These Cossacks were an irregular cavalry with an original structure and unique administration system. Their ranks were beefed up with fugitive serfs and militaries sent to defend the frontiers.
The largest Cossack associations were formed at Dniepro (Zaporizhzhya Sich), Don and Yaik (river Ural).
As the Russian monarchy grew stronger in the 19th century, Cossacks gained the status of a regular army. Their weapons and equipment were manifold, but mainly they were armed with a scimitar, pistols, a musket and a lance. A Cossack used no armour except for the occasional light chain mail, and wore a long caftan without buttons and a tall fur cap. Like the light cavalry, Cossacks attacked in an extended array. They were quick and manoeuvrable, successful in raids to the rear, good at outflanking manoeuvres and were often used for gaining new territories and performing frontier duties.
