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GeorgeCrecy
04-21-2015, 09:28 PM
Hello one and all,

There has been several calls for the establishment of an official drill book, and while I will not be covering that in this thread, there might be cause for further discussion of the case in a different thread or poll thread I might create. In any case, I have made this thread to actually go through and explain one of the hardest parts of the period drill: the dress parade of a battalion. The dress parade was usually done once a day, either after Reveille or before Tattoo. It was an incredibly formal and convoluted affair, hence detailing it in this thread. This will also necessarily discuss the formation of a battalion so as to form a standard foundation for the rest of the discussion. I will also mention that much of the material to follow is based on four main books, the "Revised US Infantry Regulations of 1861," Casey's "Infantry Tactics (1865)," Hardee's "Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics (1855-63)," and with additional help sought from Dominic Dal Bello's "Parade, Inspection, and Basic Evolutions of the Infantry Battalion 4th Edition (1998)," and Upton's "Infantry Tactics (1874)." I ask that you now prepare your notepads and anuses for the wall of text to follow.


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Formation
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1. We must first establish, as mentioned before, the formation of a battalion. As a definition, a battalion is a set of 2-10 companies formed together, with 10 companies then being known as a regiment. These companies form on the battalion line by order of seniority of the company commanders (hereby known as "captains"). Table 1 below illustrates the order that should be followed.
2. With the forming of a company, this has various subdivisions which need to be established now. For one, every 25 men including the corporals from right to left are called 1st-4th sections. Additionally, the company is divided into 1st and 2nd platoon again right to left, able to be commanded by the 2nd lieutenant and 1st Lieutenant respectively.
3. The formation of a company will be as follows: the men formed in double ranks, the "captain" in the front rank to the right of the company (if looking at it from it's rear), the 1st Sgt. in the rank covering (behind) him, the 1st lieutenant covering (behind) by two paces the center of the 4th section, the 2nd lieutenant covering from two paces the center of the 1st section. If there be a 3rd lieutenant, he will post himself covering by two paces the center of the 2nd platoon. 2nd-5th Sergeants also form on the same line as the lieutenants as file closers, able to take command of their sections, in the order from right to left 5th, 4th, 3rd, and 2nd. The eight Corporals will form on the right and left of each platoon in the front rank in accordance to height. Additionally, the privates in the rear rank will be at a distance of 13 inches from the breast of the rear men to the back of the front ranks' knapsacks.


http://i.imgur.com/Uuz1t0v.jpg
Source: Hardee's Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics (1863)

TABLE 1


No. of Cos.
Left




Ordering



Right


3







2 (B)
3 (C)
*1 (A)


4






2 (B)
4 (D)
*3 (C)
1 (A)


5





2 (B)
4 (D)
5 (E)
*3 (C)
1 (A)


6




2 (B)
5 (E)
6 (F)
*3 (C)
4 (D)
1 (A)


7



2 (B)
4 (D)
7 (G)
6 (F)
*3 (C)
5 (E)
1 (A)


8


2 (B)
6 (F)
8 (H)
4 (D)
*3 (C)
7 (G)
5 (E)
1 (A)


9

2 (B)
4 (D)
8 (H)
9 (I)
5 (E)
*3 (C)
7 (G)
6 (F)
1 (A)


10
2 (B)
7 (G)
10 (K)
5 (E)
8 (H)
*3 (C)
9 (I)
4 (D)
6 (F)
1 (A)



Source: Dal Bello, Dominic J. "Formaton of a Battalion." Parade, Inspection, and Basic Evolutions of the Infantry Battalion. 4th ed. Santa Barbara, CA: n.p., 1998. 8. Print.
Note #1 Notice lack of Company "J," as in the era of the Revolution the handwriting of the time made "I" and "J" too similar looking, so "J" has been traditionally omitted both in this case and in older cities' street names.
Note #2 companies with an apostrophe in the table are the right center company.

4. Despite the chart, for the purpose of simplifying the rest of the explanation, the companies will be discussed and numbered based on their actual position once on the line rather than how they are numbered above.
5. The Color Guard company forms on the left of the Right Center company and maneuver as if they were all the same company. Hence, when wheeling or maneuvering they would need to be in fours rather than in twos so as not to disrupt the rest of the battalion's maneuvers.
6. The battalion once formed in the above manner can be further divided in several ways. For instance, each two companies from right to left can be subdivided into divisions which have the senior-most "captain" in charge of it. An odd number of companies means that the left-most company is it's own division. A larger subdivision would be the wing. Companies to the left of the flag and including the company of the bearers are the left wing, and to the right of it the right wing, commanded respectively by the Major and Lt. Colonel.
7. Given the atrocities of war, it is not expected but preferred that the appropriate number of privates, NCO's, and officers be in each company and overall battalion, though in the case of there being open positions in the ranks the next senior soldier will fill in, I.E. the 1st Lieutenant will take on the position of the Captain or the 2nd. Sgt the position of the 1st. Sgt.


