The Nevada Democrat., 1861-06-22

make an outline of its elements, as recog-
nized in the French school and in our own.
so far as we have bad armies. The number
in companies, regiments, &c., vary at diff
ierent times. and vary by law. In times of
peace the rank and file are reduced to
skeleton. and the officers retained, 1--WE
speak of regulars,) 50 that in time of wvr
they can soon be filled up. The outline ell
ements of an army are these
A company is the unit of an army, aud is
supposed TO average, on the war basis, 100
men. officers included. The general rule
for the organization Of such company
gives one captain, two leutenants, five ser.
geants and four corporals and eighty-five
men. Formerly each company had an en-
sign, who carried the flag, but his place is
now supplied by the color sergeant, There
is one more sergeant than corporals, the
first lieutenant being called the orderly SER
geant, and is, next to the captain, the most
important man in the companv--carryin
the books of the company, and calling the
roll morning and evening. The company
is formed, when in column. into two pla-
toons and four sections, each platoon com
manded by lieutenant, and each section
by sergeant.
A regiment is regularly composed of ten
companies. or two battaions a battalion
being half regiment, and composed of five
companies-onc of them called light, Or
rout company intended in regular service
10 operate outside of the heavy columns, as
fanking parties, guards. etc.
The officers Of regiment, Independent
OF company officers, are colonel, lieutenant
colonel, two majors, adjutant, quartermas
far EaO raf hO6V
of troops must have commissary aud quar-
termastcr, but in a large army they are sp-
pointed TO regiments or brigades. regi-
ment, when constituted, will be formed
thns: / colonel, l lieutenant colonel,
adjutant. qnartermaater, commissary, z
majors, 10 captains, 20 lieutenants, 4O SER
geants, DO corporals, and $50 private men
making 97J, but 10 reality there are
some others; each company has regularly
drummer and ffer, which make regl-
mental band Of 20, besides the drum major
Then the regiment, when full, is made up
regularly of 1000 men.
brigade should be composed of two
regiments, squadron of cavalry, aud
corps Of field artillery. If these were oil
full. complete brigade operating alone
would, in our service, or in the French,
make 2,40O men.
A division is composed of two brigades,
with additional corps of cavalry and artil-
lery. making in our army, including the
slaff and music, about 5000 men. This is
the highest element Of organization in our
service; but in France, as they organize
immense armies, there is one other.
The corps is composed of two or more di-
visions, frequently four or five. The corps
IS. in the French service, properly CON-
manded by field marshal-an officer un-
known to our country-and the corps is
properly complete army in itself. In Ma
poleon's march on Russia, he had eight or
ten OF these corps in active service-making
field army Of 25O,OOO or 100000 men.
From the elements we have given, 1t will
he seen that however large the army may
he, 1t is so organized as to be perfect in all
it's parts, and moves with exact order and
discipline. In the field all orders and ope-
raiions arc carried on through the staff of
the army, and when We come to active SER
vice. the staff is the most important part of
the army for, this being a vast machine. of
which each'part is perfectly obedient to, and
directed by the head. il is evident that oil
must depend on the skill, ability and dis
ceTnment of the staff through which it acts
IL is in vain that Scott, or any great Cen
eral. commands, if the staff officers are in.
competent.
The staff consists OF the aids the adjutant
general. the engineer, the quartermaster
and commissary generals. Through the ad.
jutant general all orders are conveyed to
each particular part. BY the quartermas-
ter general all transportatlons, and vehicles
and horses arc furnished by the commits
sary, all supplies by the engineer the top
ography of the country is thoroughly ex-
amined. the prNclibilty of passes determ-
ined Notifications built or attacked Then
the slaff Of the army becomes its eye and
all its faculties. The general simply dec-
ding the movements of the army on the
facts and elements thus furnished. In the
grand French armies there was a chief of
the staff or head Of the Bureau. In Napo-
Icons time this chief Of the staff was Mar
shall Berihier, deemed one of the ablest of.
iicers of the French army. Napoleon knew
the value Of good staff, and had ADLER
men in 1t than we're at the head of the di-
visions. IL an extensive army should be
formed, this should always be the case.
In the statement we have made il will be
seen that there is strong similarity be-
tween modern army, we'll organized, and
that of the Romans. Our company cores
ponds with the Roman Century, and our
division to the Roman Legion. The Ro.