwich” looked very unfortunate and on March 12, 1859, a decree was issued that allowed the removal of shoulder straps when wearing epaulettes. This entailed a change in the design of the shoulder straps.
Basically, the method that took root was in which the shoulder strap was attached using a strap sewn to the lower edge of the shoulder strap from the inside out. This strap passed under the counter shoulder strap, and its upper end was fastened with the same button as the shoulder strap itself.
This fastening was in many ways similar to the fastening of an epaulette, with the only difference being that it was not the epaulette that passed under the shoulder strap, but its strap.
In the future, this method will remain almost the only one (except for completely sewing the shoulder strap onto the shoulder). Sewing the lower edge of the shoulder strap into the shoulder seam will remain only on coats (overcoats), since wearing epaulettes on them was not originally intended.
On uniforms that were used as ceremonial and ordinary ones, i.e. which were worn with epaulettes and shoulder straps, this counter-epaulet was preserved at the beginning of the 20th century. On all other types of uniforms, instead of a counter shoulder strap, a belt loop, invisible under the shoulder strap, was used.
1861
This year a “Description of Officer Uniforms” is being published, which states:
1. The width of shoulder straps for all officers and generals is 1 1/2 inches (67mm).
2. The width of the gaps on headquarters and chief officer shoulder straps is 1/4 inch (5.6mm).
3. The distance between the edge of the braid and the edge of the shoulder strap is 1/4 inch (5.6mm).
However, using the standard belt braid of that time: (narrow 1/2 inch (22mm) or wide 5/8 inch (27.8mm)), it is impossible to achieve regulated clearances and edges with a regulated shoulder strap width. Therefore, manufacturers of shoulder straps either made some changes in the width of the braid, or changed the width of the shoulder straps..
This situation remained until the end of the existence of the Russian Army.
From the author. In the superbly executed drawing by Alexei Khudyakov (may he forgive me for such shameless borrowing) of the shoulder strap of an ensign of the 200th Kronshlot Infantry Regiment, the design of a wide sword belt braid is clearly visible. It is also clearly noticeable that the free side edges of the shoulder straps are narrower than the width of the clearance, although according to the rules they should be equal.
An asterisk (silver embroidered) is placed above the encryption. Accordingly, the stars of the second lieutenant, lieutenant and staff captain will be located above the encryption, and not on the sides of it, since there is no room for them there due to the three-digit regiment number.
Sergei Popov, in an article in the magazine "Old Workshop", writes that in the sixties of the 19th century, private production of braids for headquarters and chief officer shoulder straps, which were a solid braid with one or two colored stripes of the prescribed width woven into it, spread (5.6m. ). And the width of such a solid braid was equal to the width of a general’s galloon (1 1/4 inches (56 mm)). This is probably true (numerous photographs of surviving shoulder straps confirm this), although even during the Great War there were shoulder straps made according to the rules (Rules for wearing uniforms by officers of all branches of arms. St. Petersburg, 1910).
Obviously, both types of shoulder straps were in use.
From the author. This is how the understanding of the term “clearances” gradually began to disappear. Initially, these were indeed gaps between the rows of braid. Well, when they became just colored stripes in galloon, their early understanding was lost, although the term itself was preserved even in Soviet times.
By Circulars of the General Staff No. 23 of 1880 and No. 132 of 1881, it was allowed to wear metal plates on shoulder straps instead of braid, on which a braid pattern is stamped.
There were no significant changes in the sizes of shoulder straps and their elements in subsequent years. Except that in 1884 the rank of major was abolished and staff officers' shoulder straps with two stars went into . From that time on, on shoulder straps with two gaps there were either no stars at all (colonel), or there were three of them (lieutenant colonel). Note that the rank of lieutenant colonel did not exist in the guard.
It should also be noted that from the very appearance of officer braided shoulder straps, in addition to encryption and asterisks in special branches (artillery, engineering troops), so-called shoulder straps were placed on the shoulder straps. special signs indicating that the officer belongs to a special type of weapon. For artillerymen, these were crossed barrels of ancient cannons, for sapper battalions, crossed axes and shovels. As special forces developed, the number of special forces (nowadays they are called emblems of military branches) increased, and by the middle of the Great War there were more than two dozen of them. Without being able to show them all, we will limit ourselves to those available to the author. With some exceptions, the color of the special signs coincided with the color of the braid. They were usually made of brass. For silver shoulder straps they were usually tinned or silver plated.
