USA Captain
It is also important to note that the Union Volunteer Regiments were not as regulated compared to the Union Regular Regiments. For example, within the Chandler's Drill Manual used by Wisconsin Volunteer units, the average Company size was stated to be 72 including all the prescribed above. However, I believe it was the 72nd Penns Volunteer's went into battle with 1,500 at one point.
I think it is important to distinguish the different number and organizational structures between the Regular and Volunteer units on the Union side; they often get meshed together. I am not sure if this is the same for the Confederate units though.
That the 37,5% is the lowest number for AoP... Sherman is even lower at 30,5% but they where nowhere near 20%...
"According to Fiebeger the average company strength at Gettysburg was 32 officers and men per company. Livermore gives these average regimental strengths in the Union army at various periods: Shiloh, 560; Fair Oaks, 650; Chancellorsville, 530; Gettysburg, 375; Chickamauga and the Wilderness, 440; and in Sherman's battles of May '64, 305. According to Bigelow the average strength of Federal regiments at Chancellorsville was 433 and of Confederate regiments 409."
http://www.civilwarhome.com/armyorganization.html
Writing 40-50% would be more correct and give the reader a much better idea about the actual size of the regiments.
And another who knows about Chandler :-)
pretty rare considering that his book is not easily found online...
But he actually tell us that the companies should average 72 rank and file... so only counting privates and corporals.
So we need to add 3 officers and 5 sergeants and we get a total of 80 men pr. company.
Add the Colonel , Lt colonel and Major + adjutant and sergeant major and we are at 805men in the battalion.
He also mention the quartermaster the surgeon and his assistant... but nothing about the rest of the staff... or musicians.
Last edited by thomas aagaard; 12-07-2015 at 11:56 AM.
Thomas Bernstorff Aagaard
USA Captain
We currently use the Chandler's Drill Manual for our Volunteer and NCO Training; we had to contact one of the few places which had an original copy of it to scan us the document. You are correct, I meant to say 72 rank and file, my brain was going too fast. In regards to company quartermaster along with musicians we did some digging in the muster rolls of our unit.And another who knows about Chandler :-)
pretty rare considering that his book is not easily found online...
But he actually tell us that the companies should average 72 rank and file... so only counting privates and corporals.
So we need to add 3 officers and 5 sergeants and we get a total of 80 men pr. company.
Add the Colonel , Lt colonel and Major + adjutant and sergeant major and we are at 805men in the battalion.
He also mention the quartermaster the surgeon and his assistant... but nothing about the rest of the staff... or musicians.
It is worth mentioning as well that the Ordnance Sergeant rank was mainly used by the Regular Army, it was very rarely used or adopted by the Volunteer Regiments.
I wanna make a Cavalary regiment, but I'm confused to which rank should I use.
Is it Colonel>LtColonel>Major>1stLt>Sergeant Major>First Sergeant>Company Quartermaster Sergeant>Sergeant>Corporal>Private>Volunteer
Or is it Captain>1stLt>2ndLt>Sergent Major>First Sergeant>Company Quartermaster Sergeant>Sergeant>Corporal>Private>Volunteer
Thx
For a cavalry company it is as follows
Captain>1stLt>2ndLt>First Sergeant>Company Quartermaster Sergeant>Sergeant>(Optional: Farrier)>Corporal>(Optional: Blacksmith)>Private
Last edited by Bravescot; 12-08-2015 at 07:23 AM.
Difference is, I was correct, he was not.
I suggest your reread this topic.
Some of the ranks are battalion level ranks and some or company level.
Two different things. And you simply can't make a chain like that.
The Adjutant, the officer of the day (usually a captain), officer of the guards and the sergeant major would all give orders to the company commanders during the daily routines of army life...
Colonel, LtColonel, Major, "Adjutant"(who is usually a LT), Quartermaster sergeant, Sergeant Major, Veterinary Sergeant. Commissary Sergeant. Hospital Stewards. Chief Trumpeter and Saddler Sergeant are all ranks/positions used in a cavalry battalion staff.
At the company level you got captains, 1st Lts, 2nd LTs, First sergeants, Company Quartermaster sergeants, Commissary Sergeants, Sergeants, and corporals... and privates...
I would guess the one that belonged to a LT strong in the 5th Wisconsin? Held at University of Wisconsin?
Ordnance Sergeant was, I believe part of The Ordnance Department... and they where not posted to regiments but forts, armories and similar postings.
Thomas Bernstorff Aagaard
Thanks for all the answers , I'm in between cavalary and infantry
it happened. for example at Fredericksberg with the 24th Georgia, Thomas R. R. Cobb was a Brigadier General at the time of Fredericksberg, but was leading a regiment, not a brigade.
generally speaking though, you are correct, a Major was responsible for discipline in the entire regiment, while a CSM was responsible for discipline in the specific companies and generally still is to this day.