The Shreveport weekly news., 1861-04-22
Military Organizations Of the Con
federate states.

The Montgomery Mail, alluding to
errors in regard to the militia
ry organizations of the Confederate
States, makes the following statement
of facts furnished by the War Depart
ment
Two distinct armies have been pro-
vided for by the acts Of the Congress.
They have no connection with each
other: the mode Of offering them is
essentially different, and their terms
of service are dissimilar.
The first of these armies is what is
called the Provisional Army" 1t
is this to which the Zouave Battalion
and all other volunteer corps, now in
the service of the Confederate States,
belong. 1t was raised by the Con
sress to meet the pressing exigencies
upon us, and and will be disbandec
when the emergency shall have ceas-
ed which called it into existence. 1t
is composed of such companies, bat
talions and regiments rs have been tor
NAV bc) turned over to the Conteder-
acv by the several States. from their
several armies, or corps OF voiun-
teers, with the consent~of the troops
transferred. The minimum term of
service is one year. a rule OF the
War Department requires these troops
to be received only from the several
State Executives, they. of course,
having previously secured the assent
of the organizations trInsferred.-
These troops retain the organization
with which they enter the provisional
army: companies, battalions and regi-
mcnts remaining such and retaining
their officers. But the President has
the right, by law, TO appoint certain
field officers for this provisional army
a right which he has exercised. IN
making Brigadiers thereof, of Coils
Bragg and Beauregard, and appoint,
ing Col. Hardee, Colonel of its first
Regiment
MANY "cracked" volunteer com
panies, not only from the Confederate
States, but also from the Border States
have sought. independently. to be III
NV" but the rule isint!exib!e. and un
less they az. offered by some one of th'
Governors of the Confederate States
: upon a reauisition from the War DE
uartnent. they are not received
: Practically. the provisional army i
5 about full; the patriotism of the peo
| pie was fully up TO the mark OF tn
needs of the country.
I Memorandum. that III contempla
: ton of law. Surgeons and Assistan
a SURGEONS of the volunteer and stat
4 army troops. turned over to the Cor
: frdcracv to make part of the provis
: ional army. are not officers, and the
. are. therefore, not retained. he d'
= ticiemcy is supplied by appolnt'n
= temporarily acting Assistant SUI
' eeous for such troops.
r. Memorandum. also. that the sing
It slight exception to ,h. rule, that ii
:, COMPONENT organization OF the provl
y ional army. derived "a, aforesaid tro
K the several States. remain as Wht
:. mustered into the service Of the Cor
1.d.rate States. is that indcpendei
or isolated companies will be conso!
r. dated. is Indispensable.
Another point abont the provision
J" army: Its surgeons and assissta
l. surgeons are only temporary appoi
.c tees. acting ~ such whii" the s"r'l
ir may require tEcIn.
'Ih. regular army of The tontt.
{. eracv is entirely distinct from :
= provisional. 1t is not Yet organize
TO The officers Of only two regimen
T. viii be appointed. The orsanizati
80. is very similar 10 that Of the Unit
~ States army.
!" As soon as appointed, many Of :
o. officers OF the regular army Will
he ordered i'll the recruiting ser'l
f. And i; is in this way only that
- regular army VIII he raised. A. y
i does not contain Il single non-co
IN ,ni,e!oned officer or private. wh
III the provisional army has thousa
,e- q. men in tue field.
n. The regular army will begin
take form and substance, probab
= within six months.
oil Officers resigned, on account
u secession, from tn" army %! tic /
ell ted States. receive appointments
do of course. in tho regular army. q
-; liaus are eligible, but the former
" certainly provided.
fa- Applications, by civilians, for p
ish tions as Surgeons or Assistant ;
geons, in the regular ARMY. need
hardy be made, with expectatlo,
:orc success. There is only linn
op- number Of appointments to fill
the these necessarily, viii be giveI
the resigned Surgeons and Assist
from the army OF the United st"
.ors The Engineer Corps is, We /"
and most inaccessible TO civilians; pr
the bly, because there are accomplls
officers lresigncd) from the [. >.
- II .lD MI