By the time the First World War began, officer shoulder straps looked like this:
From left to right top row:
*Staff Captain of the Training Automobile Company. A special sign for motorists is placed instead of encryption. This was how it was established when introducing insignia for this company.
*Captain of the Caucasian Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevich Grenadier Artillery Brigade. The braid, like all artillery, is gold, the brigade chief’s monogram is gold, as is the special sign of the grenadier artillery. The special sign is placed above the monogram. The general rule was to place special signs above the codes or monograms. The third and fourth asterisks were placed above the encryption. And if the officer was also entitled to special badges, then the asterisks are higher than the special badge.
*Lieutenant Colonel of the 11th Izyum Hussar Regiment. Two stars, as expected, are on the sides of the encryption, and the third is above the encryption.
*Adjutant wing. Rank equal to colonel. Outwardly, he is distinguished from a colonel by the white piping around the field of his shoulder strap of regimental color (here red). The monogram of Emperor Nicholas II, as befits the adjutant wing, is the color opposite to the color of the braid.
*Major General of the 50th Division. Most likely, this is the commander of one of the division's brigades, since the division commander wears on his shoulder straps the number of the corps (in Roman numerals) to which the division belongs.
*Field Marshal General. The last Russian field marshal general was D.A. Milyutin, who died back in 1912. However, during the First World War there was another person who had the rank of Field Marshal of the Russian Army - King Nicholas I of Montenegro. But it was what is called a “wedding general.” He had nothing to do with the Russian Army. The assignment of this title to him was purely political in nature.
*1 - special badge of an anti-aircraft artillery motor unit, 2 - special badge of an anti-aircraft machine gun motor unit, 3 - special badge of a motorized pontoon battalion, 4 - special badge of railway units, 5 - special badge of grenadier artillery.
Letter and digital encryption (Military Department Order No. 100 of 1909 and General Staff Circular No. 7-1909):
* Encoding in one row is located at a distance of 1/2 inch (22mm) from the bottom edge of the shoulder strap with a height of letters and numbers of 7/8 inch (39mm).
* The encryption is located in two rows - the bottom row is 1/2 an inch (22mm) from the bottom shoulder strap with the height of the letters and letters of the bottom row being 3/8 an inch (16.7mm). The top row is separated from the bottom row by a gap of 1/8 inch (5.6mm). The height of the top row of letters and numbers is 7/8 inches (39mm).
The question regarding the softness or hardness of shoulder straps remains open. The regulations say nothing about this. Obviously, everything depended on the officer’s opinion. In numerous photographs of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, we see officers in both soft and hard uniforms.
It is worth noting that a soft shoulder strap very quickly begins to look rather sloppy. It lies along the contour of the shoulder, i.e. gets bends, kinks. And if you add to this the frequent putting on and taking off of an overcoat, then the wrinkling of the shoulder strap only intensifies. In addition, the fabric of the shoulder strap shrinks (reduces in size) due to getting wet and drying in rainy weather, while the braid does not change its size. The shoulder strap wrinkles. Wrinkling and bending of the shoulder strap can be largely avoided by placing a solid backing inside. But a hard shoulder strap, especially on a uniform under an overcoat, puts pressure on the shoulder.
It seems that the officers each time, depending on personal preferences and convenience, decided for themselves which shoulder strap suited them best.
Comment. On shoulder straps in alphabetic and number codes there was always a dot after the number and after each combination of letters. And at the same time, the point was not made with monograms.
From the author. From the author. The author became convinced of the advantages and disadvantages of hard and soft shoulder straps from personal experience already after entering college in 1966. Following cadet fashion, I inserted plastic plates into my new shoulder straps. The shoulder straps immediately acquired a certain elegance, which I really liked. They lay smoothly and beautifully on the shoulders. But the very first lesson in drill training with weapons made me bitterly regret what I had done. These hard shoulder straps caused such pain to my shoulders that that same evening I did the opposite procedure, and throughout all the years of my cadet life I never became fashionable.
Officer shoulder straps of the sixties and eighties of the 20th century were tough. But they were sewn onto the shoulders of uniforms and overcoats, which did not change shape due to the edging and wadding. And at the same time, they did not put pressure on the officer’s shoulders. In this way, it was possible to ensure that the shoulder straps did not wrinkle, but did not cause any inconvenience to the officer.
