The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1861-07-03
Organization of the Army.


general interest, and be found of great val /
ue. Our army is essentially formed after
the French school, which is in its general
plan probably the best in the world =
The number in companies, regiments, |
&c, varies at different times and varies by (
law. In Time of peace the rank and file are |
reduced 10 skeleton, and the officers re- /
tanned, 1--WE speak of regulars,) SO that IN /
time of war they can soon be filled up
The outline eemen Is of an army are these:
A company is the unit of an army, and is (
supposed to average on the war basis one
hundred men, officers included. The gen.
eral rule for the organization Of such COM
pany gives one captain, two lieutenants, five
sergeants and four corporals and eigh,y-five
men. Formerly each company had an en-
sign who carried the flag; but his place is
now sopplied 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 company--carryine
the books of the company, and calling The
is formed, when in column, into two pla-
toons and four sections, each platoon COM
manded by lieutenant, aud each section
by sergeant.
A regiment is regularly compos sed of ten
companies or Two batalions; battalion
being half regiment, composed of five
com panies-one of them called light or
route company, intended regular for service
TO operate outside Of the heavy columns, as
Hanking parties, guards, etc.
The officers of regiment, indie pendent of
company officers, are a colonel, lieutenant
col. two majors, adjulani i,quartermaster and
commissary Each separate body of troops
must have commissaTy ard quartermas
ter, but in large army they are apporion-
ed to regiments or brigades. A regiment,
colonel one lieutenant colonel, one adju-
tant, one quariermaster, one commissary,
two majors Ten captains, twenty lieuten-
ants, fifty sergeants, forty corporals, and
eight hundred and fifty private men-ma-
king nine hundred and seventy-five, but IN
realty there are some others; each COM
pany has regularly a drummer and fifer,
which make regimental band of twenty,
besides the drum major. Then the regi-
ment, when full, is made up regularly 10
one thousand men.
A brigade should be composed of two
regiments, squadron of cavalry, and
corps OF field artillery. If these were all
full, a complete brig ade operating alone,
would in our service, or in the French, make
5,4OO men.
A Division is com posed Of two brigades,
with additional corps OF cavalry and artil-
erv, making in our army, including The
whole staff and music, abon' 5000 men.
This is the highest element of organization
in our service; bot in France, as they or
ganize immense armies, there is one other
The Corps is composed of two or more
Divisions, frequently of four or FIVE. The
corps is, in the French service, properly
commanded by field marshall an officer
unknown TO our country-and the corps is
properl, a complete army in itself
! In Napoeon's march on Russia, he had
eight or ten of these corps in active service
making field army of from $50 QUO 10
1 30O, 900 men. From the elements we have
given, IT will be seen that however large
an army may be, it is so organized as 10 be
perfect in all lis parts aud moves with an
exact order and dicipine. In the field all
I orders and operations are carried on through
/ the staff of the army, and when we come
10 active service, the staff is The most i'm
! portant part of the army for, this being a
I vast machine.of which each part is perfectly
obedient 10, and directed By the head, il is
evident that all must depend on the skill,
ability ard discernment OF the staff through
which i, acts. Ii is in vain that Scou, OF
any great Gen eral commands, If the staff
officers are incompetent.
The staff consists of the aids, The adlutan,
General, the engineer, the Quarter master,
and Commissary Generals. Through the
Adutant General all orders are conveyed 10
each particular part. By The Quarter mas
Ter General all transporalions, and vehicles
and horses are furnished; by the Commits
sary all supplies by The engineer the TO.
biography Of the country is thoroughly ex'
amined, the practicability of passes deter
mined, notifications built or attached
Then the staff of an army becomes its eyes
and it's facilities, the General simply deci.
ding the movements of the army on the
facts and elements thus furnished. In tbs
grand French armies there was a chief o
the staff. or head of the active Military Blu
reau la Napolean's time, the chief of the
staff was Marshal Berthier. deemed one o
the sblest officers of the French army. Ma
} poleon knew the value OF good staff anC
had abler men in it than were at the heac
of The divisions. If any extensive army
: should be formed this should always be tht
case.
In the statements we have made, it viii
be seen there is a strong similarity between
=