The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1861-06-08
4N1jlitagp s9aformation.
and Parts of the Army.

So many persons, unacquainted with the
organization o, an army are making inquiries
upon that subject, that we copy from the
Cincinnati Gazette the following outline of its
clements, as recognized in the French school
and in our own, SO far as We have had
armies:
A company is a unit of an army, and is
supposed to average, on the war basis, one
hundred mVn. officers included. The general
rule for the organization Of such company
gives one captain, two lrutenants, five SER
geants and four corporals, and eighty-tivc
men. Formerly each company had an
ensign, who carried the flag: but his place
is now supplied by the color sergeant.
There is one more sergeant than corporals,
the first sergeant being called the orderly
sergeant, and is, next 10 the Captain, the
most important man IN the company carry
ing the books OF the company, and calling the
roll morning and evening. The company
is formed, when in column. into two platoons
and -Four sections, each platoon command
ed by a lieutenant, and each section by
u sergeant
A regiment is regularly composed of ten
companies. or two batfainns a battalion
being half a regiment. composed of five con-
panies- one Of them called light or rout
company. intended in regular service to
operate outside OF the heavy columns as flank
ing parties, guards. &c. q,
The officers of Il regiment, independent Of
company officers. are colonel lieutenant
colonel, two ma ors, adin,ant, quartcrmas,cr,
and commisSary. Each separate body o!
troops must have commiSsary and quarter.
master, but in a large army, they are APP
pr \
ment, when constituted, viii be formed thus:
One colonel one lieutenant colonel. one adiu-
tant, one quartermaster, one commissary,
two mayors, ten captains, twenty lieutenantS
fifty scIetants,, forty corporals, and eight
hundred and fifty private men making nine
hundred and sevent, five, but in reality there
are some others each company has regular
ly drummer and fifer, which make Iegi-
mental band of twenty, besides the drum
ma or. Then the regiment. when full, is
made up regularly to 200 men.
a brigade should be composed of two rcg,-
mcnts, "A squadron Of cavaliy and corps Of
field artillery. If these were all full, COM
pee brigade operating alone, would. in our
service or in the French make 2, 400 men,.
a division is composed Of two brigades,
with additional corps Of cavalry and artillery
making in our army, including the whole
staff and music, about 5 600 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 one or more divi-
sions. frequently of four or five. The corps
is, in the French service. properly COM
manded by field marshal--an officer UNI
known to our country, and the corps is
properly complete army IN itself.
In Napoleon $ march on Russia he had
eight or ten OF these corps in active service -
making a tiio)d army of from ESQ 600 to
800 600 men. From the element we have
given it will be Seen that however large the
army may be, II ls SO organized as TO be
perfect in all its parts and moves with exact
order and discipline. In the field all orders
and operations are carried on through the
staff of the army, and when we come to
active service, the staff is the most impor-
tant part of the army: for, this being vast
machine. of which each part is peri city
obcdient to and directed by the head, it is
evident that I'll must depend on the skill,
ability and disarmament Of the staff through
which it acts. 1t is in vain that Scott or
any great general, commands, if the staff
officers are incompetent.
The staff consists Of the aids, the adjutant
general, the engineer, the qnartcrnaster and
commlssary generals. Through the adjutaut
general orders are conveyed to each particu-
lar part. BY the quartermaster general all
transportalions and vehicles and horses are
furnished; by the commssary all supplies; by
the engineer the topography of the country
is thoroughly examined, the practicabiity
Of passes determined Qualifications built
or attacked. Then the staff of an army be.
comes its eyes and faculties, the genera
simply deciding the movements of the army
on the facts and elements thus furnished. -
In the grand French armies there was chief.
Of the staff or head of the active military
bureau. In Napoeon's time tins chief-of the.
staff was Marshall Berthicr, deemed one OF
the ablest officers of the French army
Napoleon knew the value Of a good staff. and
bad ADLER men in it than were at the heads oil
divisions.