Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-05-07
OrganizatIon and parts of the Army.

So many persons, unacQuainted with the organi-
zation of an army are making inquiries upon
the subject, that we copy from the Cincinnati
Gazette the following outline of its elements,
cognized in the French school and in own, far
as we have had armies
company is the unit Of an army, and is supposed
to average on the war basis, one hundred men Off
GERS included. The general rule for the organiza-
ton Of such company gives one captain, two lieu
tenants five sergeants and four corpOrals and
eighty-five men. Formerly each company had an
ensign, who carried the flag but his place is now
supplied by the color sergeat There is one more
sergeant than corporals, the first sergeant being
called the orderly sergeant and next to the Cap
tain, the most important man in the company-car-
rying the books of the company, and calling the
roll morning and evening. The company Is formed,
when in column into platoons and four sections
each platoon commanded by lieutenant, and each
section by sergeant.
A regiment is regularly composed of ten compa-
MES, or two battaions Battalion being halt re-
glment, composed of five cOmpanies-one of them
called alight rout company, intended in regular
service to operate outside of the heavy columns as
thanking parties, guards, etc.
The officers of a regiment independent of cOmpa-
nv officers are colonel lieut. colonel, two majors,
adjutant quartermaster, and commissary. Each
separate body of troops must have commlssary
and quartermaster, but in a large army, they are
appointed to regiments or brigades. A regiment,
when constituted, will be formed thus: colonel.
l lieut.. colonel, adjutant, quartermaster, COM
missary,2 majors, 10 captains, 20 ieutenants, so
sergeauts, 40 eorporals, and $50 private men-mak-
ing 975 but IN reality there some others; each
company has regularly drummer and ffer, which
make a regimental band of 20, besides the drum
major. Then the regiment, when full, Is made up
regularly to 1000 men.
A brigade should be composed of two regiments,
squadron of cavalry, corps of field artillery. If
these were all full, complete brigade operating
alone, would in service or in the French, make
2,400 men.
A division is composed of two brigades, with adj
ditional corps of cavalry and artillery, making in
our army including the whole staff and music about
5OG0 men, This is the highest element of organiza-
ton in our service but in France, as they organize
immense armies, there is one other.
The corps is composed of two or more divisions,
frequently of four five. The corps Is, In the
French service. properly commanded by field
marshal-an officer unknown 10 our country and
the corps is properly a complete army ~ Itself.
In NapoleOns march on Russia, be had eight or
ten of these corps in active servlce-maklng held
army of from 100000 TO 100000 meh. From the
elements we have given it will be that however
large the army NAV be, it is organized as to be
perfect in all its parts and with exact order
and discipline. In the field all orders and opera
tions carried through the staff of the army,
and when we come to active service, the staff IS the
most important part of the army for, this being
vast machine of which each part is perfectly obedi
ent to and directed by the head, it is evident that
all must depend on the skill ability and discern
men of the staff through which it acts. 1t is in vain
that Scott, or any great general, commands, the
staff officers are incompetent .
The staff consists of the aids, the adjEtant gener
al. the engineer, the quartermaster, and commits
sary generals. Through the adjutant general or
ders are conveyed to each particular part. By the
quarter-master general all transpOPtations and We
hicles and horses furnished; Dy the commissary
all supplies; by the engineer the topography of the
country is thoroughly examined, the practieabiity
of passes determined, Notifications built attack
ed. Then the staff Of army becomes its eyes,
and its faculties the general simply deciding the
movements of the army on the facts and elements
thus furnished. In the grand French armies there
was chief-Of~the-staf head Of the active mill
| tary bureau In NapOleOns time, this chief-of the
staff Marshal Berthier. deemed one of the abest
officers of the French army. Napoleon knew the
value of good staff. and had ADLER men it than
were at the heads of divisions.