Uniforms of the Independent Partisan Brigade of Captain I. N. Krasilnikov
Tomsk, Autumn 1918
Another young, rather intelligent Cossack, Zyryanov, volunteered for Ataman Krasilnikov's detachment in the first days after the coup. Seeing in practice what "freedom" the ataman brought, he deserted. A month later he was caught, and here he is waiting for a decision on his case. He wore a long cavalry greatcoat, a cap with a blue band, from under which a forelock stood out.
Olenich-Gnenko, A. G. in "Harsh days // Harsh times", Novosibirsk, 1959. p.174.
Ataman Krasilnikov himself:
A cavalry detachment appeared from around the corner. Ahead, on a tall bay horse, riding, keeping to the left, was an officer with a large red beard, wearing a red papakha and an officer's broadcloth greatcoat. He looked ahead with the squinted eyes of a well-fed cat. Behind him were several men in rows, cavalrymen in caps and blue shoulder-boards moving slowly on their horses. The black holes of wide-open mouths were striking on the beardless boyish faces.
... From previous descriptions, I recognised Ataman Krasilnikov and his punitive detachment of blue lancers.
Olenich-Gnenko, A. G. in "Harsh days // Harsh times", Novosibirsk, 1959. p.185.
According to information given to me by Voronezh researcher N. Zayats, there is indirect information that in addition to blue hatbands and shoulder-boards, the Krasilnikovtsy also had blue bashlyki.
The Irkutsk Cavalry Divizion:
On 20 September 1918 the formation of the 4th Irkutsk Horse Brigade began in Irkutsk ... which included the Irkutsk Cossack ... and Irkutsk Hussar ... Regiments. The latter inherited red insignia from the 16th Irkutsk Hussar Regiment of the Imperial Army – raspberry shoulder straps, cap band, etc. ... The Irkutsk Hussar Regiment was transformed into a cavalry divizion in Captain Krasilnikov's Partisan Brigade due to its small size. The term "Krasilnikov's Red Hussars" appeared.
Novikov, P. A. in "The Civil War in Eastern Siberia", Moscow, 2005, p.108.
Home — State Symbols — Flags — Uniforms — Badges & Medals — Money — Other
Pygmy Wars Notes
The original for this page is at kolchakiya.ru/uniformology/Krasilnikov_guerrilla_crew.htm.
The page about the unit after it became regulars in late 1919 is here. Further information on the cavalry unit is here.
Discussion on the translation choices I have made can be found here.
History of Krasilnikov's Partisan Detachment
Taken from studopedia.net.
Krasilnikov was a Siberian Cossack and formed his unit in Omsk in mid-1918. He was notoriously ruthless, with his men committing many atrocities. He was also staunchly monarchist and helped in the coup that installed Kolchak.
For most of their existence his forces did not go to the main front facing the Red Army proper. Initially they were used as a strike force against the various Red forces in Siberia: for example fighting variously at Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk, the Belaya River, and the Baikal area. In the first half of 1919, after central Siberia was cleared of regular Red forces, they mostly battled Enisei partisans. In May and June 1919 they fought the detachments of Kravchenko and Shchetinkin, two of the larger partisan groups in Siberia.
After that he was titled an "ataman", the brigade was renamed from "partisan" to "jaeger", and they moved to the main front against the Reds.