'Report on the Persian Army compiled in the Intelligence Branch of the Quarter Master General's Department in India by Lieutenant J.A. Douglas 2nd Bengal Lancers' [‎111v] (12/22)

2
Semi-regular
Cavalry.
Armament.—The infantry are mostly armed with old smooth-bore muskets.
One hundred breech-loading rifles have been served out to each regiment, and
in case of emergency they would be supplied with more breech-loaders from
store at Teheran. (See later “ Arms, ’ &c.)
This consists of the Persian Cossack brigade and a certain number of
sowars maintained for parade purposes and as a body-guard for the bhah.
General Gordon says (1890): “ There are comparatively few cavalry per-,
manently embodied at a time. At Teheran and each provincial centre a certain
strength is permanently maintained for parade, escort, and ceremonial purposes.
The Shah’s ‘ Ghulams ’ (Body-guard cavalry) are m considerable force at Pe
ran for duty at the palaces and in camp.” These men supply their own horse,
forage, and arms.
C^cack Brigade. —“ The Persian Cossack brigade consists of six sotmais
and a horse artillery battery of four guns. The nominal strength is one thousan ,
in which 1 am told, is included about one hundred pensioners and boys, sons
of deceased and disabled officers and men. They have a full complement of
Persian officers from Sartip (Colonel-General) to subaltern, and a further large
number of supernumerary officers. Service in the brigade is most popular with
officer^and men on account of the punctual full payment of what every one ,s
entitled to.”— (Gordon.)
Russian oficers.-lhe present Russian establishment consists of a Colo-
nel Commandant, three captains, and six non-commissioned othcers. i e
Commandant has full power to enlist, punish, and administer, subject to general
control by the Minister for War. The men supply their own horses but arms
and Accoutrements are furnished by the State. They are dressed and equipped
like Russian Cossacks and armed with the Berdan rifle and a sword.
The effective strength of the whole of the semi-regular cavalry is put down
officially at about 2,500, but the actual number serving is probably much less.
In addition to the above, there are numerous levies of armed horsemen.
Irregular Cava,r y . ^ ^ instruction Qr organization 0 f any kind, and in ordinary times
act solely as police for supporting the authority of the Governors, keeping down
highway robbery, enforcing the collection of the revenue, &c.
Mr. Herbert in his report of i 885 divides them into squadrons, varying in
strength from fifty to a thousand men and horses, distributed as follows : —
Azerbaijan .
Khorasan
Giian and Mazanderan
Irak
Burujird
Khamseh
Teheran
Arabistan
Kazoni .
Kirmanshah .
23 squadrons.
24
5
4
4
4
6
3
4
5
(including the Bakhtiari).
(Failiand Bakhtiari Lurs).
and one squadron each in Astrabad (Yamut Turkomans), Shahrud, Kirman,
Gulpaigan, Kamareh, Luristan, Shiraz, and Hamadan.
General Gordon's opinion on the fitness of these tribal scries for mounted
infantry work. —General Gordon has the following remarks on them (
«The numerous bodies of tribal and territorial irregular horse shown m Ue
Persian Army list are officered and organised in some manner more or less
eauTto their simple requirements. As far as 1 can gather from reports, they
seem to muster quickly, and render willing'service when necessity suddenly calls
for their embodiment. Every Persian can ride well, and considering the grea
number of horses in the country, and the pride of arms shown by the class.
„.1,;,U tho troons are drawn, it would be an easy matter to enrol on \ery