Shoulder straps for officers of hussar regiments
The shoulder straps in their historical development, starting in 1854, were described above. However, these shoulder straps were prescribed for all types of weapons, except for hussar regiments. It is worth recalling that hussar officers, in addition to the well-known dolmans and mentiks, had, as in other branches of the military, frock coats, vice uniforms, coats, etc., which differed only in some decorative elements.
The shoulder straps of hussar officers already on May 7, 1855 received a braid, which was called the “hussar zigzag”. The generals who were in the hussar regiments did not receive special galloon. They wore general general's braid on their shoulder straps.
To simplify the presentation of the material, we will show only samples of officer hussar shoulder straps of the late period (1913).
To the left are the shoulder straps of the lieutenant of the 14th Mitavsky Hussar Regiment, to the right are the shoulder straps of the lieutenant colonel of the 11th Izyum Hussar Regiment. The location of the stars is clear - the bottom two are on the sides of the encryption, the third is higher. The color of the shoulder strap field (gaps, edges) is the same color as the color of the shoulder straps of the lower ranks of these regiments.
However, not only officers of hussar regiments had the “hussar zigzag” braid on their shoulder straps.
Already in 1855, the same galloon was assigned to the officers of “His Imperial Majesty’s Own Convoy” (according to the magazine “Old Zeichgauz” in March 1856).
And on June 29, 1906, the gold galloon “hussar zigzag” was received by the officers of the Life Guards of the 4th Infantry Battalion of the Imperial Family. The color of the shoulder straps in this battalion is crimson.
And finally, on July 14, 1916, the hussar zigzag was assigned to the officers of the St. George Security Battalion of the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief.
Some clarification is required here. This battalion was formed from among soldiers awarded the St. George Cross. The officers are all with the Order of St. George 4th Art. Both of them, as a rule, were from among those who, due to wounds, illness, and age, could no longer fight in the ranks.
We can say that this battalion became a kind of repetition of the Company of Palace Grenadiers (created in 1827 from among veterans of past wars), only for the front.
The appearance of the shoulder straps of this battalion is also interesting. The lower ranks have an orange shoulder strap with black stripes in the center and along the edges.
The battalion's officer's shoulder strap was distinguished by the fact that it had a black piping, and a central thin black stripe was visible in the gap. The drawing of this shoulder strap, taken from the description approved by the Minister of War, Infantry General Shuvaev, shows an orange field and black piping.
Getting off topic. General of Infantry Shuvaev Dmitry Savelyevich. Minister of War from March 15, 1916 to January 3, 1917. By origin an honorary citizen. Those. not a nobleman, but the son of a man who received only personal nobility. According to some sources, Dmitry Savelyevich was the son of a soldier who rose to junior officer ranks.
Of course, having become a full general, Shuvaev received hereditary nobility.
What I mean is that many, even the highest military leaders of the Russian Army, were not necessarily counts, princes, landowners, the word “white bones,” as Soviet propaganda tried to convince us for many years. And a peasant’s son could become a general just like a prince’s son. Of course, a commoner needed to put in more work and effort for this. This is how things have stood in all other times and are the same today. Even in Soviet times, the sons of big bosses had a much greater chance of becoming generals than the sons of combine operators or miners.
And during the Civil War, aristocrats Ignatiev, Brusilov, Potapov found themselves on the side of the Bolsheviks, but the soldiers’ children Denikin and Kornilov led the White Movement.
We can conclude that a person’s political views are determined not by his class origin, but by something else.
End of retreat.
Shoulder straps for reserve and retired officers and generals
Everything described above applies only to officers on active military service.
Officers and generals who were in the reserve or retired before 1883 (according to S. Popov) did not have the right to wear epaulettes or shoulder straps, although they usually had the right to wear military clothing as such.
According to V.M. Glinka, officers and generals dismissed from service “without uniform” did not have the right to wear epaulettes (and with the introduction of shoulder straps, even them) from 1815 to 1896.
Officers and generals in reserve.
In 1883 (according to S. Popov), generals and officers who were in the reserve and had the right to wear a military uniform were required to have on their shoulder straps a transverse stripe of reverse-colored braid 3/8 inch wide (17 mm).
