Were Cossacks Cowards?

Question

Having just recently seen an amazing film about Napolean's army and it's flight from Moscow, it seems that far from being brave warriors who charged headlong into the front lines of the French army, Cossacks were snivelling wretches who attack the wounded, injured and dying stragglers, with little threat to their own lives. Reposte?

When I say film, I am talking about a documentary film. And there seems little doubt that there was a lot of "Attacking from behind". But I will look into it more. After all, isn't this why we ask "provocative" questions, so that we get solid responses?

I don't at all agree with the second answer when he says that the Cossacks tactics were "brilliant". Sticking a lance in a dying man is no more brilliant than a suicide bombing. I understand a little about cavalry tactics myself. But ON the battlefield. The French army had completely disintergrated and tactics only apply army against army. The French were no longer an army at this point.

Answer 1

Whilst the tactics of the Cossacks at that time in various incidences were questionable and sometimes cowardly, there is another side to it as well. One, what you had was an army of up to 600,000 men(a very large force in those days) invading your country and bent upon the subversion of your country to it's will. And led by one of the greatest generals of all time. When that army was strategically compromised and retreating it is good strategy to weaken the army as much as possible as to discourage a return of another army and to make damm sure the rest of the army didn't turn around again. Those same men who if survived, you killed, would have, if ordered, turned back their muskets on you. It was on the whole good STATEGY-MOSTLY.
Two, by picking off stragglers you weakened the numbers, by picking off scouts you shut down their eyes and ears, by picking of foragers you shut down possible food supply. Also if you were fortunate you might even get some generals or possibly a mashal. By weakening it and shaving off it's flanks you hurry it's retreat from your country. You lessen it's ability to now or in the future kill your countrymen. This is good TACTICS. And remember that in the French army of Napoleon, forged in the crucible of the revolution, officers and men not only mixed sociallly but also on the battlefield. Commanders commanded from the front.
Having said this there are two points to emphasise. One, that many times the Cossacks did overdo it and kill men who were no longer any threat to them or their country harrassed an army which was already retreating. Althought the tactics and stategy was good from a logical point of view and did the Russains good, there is a point of some cowardness. Many of the men killed and picked off in the retreat were wounded and helpless. And also why didn't the Cossacks attack strong columns or the army itself. The Russians did have at least two field armies that were verging to block the French. When the French turned south they Cossacks, being more mobile, could have combined and attacked the French army and at least kept it in position until the two Russian field armies caught up with it. But more than likely they remembered BORADINO. The tactics and strategy were good-but were of, in the circumstances, morally and courageously questionable to say the least.
Furthermore the French army even in retreat covered itself with glory. Especially one Marshal Michael Ney. He took care of the units in his command, took over much of the time guarding the last position in the rear(towards the Russians), sheparded his men to safety and got his men throught two Russian field armies to do it. When they caught up with him as he was in the last units they both respectfully camp at night. A Russian envoy to his camp offered him terms upon surrender. He said "Don't worry, my sword will get me out of this". The envoy was amazed. When in the morning the Russians stood in formation ready to recieve the surrender of one of the most celebrated soldiers in Europe, as the fog cleared, they stood amazed. The French camp was deserted. Ney and his men had got away in the night. He led his men to safety. Always being the last to retreat. He would go to the extreme rear at times with a couple of muskets and drop a few Cossacks. This to encourage them to delay. When the French army got to the frontier, Ney ushered some stragglers across one of the last bridges. He then made sure everyting was alright, took a musket in hand and strolled across the bridge. He was the last man in the whole French army to cross.

