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USA General of the Army
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USA Captain
I am unsure if this is just the Confederate organization, however, if it is for union... This is inaccurate, you are missing the squad/picket level.
Got nothing to do with this war... the drill is different, the structure is different, the ranks is different...
and to OP... the book you link to is a simplified version made recently and it is full of errors and and reenactorisms...
By using the original sources you avoid mistakes like that.
(almost) everything you can wish for can be found here: http://www.zipcon.net/~silas/links.htm
Also you made a number of mistakes... because the book you used made them.
The non-commissioned officers are not split like what you describe.
The second sergeant is "opposite the second file from the left of the company" or when the company is uncovered on the left, he move up and is the company left guide.
"The third sergeant, opposite the second file from the right of the second platoon."
(quotes from "Hardee's revised")
and so on.
also the corporals are not ranked... they are, just like the privates "ranked" after their height.
The company is a tactical and administrative unit.
The platoons is something you define every time the men fall in... so not an administrative unit and it was rarely used for anything in the field.
And the section even rare.. and they should in no way be compared to modern infantry squads... that would be very anachronistic.
There are a few orders that involve doing things "by platoon" but there are no firing orders for it.
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If anyone want to read about the jobs for different ranks look in
"CUSTOMS OF SERVICE FOR NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS" by AUGUST V. KAUTZ
This is the best place to start when we are taking ranks and the jobs each rank had to do.
https://books.google.dk/books?id=jHg...page&q&f=false
It is a union book, but most of it also works for the south... since most of their regulations are a direct copy of the US regulations.
When we are talking the regular army infantry regiments. - each company had. (on paper)
One First Sergeant. three Sergeants. and Four Corporals.
but "295. Volunteer regiments of infantry differ from the above in having (...) four sergeants and eight corporals in each company."
But this again depended on the specific regiment.
It do not mention the number of privates... but newly raised regiments did usually number some 900-1000 men in total.
But the numbers was much lower during the war. At Gettysburg the union infantry regiments averaged just 375 men.
The south (and the union state of Wisconsin) was better at reinforcing existing regiments and was typical larger.
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the first sergeant.
His job is described in the same book.
But 1st sergeant is a rank and so is sergeant.
Covering sergeant, orderly sergeant, 2nd sergeant, 3rd sergeant are jobs.
The first two jobs are usually done by the 1st Sergeant. the other two positions done by the other sergeants.
In combat the job of the covering sergeant was to cover the captain. (stand behind him) and in manĉuvres be the company right guide.
when standing still he joined the line of file-closers... together with the other sergeants and the LTs.
The captain mostly give orders when doing manĉuvres. For the firing most of it is ordered by the battalion commander.
Out of combat the Orderly sergeant do the paperwork and is the one responsible for the drill in the company.
so he is the main "teacher" in the company.
For the formation just look in the early pages of the relevant drill book... it is one of the fist things they cover (Hardee's revised and/or Gilhalms for the CSA..
And US. Infantry tactics 1861 for the North, and Chandler for Wisconsin regiments)
Most of them can be found by following the link above.
Last edited by thomas aagaard; 11-14-2015 at 09:20 PM.
Thomas Bernstorff Aagaard
Pvt. Sander (Proper historical name is WIP) reporting for duty Sir(s)! O7 <--- Salute emoji in case of cunfusion.