In the picture to the left are the shoulder straps of a staff captain in reserve, to the right are the shoulder straps of a major general in reserve.
Please note that the design of the general's patch is slightly different from the officer's.
I dare to suggest that since reserve officers and generals were not listed in certain regiments, they did not wear codes and monograms. In any case, according to Schenk’s book, the adjutant generals, wing adjutants and major generals of His Majesty’s Retinue, who were transferred to the reserve, do not wear monograms on shoulder straps and epaulettes, as well as all others who left the Retinue for any reason.
Officers and generals who were dismissed “in uniform” wore shoulder straps with a special design.
So the general's zigzag in pursuit was covered with a 17-mm strip. braid of the opposite color, which in turn has a general's zigzag pattern.
Retired staff officers used hussar zigzag braid instead of the belt braid, but with the zigzag itself being the opposite color.
Comment. The 1916 edition of the "Private's Manual" indicates that the middle braid on a retired staff officer's shoulder strap was completely the reverse color, and not just a zigzag.
Retired chief officers (according to the 1916 edition of the "Textbook for Private Soldiers") wore short rectangular shoulder straps located across the shoulder.
A very special galloon was worn by officers retired due to injury and retired officers of the St. George Knights. Their parts of the braid adjacent to the gaps had the opposite color.
The figure shows the shoulder straps of a retired major general, retired lieutenant colonel, retired lieutenant and staff captain, retired due to injury, or a retired cavalier of St. George.
The picture on the right shows shoulder straps on an officer's coat on the eve of the First World War. Here is the chief officer of the Grenadier Sapper Battalion.
In October 1914 (Order of V.V. No. 698 of October 31, 1914) in connection with the outbreak of war for the troops of the Active Army, i.e. marching shoulder straps were introduced for units located at the front and marching units (i.e. units moving to the front). I quote:
"1) Generals, Headquarters and chief officers, doctors and military officials of the active army, in accordance with the protective shoulder straps of the lower ranks, - install cloth shoulder straps, protective, without piping, with oxidized buttons for all parts, with embroidered dark orange (light brown) stripes (tracks) to indicate rank and with oxidized asterisks to indicate rank...
3) On overcoats, instead of protective shoulder straps, officers, military officials and ensigns are allowed to have shoulder straps made of overcoat cloth (where lower ranks have the same ones).
4) It is allowed to replace the embroidery of stripes with a patch of narrow ribbons of dark orange or light brown color.
5) The retinue monogram images on the indicated shoulder straps should be embroidered with light brown or dark orange silk, and other encryption and special signs (if any are needed) should have oxidized (burnt) invoices. ....
a) stripes to indicate rank should be: for general ranks - zigzag, for staff officer ranks - double, for chief officer ranks - single, all about 1/8 inch wide;
b) shoulder strap width: for officer ranks - 1 3/8 - 1 1/2 inches, for doctors and military officials - 1 - 1 1/16 inches...."
Thus, in 1914, galloon shoulder straps gave way to simple and cheap military shoulder straps.
However, galloon shoulder straps were retained for troops in the rear districts and in both capitals. Although, it should be noted that in February 1916, the commander of the Moscow district, artillery general Mrozovsky I.I. issued an order (No. 160 of 02/10/1916), in which he demanded that gentlemen officers wear exclusively galloon shoulder straps in Moscow and throughout the entire territory of the district, and not marching ones, which are prescribed only for the Active Army. Obviously, wearing marching shoulder straps in the rear had by that time become widespread. Everyone apparently wanted to look like seasoned front-line soldiers.
At the same time, on the contrary, in front-line units in 1916, galloon shoulder straps “came into fashion.” This was especially true for precocious officers graduating from wartime ensign schools, who did not have the opportunity to show off their beautiful dress uniforms and gold shoulder straps in the cities.
With the Bolsheviks coming to power in Russia on December 16, 1917, a decree was issued by the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars, abolishing all ranks and ranks and "external distinctions and titles" in the army.
Galun shoulder straps disappeared from the shoulders of Russian officers for a long twenty-five years. In the Red Army, created in February 1918, there were no shoulder straps until January 1943.