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Dress Parade
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8. The Assembly having been called, the companies form on their streets and march out with bayonets fixed at shoulder arms to the parade ground. Once close to being on the line, the 2nd sergeant of each company will post himself in front of his line as left guide, facing inward toward the far right of the line, this having the exception of the companies in the 1st division. The "captains" on the right wing will post as front rank guide on the left side of the company, while "captains" on the left wing will form as front rank guide on the right, excepting the 4th company "captain" who will cover the 3rd company "captain." When the "captain" of each company sees his ranks aligned, he will immediately order his men to come to support arms.
9. After the men have formed for parade the Battalion Adjutant posts himself two paces to the right of the 1st company, with the field music 4 paces to his right. The Sgt. Major posts two paces to the far left company. The most senior officer, now referred to as "Battalion Commander" - historically usually being a Colonel - posts at the center of the battalion at a distance that is enough for him to oversee the entire battalion. He and all other officers are on foot. This differs from when the battalion is in line of battle, in which case the Colonel, Lt. Colonel, and Major would be mounted while the Adjutant stays on foot.
10. Once the Adjutant has confirmed the correct alignment of the battalion, he will give the order "Guides, POST" in which case the "captains" and 2nd sergeants find their correct positions on the line as if it were for Order of Battle. 2nd sergeants are first to come to the rear, those on the right wing marching forward and going by files right through where the "captains" and 1st Sgts would be, then finding his usual place for LOB at the rear of the left platoon, while those on the left wing will about face and by files left, doing the same as the right wing 2nd Sgts by going through the position of the "captain" and 1st Sgt of the company to the left of their own. The only exception here is of the 2nd Sgt of the far left company, who will post himself as the battalion far left guide. Once the 2nd Sgts have passed to the rear, the 1st Sgts find their appropriate place as well from having been behind their companies, excepting the 1st Sgts of the 1st division companies who have been in front of their companies as right guides facing the flag. Those two sergeants will right about and by files right when the order "Guides, POST" has been given. "Captains" on the right wing will take one step forward and by files right to march down his line, then by files right again to come to his position then facing his 1st Sgt, doing an about face. Those on the left wing shall have taken one pace forward and to the left so as to allow the 2nd Sgts to go to their own positions will then also resume their proper place in line.
11. The Adjutant shall then indicate to the "captain" of the 1st company, who will step one pace to the front and order his men to "Shoulder, ARMS," "Order, ARMS," and finally, "Parade, REST." This having been accomplished, he steps back into line, and the next company commander will do the same, on down the line from right to left as each company finishes the maneuver.
12. The Adjutant then gives the order "Music, beat off." The below video can demonstrate the music played and the movements made by the Field Music to accompany the explanation to follow.



https://youtu.be/Ib9HY6p99KA?t=261

The music, lead by the principal musician, will play three cheers, and then

"...march to the left, playing the 'Troop,' ... to the left of the line, where they will face to the right [the battalion front], and countermarch to the left; when at the proper signal [from its principal], they again face to the front [the battalion right], and march back to their proper place on the right of the line...."
Source: Bruce, George B., and Daniel Decatur Emmett. The Drummer's and Fifer's Guide: Or Self-instructor ; Containing a Plain and Easy Introduction of the Rudimental Principles for the Drum and Fife ... New York: W.A. Pond, 1885. 38. Print.

[CENTER]http://i.imgur.com/powBdVD.jpg
Source: Dal Bello, Dominic J. "Dress Parade." Parade, Inspection, and Basic Evolutions of the Infantry Battalion. 4th ed. Santa Barbara, CA: n.p., 1998. 9. Print.
Note: While this and another picture below only show four companies, the exact same procedures occur with a larger battalion.

