In early times, an ataman (later called hetman) commanded a Cossack band. The etymologies of the words "ataman" and "hetman" are disputed. The remnants of the White Cossacks, headed by Ataman Popov, fled into the Salsk steppes. The war was led by Kondraty Bulavin, a democratically elected Ataman of Don Cossacks. Some historians identify him as Ivan Sirko, Cossack ataman. First, following Davout closely were 5,000 Cossacks commanded by Ataman Platov. In 1582 the troops of Cossack ataman Yermak seized and ruined Qashliq. During World War I, he commanded the regiment of the Ataman Cossacks in 1915. He was the first Cossack ataman to accept Kalmyks into his army. Here they elected Pyotr Krasnov as the new Ataman. She was an Erzyan female ataman under the leadership of Stepan Razin. Ataman count Matvei Platov was of a Popovtsy Old Believers Family. They sought co-operation from Ataman Dutov and Alash Orda. This was followed by the formation of the Sunzha regiment with its Ataman Sleptsov. The ataman had executive powers, and in wartime was the supreme commander in the field.