During the Civil War, there was complete inconsistency in the armies of the White Movement - from wearing the shoulder straps of the destroyed Russian Army, to the complete denial of shoulder straps and any insignia in general. Here everything depended on the opinions of local military leaders, who were quite powerful within their borders. Some of them, like Ataman Annenkov, for example, even began to invent their own uniforms and insignia. But this is a topic for separate articles.
Sources and literature
1. Magazine "Old Workshop" No. 2-3 (40-41) - 2011.
2. Historical description of clothing and weapons of the Russian troops. Part nineteen. Publication of the Main Quartermaster Administration. St. Petersburg. 1902
3. V.K.Shenk. Rules for wearing uniforms by officers of all branches of arms. St. Petersburg. 1910
4. V.K.Shenk. Tables of uniforms of the Russian Army. St. Petersburg. 1910
5. V.K.Shenk. Tables of uniforms of the Russian Army. St. Petersburg. 1911
6. V.V.Zvegintsov. Forms of the Russian Army. Paris, 1959
7. Poster "External differences of ranks and ranks of the military and naval departments." 1914
8. M.M. Khrenov and others. Military clothing of the Russian Army. Military publishing house. Moscow. 1994
9. Website “Insignia of the Russian Imperial Army in 1913” (semiryak.my1.ru).
10.V.M. Glinka. Russian military costume of the 18th-early 20th centuries. Artist of the RSFSR. Leningrad. 1988
11.Military encyclopedia. Volume 7. T-vo I.D. Sytin. Petersburg, 1912
12.Phota. Textbook for privates in the first year of service. Edition XXVI. Jus.1916
Tables of ranks of the Russian Army
Russian army 1884-1917
The table shows the ranks of army ranks from 1884 to 1917. These are the years of the reign of Alexander III (1881-1894), Nicholas II (1894-1917). During the period under review, the ranks in the guard were one class higher than in the army, i.e. The "old" and "young" guards are equal in rank. In 1891, Cossack ranks were established in the Cossack Life Guards and Ataman Life Guards Regiment (before that time, the ranks in these regiments were general cavalry). In 1884, the rank of “major” was finally abolished, and all officer ranks from second lieutenant to captain in the Table of Ranks were raised by one grade. The captain now has a staff officer grade of VIII, but is still listed in the chief officer ranks. Since 1884, the rank of warrant officer has been 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.).
After the October Revolution of 1917, by Decree of the Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars (Bolshevik government) of December 16, 1917, all military ranks were abolished. At this time, the Russian army was disintegrating. From individual military personnel, from the remnants of units of the imperial army, the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army was created simultaneously (Decree of the Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of January 15, 1918), the armed formations of the White Movement (they used the rank system presented here throughout the civil war), the national armies of Ukraine and Lithuania , Latvia, Estonia, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Poland, Finland (created their own rank systems).
Army infantry
| Code* | Category | Rank class | Rank name |
| 1a | Lower ranks | Private | |
| 2 | Corporal | ||
| 3 | Non-commissioned officers | Junior non-commissioned officer | |
| 4a | Senior non-commissioned officer | ||
| 4b | Sergeant Major | ||
| 5a | Sub-ensign | ||
| 5 B | Ordinary ensign | ||
| 7 | Chief officers | XIV | Ensign |
| 8a | XI | Second Lieutenant | |
| 8b | X | Lieutenant | |
| 9a | IX | Staff Captain | |
| 9b | VIII | Captain | |
| 11 | Staff officers | VII | Lieutenant colonel |
| 12 | VI | Colonel | |
| 14 | Generals | IV | Major General |
| 15 | III | Lieutenant General | |
| 16 | II | General of Infantry | |
| 18 | I | Field Marshal General |
* Read more about rank encoding.