... playing a quick step.
13. The music having returned and finished playing, the adjutant then gives the following orders: 1. "Attention, BATTALION" 2. "Shoulder, ARMS" 3. "Prepare to open ranks." 4. "To the rear, in open order," 5. "MARCH"
At "...open order," all 1st Sgts and only the leftmost company's 2nd Sgt will backwards march four paces. At "MARCH" the ranks will open, the back rank privates moving back to the line created by the 1st Sgts at a backwards march, the lieutenants and 2nd-5th sergeants excepting the farthest leftmost 2nd sergeant also marching 4 paces to the rear. The "captains" also march four paces to the front of their companies. Once the rear rank is established and dressed, the Adjutant shall order "FRONT," whereas the 1st Sgts shall march forwards to replace the position where the "captain" was to the right of the front rank, and farthest left 2nd Sgt going back to his position. At the same time, the Major and Lt. Colonel move from their place as if it were Line of Battle to stand six paces in front of the center of their wing, advancing around the battalion via the closest flank from their original position.

http://i.imgur.com/F0Kxndm.jpg

14. The Adjutant will then march between the company commanders and the front rank of the battalion to the center, face to the battalion front, march forward eight to ten paces past the company commander line, face about, and command "Present, ARMS." This being executed, he will face about again to his Battalion Commander and do a sword salute, reporting: "Sir, the parade is formed." The Battalion Commander, without drawing his sword will acknowledge his salute and if wishing to drill the battalion in the manual shall order, "Take your post, sir." The adjutant in that case will always move around the commander's right, or the Adjutants left to stand a pace behind and to the left of the Battalion Commander. The latter then draws his sword, the Adjutant returning his to his scabbard, and order "Battalion, shoulder, ARMS." He will follow this with whatever set of manual of arms he desires, until concluding with "Order, ARMS."
15. Returning his saber, the Battalion Commander then directs the Adjutant to collect the company reports,. If posted, the Adjutant again passes around the right of the Battalion Commander to return to his former position, or if not posted simply faces about to the battalion, draws his saber, and orders, "1st Sergeants, to the front and center, MARCH." The 1st Sergeants at "...to the front and center..." will shoulder arms, take two paces to the front, then face themselves inward in the direction of the flag. At "MARCH" they will march to the center and halt.
16. The Adjutant then orders, "Front, FACE." "Report." From 1st Company to last (right to left), the 1st Sergeants will each report while giving a sergeants salute (saluting across the chest with arm horizontal, palm face down), and say the results of their roll call. If all accounted for and excused properly, he will say "Company (A), all present and accounted for." If there were any unauthorized absences, he will say for example, "Company (A), one corporal and two privates absent." Once reported, the sergeant will end the salute, and the next sergeant will begin.
17. Once all reports are given, the Adjutant will then order, "1st Sergeants, outward, FACE." "To your posts, MARCH" The 1st sergeants will return to their places and order arms. The Adjutant will then face about to face the Battalion Commander and report the results. For example, if any officers are absent they will be reported by name, as well as saying the total amount absent, though we should note this should already be known from morning reports given earlier in the day. So, in total he will say "Sir, all present and accounted for." Or say, "Sir, ___ enlisted men are absent."
18. The Battalion might then command the adjutant to "Publish the orders, sir." Upon this, the Adjutant again faces about to the battalion and says, "Attention to Orders." He will read the days orders and any other announcements. Once more facing the Commander he will say, "Sir, the orders are published." With this the Battalion Commander will direct to dismiss the parade.
19. The Adjutant, facing the battalion, will say "Parade is dismissed." All officers will sheathe their swords, and the Adjutant will march to be on the same line as the company commanders, who will have at the same time faced inward and marched to the center, leaving space for the adjutant to take his place on that line should he have not yet arrived. The Major and Lt. Colonel will post themselves on the flank of this formation.
20. The Field Music will play a tune of their choice. The Adjutant will order "Front, FACE." "Forward, MARCH." They will face the Battalion Commander, march within six paces of him, where the Adjutant will give the order to "HALT." and hand salute the Commander. The Battalion Commander, having returned the salute, can then give any more additional information or announcements needed. He will then dismiss the officers, who will return to their posts with their company, the 1st Sgts stepping one pace back to their covering position. The 1st Sgts will also order the ranks closed before marching them back to their company street to be dismissed. The music continues to play until all the companies have left the parade ground.


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Conclusion
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There we have it folks, the proper dress parade as described by various period manuals and more modern helpers. I highly suggest that you take more than just this guide however, and also look at the period manuals and modern helpers I have referenced and sourced above for your own perusal, that you might continue to form a better understanding of the procedures in this complex but very nice formality. The perfect execution of this shows the experience and military bearing of a battalion. I hope, however, that this will be a good beginner guide for those interested in learning more.