It was only years later that the magnificant actions of Ney were revealed to the world. After he had been cruelly and unjustly executed and when no one would help. Not even the duke of Wellington when asked by his wife. He said he could not interfere with the affairs of France. For a man who had been fighting for years to change a government of France-this rung really hollow.
Years later when the daughter of King Louis XVI of France, the only surviver of those royalty imprisioned in the temple, read the account of Ney's actions in Russia, she said "if only we had know".
The Cossacks did much of what was called for in the art of war. However they did much that was really not and overdid much. In that they did attack the woundered they did demonstate cowardness. Although the Russian field armies would probably come to grips with Napoleon's retreating forces, but might not have, they were after a retreating depleted force. And if Napoleon's army had have turned around for it's own survival-they most likely would have given the Russians a drubbing such as they would never have forgotten. And Napoleon was so dangerous when cornered-just look at the campaign of the after Leipzig. The allied commanders said " this man has defeated all of us and in detail". You see, much myth pertains to the Cossacks. However as usually the reality doesn't match the myth. They could be brave but remember they were human. They could also be cowardly and snivelling wretches too. And some of the things they did are condemmed in the halls of courage as well as the halls of morals. For their general tactics and strategy we praise them. For the way in which, many times they executed that tactics and strategy, we condemm them. For when you train you must fight. And you fight as you train. Sooner or later, as the Cossacks had to in the 1917 revolution, you have to face the music with what and how you have trained. And in many matters the Cossacks didn't train well. They made bad moral choices. And after all - MORAL CHOICES HAVE PHYSICAL CONSEQUENCES.

Answer 2

The French army had not completely disintegrated before the Cossacks started harrying them; it was a demoralized, but still intact army in retreat, it was these "sniviling wretches" that destroyed it. And even as the army disintegrated, they were still an invading army that was at war with Russia and thus the entire army, including the wounded and injured stragglers, was fair game for attack. Most successful armies throughout History have tried to find a way to use their strengths against their enemies weaknesses. In this light, the Cossacks were every bit as cowardly as the German Army was in 1940 when they launched their blitzkreig through the lightly defended ardennes rather than launching a frontal assault on the Maginot line, and as the Anglo-Americans were at D-Day when they deliberately tried to deceive the Germans as to the location of the landing.

Answer 3

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Answer 4

Er - Cossacks are light cavalry. Look back at the basic military tactics of the time. Light Cavalry were for primarily for skirmishing and harassing the enemy supply lines or pickets or pursuing troops in a rout.

Napoleon's retreat from Russia was the perfect time for the Cossacks to harass the rear, dispactch the defenceless and generally bleed Napoleon white while the Russian regular infantry, heavy cavalry and artillery recovered from their devasting losses against the French in the early days of the Russian campaign.

The Cossacks actions against the French were brilliant military tactics and hastened the defeat of Napoleon but depriving him of even more of his 'Old Guard' than he had already lost in pitched battles.

And as any fule know - the backbone of any army lies in its more experienced soldiers, who know how to live for their country. A much harder task than dying for it.

Answer 5

The Cossacks were the crack troops of the Tsar's army.

They were a socially complex military caste, who were given special rights and privileges in exchange for their services on the front line - and in quelling any disturbances internally.

For these reasons, the Cossacks were considered the most loyal troops in the Russian army. And the most feared.

That is, until the February revolution. =)

Answer 6

A very clever deduction. This is how history should be scrutinised. A good point though you must consider that in the face of a mightier army and a mighty attack to match as Nap always did, most brave men would cower and snivel like wet rats in the winter. But were they real cowards. I think not.

Answer 7

The cossacks were making sure that the wounded could not survive to fight another day and in the context of those times did a good job.

Answer 8

Cossacks are people no more no less, some are brave some cowardly, & the French were invaders.

Answer 9

Play any war game with cavalry and the best way to use them soon become obvious. Hold the line with your best troops, wait for the enemy line to waver, and send in the cavalry to attack them as they break.

Cavalry are rubbish in the front line, they get slaughtered, but throw them in against a wavering exposed or fleeing enemy and they will kill more than any other troops.

Brutal? yes, but who said war was nice?

Answer 10

You must to study more regarding the Cossack, please don't believe everythings tell you the films. The Cossack were brave fighters.