Army cavalry
| Code* | Category | Rank class | Rank name |
| 1 | Lower ranks | Private | |
| 2 | Corporal | ||
| 3 | Non-commissioned officers | Non-commissioned officer | |
| 4a | Junior Sergeant | ||
| 4b | Senior Sergeant | ||
| 7 | Chief officers | XII | Cornet |
| 8 | X | Lieutenant | |
| 9a | IX | Staff Captain | |
| 9b | VIII | Captain | |
| 11 | Staff officers | VII | Lieutenant colonel |
| 12 | VI | Colonel | |
| 14 | Generals | IV | Major General |
| 15 | III | Lieutenant General | |
| 16 | II | General of the Cavalry |
Army Cossacks
| Code* | Category | Rank class | Rank name |
| 1 | Lower ranks | Cossack | |
| 2 | Orderly | ||
| 3 | Non-commissioned officers | Junior constable | |
| 4a | Senior constable | ||
| 4b | Sergeant | ||
| 5 | Podkhorunzhy | ||
| 7 | Chief officers | XII | Cornet |
| 8 | X | Centurion | |
| 9a | IX | Podesaul | |
| 9b | VIII | Esaul | |
| 11 | Staff officers | VII | Military foreman |
| 12 | VI | Colonel |
Army Artillery / Corps of Engineers
| Code* | Category | Rank class | Rank name |
| 1 | Lower ranks | . | Gunner |
| 2 | Bombardier | ||
| 3 | Non-commissioned officers | Junior fireworks | |
| 4a | Senior Fireworks Man | ||
| 4b | Sergeant Major | ||
| 5a | Sub-ensign | ||
| 5 B | Ordinary ensign | ||
| 7 | Chief officers | XIV | Ensign |
| 8a | XI | Second Lieutenant | |
| 8b | X | Lieutenant | |
| 9a | IX | Staff Captain | |
| 9b | VIII | Captain | |
| 11 | Staff officers | VII | Lieutenant colonel |
| 12 | VI | Colonel | |
| 14 | Generals | IV | Major General |
| 15 | III | Lieutenant General | |
| 16 | II | General-feldtsechmeister |
In class II there were three ranks in the artillery and engineering troops: General of Artillery, General Engineer (General of Engineers) and General Feldzechmeister. The last rank was held by the chief chief of artillery and engineering troops.
The shoulder straps of the Tsarist army of 1914 are rarely mentioned in feature films and history books. Meanwhile, this is an interesting object of study: in the imperial age, during the reign of Tsar Nicholas II, uniforms were an object of art. Before the outbreak of the First World War, the distinctive insignia of the Russian Army was significantly different from those used now.
They were brighter and contained more information, but at the same time they did not have functionality: they were easily noticeable both in a field environment and in a forest or snow. For this reason, with the outbreak of major hostilities, the insignia was reformed.
The ranks in the tsarist army before 1917 also differed, which changed with the advent of the revolution. We’ll tell you in detail right now what the ranks of the Tsarist Army of Russia were, what the shoulder straps of the old Tsarist Army looked like.
The main differences between shoulder straps and ranks
In the pre-revolutionary years in Russia, instead of ranks, there were ranks - for both civilians and military personnel. They were introduced by decree of Peter the Great in 1722, who created the “Table of Ranks”. The lower ranks were followed by non-commissioned officers, then chief and staff officers. The ranks of generals were considered the highest. Read more about the ranks in the Tsarist Army of Russia in ascending order with shoulder straps below.
The first difference is in the name. Instead of title - rank. The second difference is in the specific names of the ranks. If now words such as corporal, private are used, then back then there were bombardier, volunteer.
The third difference is the information that is printed on the shoulder straps. Now on them you can find information about the height of a military rank. At the same time, Greek numerals were applied large-scale, almost to the full size, to the shoulder straps. They designated the regiment to which the soldier or officer belonged. The shoulder straps also had Roman numerals and letters; they already served to divide the “height” of the position.
The fact is that in the old days there were a lot of variations of shoulder straps, but despite this, they “intersected” between different ranks. An officer's shoulder straps could be the same as those of a private (by color, regiment number). Therefore, Roman numerals were additionally used, which helped to distinguish an officer from a subordinate. For the same purpose, cockades were used - small metal plaques that are attached to the front of the cap. The soldiers had them in one shape and color, while the higher structures had them in another.
The system of using colors is also different. Nowadays, military shoulder straps vary in color depending on the type of troops. The sailors had blue ones, the infantry had red and yellow ones, but back then the colors could vary even within the same division. So, each brigade within it had its own color of shoulder straps, and if within the brigade there was another division into regiments, then each regiment had its own color of caps or a picture on the cockade. Now the caps do not differ in color, only the highest ranks of sailors wear white hats.
Previously, epaulettes and monograms on them were used, but now the system, in which the main thing is a beautiful and noble picture, has been abolished in favor of the functional qualities of the uniform.
Why did the designations change?