Sources:
Revised US Army Regulations of 1861 (1863)

http://home.comcast.net/~8cv/references/us-army-regs.pdf
Brig. Gen. Silas Casey's Infantry Tactics (1862)

http://64thill.org/drillmanuals/caseys_infantrytactics/volume1/
Major William Hardee's Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics (1855-1863)

http://www.drillnet.net/1862/1862.htm
Lt. Col. Emory Upton's US Infantry Tactics (1866/72)

http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.$b278466;view=1up;seq=1
Dominic Dal Bello's Parade, Inspection, and Basic Evolutions of the Infantry Battalion, 4th Edition (1998)

http://www.press.armyofthepacific.com/pie.html

Bravescot
04-21-2015, 10:05 PM
*historical knowledge drool* Some of the attachments failed :(

GeorgeCrecy
04-21-2015, 10:26 PM
The issue should be fixed now Bravescot.

MrAmerican
04-21-2015, 10:31 PM
Wow, thank you... I had been compiling loads of links in a little folder called: "Civil War Drill" for the past couple months... and after countless hours of reading useless knowedge in manuals from all over this is really going to speed up the learning process.
Thank you good sir, hats off to you George :p :D

Rithal
04-21-2015, 11:32 PM
Wow.... That made my head hurt, in a good way! Two thumbs up from me! :D

Paul
04-25-2015, 12:53 PM
This is quite interesting. Recently I've been doing some research on Civil War regiment structure, specifically company structure. It seems there are many conflicting sources that point at companies having anywhere between 80-100 enlisted privates. The most common I've seen is 82 enlisted privates with a total company size of 101 (including a 'wagoner'). Your image above seems to have 80 enlisted privates and no corporals, but I assume they are combined with the privates, making 72 privates and a total company size of 89 (excluding 2 musicians and 1 wagoner). I assume since most regiments were militia/state volunteers there was little standardization in drill and regiment structure, and it was really up to the Colonel to make up the regiment's structure with some guide of which ever drill manual he liked the most and added more positions/changed structure as he needed to.
What I'm interested in knowing about is the 'squads' each 'section' had. According to various sources they were led by a corporal and had 10 men, the funny thing is, these sources also state a company would have 82 enlisted men, and a total of 8 squads (1 for each corporal) this leaves two privates elsewhere, possibly to be attached at platoon level.

Would anyone know about these 'squads' and any more about the great variation in regiment/company structure? I understand 'squads' would be rarely used in real life, but it would be the perfect sized unit to be organized for regiments in WoR since a 'section' of 23-25ish would be too large for many regiments to muster more than one, a platoon doubly so.
*Edit* I rediscovered a source I forgot about a while ago. Apparently early war regiments were based on the 1855 reforms for a company size of 84 enlisted ranks and three officer ranks for a total of 87 men. This structure was apparently quickly changed.

Caserta34
04-25-2015, 07:55 PM
That's very cool thanks

GeorgeCrecy
04-25-2015, 10:17 PM
This is quite interesting. Recently I've been doing some research on Civil War regiment structure, specifically company structure. It seems there are many conflicting sources that point at companies having anywhere between 80-100 enlisted privates. The most common I've seen is 82 enlisted privates with a total company size of 101 (including a 'wagoner'). Your image above seems to have 80 enlisted privates and no corporals, but I assume they are combined with the privates, making 72 privates and a total company size of 89 (excluding 2 musicians and 1 wagoner). I assume since most regiments were militia/state volunteers there was little standardization in drill and regiment structure, and it was really up to the Colonel to make up the regiment's structure with some guide of which ever drill manual he liked the most and added more positions/changed structure as he needed to.
What I'm interested in knowing about is the 'squads' each 'section' had. According to various sources they were led by a corporal and had 10 men, the funny thing is, these sources also state a company would have 82 enlisted men, and a total of 8 squads (1 for each corporal) this leaves two privates elsewhere, possibly to be attached at platoon level.

Would anyone know about these 'squads' and any more about the great variation in regiment/company structure? I understand 'squads' would be rarely used in real life, but it would be the perfect sized unit to be organized for regiments in WoR since a 'section' of 23-25ish would be too large for many regiments to muster more than one, a platoon doubly so.
*Edit* I rediscovered a source I forgot about a while ago. Apparently early war regiments were based on the 1855 reforms for a company size of 84 enlisted ranks and three officer ranks for a total of 87 men. This structure was apparently quickly changed.

