About Cossacks USA

About Us

The Cossacks Of America is a site dedicated mostly to Cossacks who reside in North and South America. This is site dedicated to the free Cossack Brotherhood, Most Cossacks have escaped the Red Army of Russian Soviet Communism and built new lives all around the world.

Many have settled in the United States, Canada, and South America.  many who have escaped  and have settled down in the United States to a new free motherland that keeps the Cossack traditions and history moving forward.

Here is a letter from Ataman translated from Russian:

Dear gentlemen, old men, foremen, chieftains, Cossack brothers and Cossack sisters, readers of the Russian America and Cossack Stanitsa newspapers.

The Cossacks in America took shape over many centuries. The first Cossacks - Cossack settlers arrived from Russia to the American continent at the end of the 18th century, and at the beginning of the 19th they founded Russian settlements on American soil. It is known that the Cossacks have always been pioneers who discovered and conquered many lands.

And here, in America, there are historical monuments associated precisely with the Cossacks. Cossack villages organized in the United States, especially after the first wave of emigration, were numerous. In America, there were four main Cossack unions: the Triple, Free Cossacks, the Kuban Union and the Donets Union. The Cossacks did a lot to strengthen, develop, equip the Cossack villages. After World War II, a new wave of Cossacks arrived in large numbers from Western Europe. It was then that the Cossack regalia of the Kuban, Tersk, Siberian districts were brought to America and the Cossacks founded several new large villages. The Cossacks received from the American government in the allotment land for free in the states of New Jersey, Pennsylvania and the created villages were given memorable names, for example, New Kuban. Today, as the Supreme Ataman of the Cossacks of America, elected in 2008, I can say that our Cossack community is quite strong and friendly. We have done a lot for the Cossacks to flourish, for our Cossacks to be worthy citizens of society. We have very good ties with the historical homeland of the Cossacks' homeland - Russia. As you probably know, the Kubanskoye, Donskoye, Siberian Cossacks occupy vast territories that are now part of Russia. There the Cossacks live a full life, participate in the life of the state. Recently, a very important law on the Cossacks was adopted, signed by the President of Russia. This gave many privileges to the Cossacks, and most importantly, they entered the state register, the register of civil service, that is, as in ancient times, they became servicemen, that is, they receive money for their service. We do not divide the Cossacks into public and registered ones, because all the Cossacks are our brothers. The American Cossacks receive a lot of letters and calls from Russia, as the Cossacks are interested in life abroad. They want to know how things are going in the life of the Cossack abroad, and we are happy to share with them, answer, receive numerous delegations, which is very important, because communication is exactly the root that allows us to talk about our state of affairs. Unfortunately, we are not always able to meet regularly, since America and Russia are separated by a huge ocean. But we try to maintain friendly relations with Russian Cossacks, Cossacks of other countries. For example, now four delegations of the American Cossacks are abroad: in Kazakhstan - led by Colonel Podlipalin Pavel Pavlovich, in Russia - among the Cossacks of St. Petersburg, on the Don, as well as in Ukraine. It is very pleasant that that we are all united by friendship. This is what helps us maintain the good relationship that has always been between us. I note that the Chairman of the Council of the Elders and Elders of the Cossacks of America, Colonel Viktor Fedorovich Bandurko was recently in Russia at the congress of foreign cadets in St. Petersburg. It was very pleasant that he was met with dignity by the Cossack guards led by the ataman of St. Petersburg. The delegation of St. Petersburg included ataman Vasily Yashchik, a hereditary Cossack, whose grandfather served at the tsar's headquarters and was the empress's personal bodyguard. We also became the trustees of a very important ancient church - the Church of the Holy Reverend Peter the Athonite and the Holy Equal-patronal Princess Olga, which is located on Ladoga, on the very “road of life”. This old temple was built on the personal order of Emperor Nicholas II, designed by the architect Kenelya. Unfortunately, during the difficult Soviet turmoil, the temple was closed in 1938, and then, during the Second World War, it was completely destroyed. Now the Cossacks are beginning to restore this temple. The American Cossacks contributed to this sacred cause, our delegation donated a silver dollar to the temple's contribution. In this regard, we received a letter of thanks from Dr. A.G. Chervonenko - Chairman of the Council of Elders of the revived Imperial Cossack convoy that we were the first to donate to the restoration of the temple. We always try to be the first in good enterprises, because the upbringing of the Cossacks has always evolved on the basis of traditions and laws. As you know, festivals have been held in the United States and Russia for the past several years, festivities and exhibitions associated with Fort Ross, a former Russian outpost in the US state of California. A lot is connected with Fort Ross with the Cossack history in America. This fort is located in a huge area called a national park, which is protected by law. Fort Ross is located on the stanitsa territory of Ataman Nikita Buick, by dad - his surname Khrapov. We had a lot of friendly meetings with Ataman Buick, and at the last Cossack circle, where he was re-elected ataman, we were present together with Rostislav Semyonovich Sitovich, the military sergeant major and chieftain Sergei Semyonovich Baraznaya. Important decisions were made, which had been prepared for many years to unite the two coasts of the United States, on which the Cossacks live. Ataman Nikita Buick is an Official Trustee and serves on the Fort Ross Restoration Council. I personally visited this fort and got acquainted with its problems. I often recall the wonderful service at the Fort Ross Temple. Father Stephen conducted the service, and when the procession began, Cossacks from Europe and Australia took part in it. A memorial service was solemnly celebrated for the victims of Lienz at the Serbian cemetery in San Francisco. I drew attention to the fact that the Cossacks of California are very careful and anxious about Fort Ross, as it is located on their territory. I would very much like to note the chairman of the Congress of Russian Americans Natalia Georgievna Sabelnik - a hereditary Trans-Baikal Cossack woman, as well as the Cossacks and Cossacks of California, who makes a huge contribution to the restoration and preservation of traditions, and the upbringing of the younger generation. I would also like to thank the honorary chieftain of the Common Cossack village of San Francisco Viktor Metlenko for erecting a monument at the Serbian cemetery in memory of the dead Cossacks with his Cossacks. To our general and deep regret, Ataman Viktor Pavlovich Metlenko, died. Let the earth rest in peace. Everlasting memory. I would also like to thank the Fedulov family, Viktor and Lydia, Sukhonos Konstantin and Lydia, Boris Maksimov from Florida, Boris Anisimov and Klavdia Motovilova. These wonderful people preserve the customs of the Cossack people, family, way of life, culture. Nadezhda Buick, wife of the ataman, Natalia Krasovskaya, wife of the choir director, wonderful Cossack Vladimir Krasovsky, Galina Levashova - I bow to you for all your good deeds, for continuing to be an example for the new generation of Cossacks. Note that Fort Ross is kept in excellent condition, wonderful events are held there. This is a museum complex that I recommend everyone to visit. One of the uniting links in the Cossack movement is the mass media. The Cossacks have their own interesting newspaper “Kazachya Stanitsa” - a supplement to the weekly “Russian America”, published in New York.

