The Cossacks were a national feature of the Russian cavalry - no other European army had them. Using Cossacks came as a surprise to the rest of Europe, especially France.
No one expected that irregular cavalry would turn out to be so effective and stand as equal to regular forces. Thus, in the battle of Eylau in 1807, the Don's Cossacks under the command of Ataman-General Platov crushed French cuirassiers when the latter managed to drive into the Russian reserve units.
The Cossacks, who were involved in farming and cattle-breeding in times of peace, were taught to ride from early childhood.
Cossacks in the Russian army were used to carry out reconnaissance and sudden ambushes. The Don's cavalry wasn't as good at attacking in close order - it didn't have the required consistency and discipline. Cossacks preferred to fight in open order, accompanying attacks with loud screams. Due to several peculiarities of the pike as a weapon, the horsemen tried to target the enemy mount's forehand. In addition, every rider had a musket.
In the course of operations, the Cossacks became more disciplined. They also learned to attack in close order, which was expected to meet with immediate success. They could attack both the enemy's cavalry and its infantry squares. Throughout an attack, a portion of the Cossack units would dismount and try to engage opposing infantrymen in combat. If the enemy came too close, other Cossack riders would ambush them. Cossacks preferred to fire from close range.
Cossack horses were mostly non-governmental and taken from their households. They were small in stature, but quite fast, enduring and unpretentious. They allowed riders to perform with the highest effectiveness both on the battlefield and during drills.
In 1813, the Don's Cossacks regiments were granted the Georgian insignia, and in 1816, the insignia with "For Distinguished Services" mark.