Hey there Paul.
I can tell you that there was quite a bit of standardization. Both the US Regulars and state militias had various drill manuals that they based themselves off of prior to the Civil War, which mainly included Hardee's Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics 1855 manual. Some might have still been using Scott's Infantry Tactics, but very few would have not switched over to Hardee's when it came out, as the latter was made the official manual of the US Army shortly after it came out. This led to a bit of a ruckus when the CW did break out, as the author went to fight for the South. So rather continue to bear the ignominy of their official drill manual being from a Confederate, they reprinted it under the name of Brig. Gen. Silas Casey, who had had no business with it prior. Later on, around 1863, they reprinted it again with no author and simply titled US Infantry Tactics.

Now, to answer your original question, most all the drill books were handled around 97 enlisted men and 3 officers. of those 97 men, this also includes the 1st sergeant, 4 regular sergeants, and 8 corporals. This left 84 privates when at regulation strength, though disease, desertion, and casualties meant that that number greatly fluctuated. Some of AP Hill's regiments that joined the battle at Antietam were severely understrength, some only having some 500 men rather than the 1,089 regulation regiment strength. A platoon would comprise of 42 privates, 4 corporals, 2 sergeants, and a lieutenant (49 total). A section would include 21 privates, 2 corporals, and 1 sergeant (24 total). The two extra you mentioned when these numbers are crunched together are the 1st sergeant and captain. Hopefully this helps.

Paul
04-26-2015, 01:32 AM
Thank you. That clears up allot about standardization and structure. Would you know anything more of the 'squads' each section had?

GeorgeCrecy
04-26-2015, 04:15 AM
Hey there Paul,

In the Civil War, the tactics were entirely based around massive groups of men fighting other massive groups of men, and when companies were under strength, they actually have in the manuals that you should exchange men between the various companies of the battalion or regiment to equalize it as best as possible. This means that there was pretty much nothing in the way of squad-based fighting techniques, with the exception of fighting as skirmishers, when a platoon of a company splits off into various groups of fours, which then march out as those fours onto the skirmish line, and then split off more to form a single line of men that are several yards apart. If an enemy body started to advance on them, they would begin to retreat, reform into fours, and then march back to reform on the company before actually engaging seriously with the enemy. There is a second exception that I find in the Volunteer's Manual (http://books.google.com/books?id=nK_aJx-jkjMC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false) by Lt. Col Baxter, where they include the use of the word squad mainly in the beginning for early instruction of new recruits, before they put these squads together into a company based on the foundations learned as a squad. Yet again, this is a big change to the fighting of today, which is very much prescribed around a squad of men. But you do not find much anything of squad combat in the CW era. I might very well be wrong, in which case I welcome anyone to bring up something I might have missed.

Rithal
04-26-2015, 04:37 AM
Well George, what would a regiment do in an urban environment? Would they go full "skirmish mode" or would they try to keep some sort of formation together? If they did skirmish, would they use buildings as cover and split into squads and/or platoons with sergeants/corporals/lieutenants in command of each? Is there even a manual on this situation? XD

GeorgeCrecy
04-26-2015, 04:52 AM
Well, the good thing about the manuals is that they can be applied to various means, and while they would avoid fighting in a city, it did happen, such as at Fredericksburg or Gettysburg, or when going against the rioters in Baltimore or New York during the Draft Riot of 1863. In that case, they would stay in formation and have skirmishers, much like when fighting in a field or marching, as you would have the main body marching along to whatever the destination might be, as well as have a body of skirmishers, flankers, and rear guards from the various companies of infantry and sometimes cavalry to keep the main body guarded from a surprise attack.

Paul
04-26-2015, 05:53 AM
Thanks George. I too only found references in drill manuals to squads as a group of men in training, and never found any reference to the squad as a fighting unit, so I have no clue where certain websites got their information. If it was anything but a group of men in training, it perhaps could have been an administrative structure, not a tactical one, much like the French platoons and companies of the Napoleonic Wars. The company was where the men were listed on the roster, but when formed up in battle, the companies became platoons and men were transferred from each 'administrative company' to create equally sized platoons.

Historical Player
04-26-2015, 02:44 PM
Wow, this is amazing to read. Do you know where I could find Infantry tactics of the 1860's? I love studying different military tactics and applying them to my Mount and Blade Regiment.