On behalf of all the Cossacks of America, I would like to thank the publisher and editor-in-chief of Russian America, Arkady Mara, for his invaluable contribution to our Cossack movement. Many historical documents are published in the "Cossack village", the most important events of the Cossack life are highlighted, and the daily life of the Cossacks from different countries is told. And it is very pleasant that many well-known politicians expressed a positive opinion about the "Cossack village". This suggests that a newspaper is not only an information space, but also a means of bringing countries and peoples closer together. We are proud that for the first time, little known to readers facts from the history of the Cossack people were published in "Cossack village". After the release of each issue, the editorial board receives hundreds of letters in which they thank us, argue with us, offer new materials, which is very important for us, which means the newspaper has become truly popular. You can also get acquainted with the materials of the "Cossack village" on the Internet on the website of the newspaper "Russian America": RUSAMNY.COM. By the way, the Cossacks also have their own website uniting the Cossacks of Canada, North and South America. This site is called COSSACKSUSA.COM. I would like to thank the administrator of the Cossack website Eduard Homer, who is currently serving in Afghanistan. I also thank my adjutant Alexei Stepanov for his help in sorting questions from letters. Our site contains video and radio recordings and an article and is a fairly large information platform. The COSSACKSUSA.COM site is visited by people from all over the world. I thank the Cossacks of Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Europe for the fact that they, being constant members of our site, make links to our site, thus expanding the network of users. A very important decision after the famous Pokrovskaya Rada was the fact that I, as the ataman of America, signed a decree on friendship and mutual assistance with the Cossacks of Russia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. We have created the World Atamans Council, which allows us to resolve issues on a global level. The centuries-old Cossack traditions in America, which have entered the soul of the flesh and blood of the Cossacks, cannot be lost in any way, because these traditions and foundations are life, the will and spirit of the Cossacks, passed down from generation to generation. Chairman of the Council of Cossack-Starshin in America, Cossack Colonel Viktor Fedorovich Bandurko, a Cossack with a wonderful history, his father, being an officer of the Cossack army, was one of the last to leave the Crimea. Viktor Fedorovich made very interesting notes, a book is being prepared based on these materials. It tells about the life and way of life of the Cossacks of those times and how all this persists to this day. One of the main foundations of the Cossacks is respect for the older and past years, trials, sorrows of the hard Cossack lot and the accumulated experience. When the old man appeared, everyone had to get up. One of the main traditions of the Cossacks was hospitality. Wherever the Cossack went, he did not take food and feed for the horse with him, because he knew that in any village, farm he would be met, fed, and taken to the best place. The attitude of the Cossacks to women was also determined by the ancient Cossack traditions. The Cossacks never interfered in "men's affairs", and the Cossacks in "women's". Men showed deep respect for women, because they were the keepers of the hearth, the successors of the family. But, of course, Cossack women had fewer rights than men. they could not participate in the Cossack circle. For women, petitions were submitted by a father, brother, godfather, or chieftain. I also receive many petitions from the Cossacks. And I, as an ataman, often have the great honor of defending the rights of the Cossacks at the gathering and gathering of the Cossacks. Young Cossacks were raised not only by their parents, relatives or godparents. Any adult could punish a teenager for not adhering to Cossack traditions or for disobedience. So one of the most important Cossack foundations is the law "senior - junior".