From 1914 to 1917, several modifications were quickly introduced regarding ranks and distinctive features in the army. First of all, with the beginning of the First World War, the colored covering of the shoulder straps was removed, which was noticeable at any time of the year and even in the off-season in November-April. They became a protective khaki color, which at that time was called “peas”.
As can be seen from the above, the Russian army before the revolution gave preference to beautiful uniforms, and a lot of attention was paid to the design component. With the beginning of serious hostilities, military leaders came to the conclusion that the colored elements of the uniform were not functional. They give the soldier away and make him an easy target for the enemy. Therefore, even before the revolution, colors were abolished.
The next change was associated with the coming to power of new people. Tsarism was overthrown, and with it the government wanted to consign into oblivion the Table of Ranks, as well as the titles that were introduced by Paul in the manner of the Prussian army. Therefore, many ranks were renamed. At the same time, shoulder straps and cockades went out of service. They returned to the army again only in 1943, and this gesture shows that not all developments of previous years were failures.
In general, the change in ranks and appearance of uniforms was due to their inadequacy in the conditions of military operations. The constant confusion in ranks and shoulder straps was a strong disadvantage of the uniform design of that time.
Correspondence of old ranks to modern ranks
A hundred years have passed since the First World War, but during this time the structure of the army has not changed much. Niches of soldiers, officers, and generals have been preserved in it. However, the old ranks received new, more convenient and general names.
Ranks in the old Tsarist army before 1917 with shoulder straps are given in accordance with the modern Russian ranking system:
- Private, aka bombardier, Cossack, volunteer, sailor 2 articles, etc. The sailor of the second class was in the navy, the Cossack belonged to the Cossack army, the bombardier was classified as a sapper infantry. Only in the cavalry the lower ranks were called the same - private. Voluntary is an outdated concept that referred to people who voluntarily went to serve (analogous to modern contract soldiers). They were distinguished by their privileges in the service.
- Corporal. Previously, only cavalry employees were called corporals, which is where most of the modern names come from. A corporal in the navy was called a sailor of the first class; among the Cossacks, a higher rank was called “order.” In the artillery army and sapper divisions there was no division into corporals and privates; everyone was called “bombardiers”.
- Junior non-commissioned officer. This included Junior Fireworker, Jr. constable, quartermaster (in the navy).
- Senior non-commissioned officer. This is the boatswain's mate in the fleet, the senior sergeant in the Life Guards and among the Cossacks, and the senior fireworksman among sappers.
- Feldwebel. This includes the sergeant among the Cossacks and cavalry, and the boatswain in the fleet.
- Sub-ensign. Conductor in the naval forces, in the infantry the name is the same as the modern one.
- An ordinary ensign. Sub-sergeant, ordinary ensign of the cavalry and life guard are among the ranks associated with this rank.
Higher officer ranks
More serious officer recognition began with receiving the rank of chief officer. Then the lower ones began to address the military “Your Honor.” The officer's cap badge, starting with this rank, is gold. Among the ranks (in ascending order) are ensign, second lieutenant, staff captain, captain, all these ranks were associated with the Table of Ranks.
The officer rank of “ensign” was considered the 14th, lowest rank; staff captain was already the 9th in honor. Due to the fact that the title “captain” was previously used, confusion may arise in comparing modern and ancient military ranks. Until 1917, the “captain” ranks in the tsarist army were considered such ranks as captain, Cossack captain, and only in the guard the captain was called the same as now. Therefore, answering the question “Captain captain - what is this rank now?”, you need to answer that captain. The captain was almost equal to the staff officers, wearing eye-catching blue shoulder straps.
"Elite" and general ranks
The last level, which preceded the catalog of generals, were staff officers, these are lieutenant colonels and colonels. In the navy they were called captains and captains of 2nd rank. The next highest ranking commander in the army was a general, and in the navy - an admiral.
Staff officers were called “High Nobility”, generals – “Your Excellency”. Among the generals there were divisions: major general, colonel general, engineer general, etc. The general rank was appointed by the royal council. The generals were distinguished by the most elaborate military cockade, white gloves, and a large number of awards, which is no different from the modern state.
Military ranks in the tsarist army before 1917 and shoulder straps were very different from modern ones. This indicates a noticeable backwardness of the then system of names and uniforms. Now the uniforms and ranks of those times can be used as an example of history, but one should not use as an example the old imperfect shoulder straps that caused confusion among the military themselves.