Paul
04-26-2015, 03:12 PM
http://civil-war-uniforms.over-blog.com/les-formations-de-l-infanterie-de-la-guerre-de-s%C3%A9cession.html - An interesting read with diagrams. It is in french however, but google chrome should translate it.
http://www.hyperbear.com/acw/essays/acw-essays-army-org.html - Lots of stuff about all the different types of units, weapons and structure.
http://www.thomaslegion.net/americancivilwar/civilwarinfantryweaponsarmymilitary.html - Has many other pages on that site that a worth a read.
Drill manuals aren't very applicable to games, and are not the most interesting things to read but..
http://64thill.org/research.htm - This site lists a whole bunch of drill manuals to read, some however are dead links.
http://www.drillnet.net/SCOTTSTACTICS/SCOTTSEotL.htm - Major General Scott's Infantry Tactics is good and is not listed on the previous website.

GeorgeCrecy
04-26-2015, 10:03 PM
Hey Historical Player,

Along with the links Paul just gave you, there are also the sources I listed at the bottom of my first post in this thread, and if you go to the drill net link of Paul's, but head to the home page HERE (http://www.drillnet.net), you can find many more drill books from the period.

Historical Player
04-27-2015, 02:11 PM
Hey Historical Player,

Along with the links Paul just gave you, there are also the sources I listed at the bottom of my first post in this thread, and if you go to the drill net link of Paul's, but head to the home page HERE (http://www.drillnet.net), you can find many more drill books from the period.
Thanks. I will give them a read, and see if I turn into Robert E. Lee, lol.

Rithal
04-27-2015, 11:42 PM
Well, the good thing about the manuals is that they can be applied to various means, and while they would avoid fighting in a city, it did happen, such as at Fredericksburg or Gettysburg, or when going against the rioters in Baltimore or New York during the Draft Riot of 1863. In that case, they would stay in formation and have skirmishers, much like when fighting in a field or marching, as you would have the main body marching along to whatever the destination might be, as well as have a body of skirmishers, flankers, and rear guards from the various companies of infantry and sometimes cavalry to keep the main body guarded from a surprise attack.

Interesting. So basically they had the main body of infantry marching down the the road and then had skirmishers say, 20 yards ahead of the main force to clear buildings, check for ambushes, drive back minor enemy resistance, ect. It makes sense.

GeorgeCrecy
04-27-2015, 11:55 PM
Well, to clarify, if you had a corps marching down a road, they would have the main body, and then several bodies of skirmishers on all sides to protect from attack. Marching through a city, they obviously did the best they could, but any fighting was expected to be done outside of any cities or major towns by both sides, as there was a heavy resistance toward putting civilians in the fray. Obviously, this was not always the case, as in the shelling of Vicksburg, Richmond, Petersburg, etc. This is also where you sometimes hear that this was the first modern war, as among several reasons you also had the use of total warfare, a prime example being Sherman's March to the Sea, where he commonly burned every house in his path, leaving a swath of destruction and forests of chimneys and "Sherman's Neckties" in his wake.

Rithal
04-28-2015, 11:10 PM
Well, to clarify, if you had a corps marching down a road, they would have the main body, and then several bodies of skirmishers on all sides to protect from attack. Marching through a city, they obviously did the best they could, but any fighting was expected to be done outside of any cities or major towns by both sides, as there was a heavy resistance toward putting civilians in the fray. Obviously, this was not always the case, as in the shelling of Vicksburg, Richmond, Petersburg, etc. This is also where you sometimes hear that this was the first modern war, as among several reasons you also had the use of total warfare, a prime example being Sherman's March to the Sea, where he commonly burned every house in his path, leaving a swath of destruction and forests of chimneys and "Sherman's Neckties" in his wake.

We are still feeling the affects of "Sherman's March" in many areas of south. :/ That on top of a failed restoration attempt (Thanks John Wilkes Booth ;) ) set the south back a lot. Anyways back to the topic, would they have skirmishers deployed at all times on the flanks while marching or only when passing through dangerous/enemy territory?

GeorgeCrecy
04-28-2015, 11:16 PM
Only when passing through dangerous territory. There might be a small formality otherwise, but it would be a waste of resources and energy to bother with it too much in known friendly territory when no enemy is present.

Rithal
04-30-2015, 02:30 AM
Interesting. Thanks George.

RhettVito
05-06-2015, 03:13 PM
Love the formations cant wait to see how it plays out in game