As you know, Philadelphia hosts the largest American festival of Russian culture "Russian Mosaic", in which Cossacks from different states of our country also take part. We took part in this festival twice, brought with us an exposition dedicated to the Cossack history. Visitors to the festival, visiting our stands, could join our traditions, history, and everyday life. One of the highlights was the demonstration of the Cossack cuisine. According to old recipes, our Cossacks prepared national dishes and treated everyone free of charge. The United States of America is a large country and it is all the more pleasant that delegates of the Cossacks from Maine, Texas, North Carolina came to this festival, brought with them Cossack exhibits, albums of old photographs. Thanks to them, special thanks to Colonel Terentyev, Cossacks Samokhvalov, Rodimtsev, Stremenov and many others who did everything to make the exhibition a success. I am happy that this event allowed the Cossack brothers living in different states of our country to gather together, to talk, to solve many problems of concern to all of us. Special thanks to our regimental priest, Father Bogush, who conducted a service for the assembled Cossacks. I would like to touch upon one more important event. For the first time, a delegation of American Cossacks under the leadership of the Military Sergeant Major Rostislav Semenovich Sitovich was present in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow at the ceremony of creating the Central Cossack Army. On behalf of the Cossacks of America, a special commemorative medal was handed over to the Ataman of the Central Cossack Army of Russia - Valery Ivanovich Nalimov. After that, the delegation of the Cossacks of America went to the Don, where they met with the leadership of the Don Cossack Voissk. By the way, recently, in the United States, we received a return visit to the Cossack delegation of the Great Don Army. The ties of the Cossacks of America with the Cossacks of other countries are very close. We warmly greeted the Cossack delegations from Kazakhstan, headed by Ataman Yuri Filippovich Zakharov, from Germany, Belgium and France, the city of Lienz, I want to thank the Esaul John for the good service - Ivan Bossa, from the ambassadorial village in Washington, who does a great job of strengthening the international relations of the Cossacks different countries. Unfortunately, time passes and the elderly, honored Cossacks, who have lived a life filled with historical events, are gradually leaving this world. But we are trying to ensure that what they have experienced remains and finds its place in museum exhibitions. There are many Cossack museums in America. For example, in the village of New Kuban, in North Carolina, dedicated to the pioneering Cossacks. The preservation of our history plays a huge role in the activities of the Cossacks of America. Every year we participate in exhibitions, for example in Louisville and Pittsburgh, where the Cossacks of America presented an exposition of the Cossack antiquity. And we are proud that it was we who were awarded the highest award - the Grand Prix, for the most valuable and complete exposition of Cossack antiquities. This unites the Cossack youth, who understand how valuable our Cossack history, our way of life, our faith is.

Sergey TSAPENKO,

Supreme Ataman of the Cossacks of America (South and North),