Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1861-05-03

looking man. The clerks desk was oc-
pied by the adjutant and his assistants,
engaged in making up the muster-roll.
returns and acquisitions incident to active
service. The privates we're engaged at
the Senators desks writing letters.
All tho statuary in the halls Of tho
Capitol, and in the old rotunda, has been
boxed, to preserve it from injury through
carelessness. The pictures in the panels
have also been faced over with heavy
planking, which secures them from harm.
Organization and Parts OF the Army.
80 many persons, unacquainted with
the organization ofan army, are making
inquiries upon that subject, that VIC copy
from the Cincinnati Gazette the following
outline Of its elements. as recognized in
the French school and in our own so far
as we have had armies.
A company is tho unit of an army,
and is supposed to average, on the war
basis, one hundred men, officers included
The general rule for the organization Of
such company gives one captain, two
lieutenants. five sergeants and four cor
porals and eighty-fve men. Formerly
each company had m ensign, who car
ried the flag but his place is low sup
piled by the color sergeant. There is
one moro sergeant than corporals, tho
first sergeant being called the orderly
sergeant. and is, next to the captain,
the most important men In the company
carrying tho 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
section by sergeant.
A regiment is regularly composed OF
ten companies. or two battalions bat
TALON being half regiment, composed
Of five mpanies--one Of them called
light or rout company, intended in re-
gular service to operate outside of ths
heavy columns as thanking parties,
guards, etc.
The officers Of regiment, independent
Of company officers, are colonel, lieut..
colonel, two majors. adjutant, quarter
master, and commssary. Each separate
body OF troops must have commissary
and quartermaster, but in large army
they are apportioned to regiments or
brigades. A regiment. when constituted,
will be formed thus: l colonel. lieut..
colonel, adjutant, quartermaster, 1
eommissary, 2 majors, 10 captains, 20
lieutenants, so sergeants. 40 corporals,
and $50 private men making 975, but
in reality there are some others; each
company has regularly drummer and
iifer. which make rcgimcntal band Of
20, besides the drum major. Then the
regiment, when full, is made up regular
ly to | 900 men.
A brigade should be composed of two
regiments. squadron Of cavalry and
corps Of field artillery. Ifthese were all
full. complete brigade operating alone.
would, in our service, or ia the French,
make 2, 400 men.
A division is composed Of two brigades,
with additional corps Of cavalry and ar
tillcry, making in our army. including
the whole staff and music. about 5000
men. This is the highest element Of Or
gahization Ia 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 or FIVE. The
corps is. in the French service. properly
commanded by field marshal-an Of
ficcr unknown to our country--and tho
corps is properly a complete army in itself
In Napoleon's march on Russia, he had
eight or ten oftiicse corps ia active SER
vice-mak;ng field army Of from $780,
600 to 300, 900 men From the elements
we have given, it will he seen that how
ever large the army may be, IL is SO or
gained rs to be perfect in all its parts.
and moves with exact order and disc-
plinc. In the field all orders and ope-
rations are carried on through the staff
Of the army. and when we come to ac-
tive service. the staff is the most i'm
portant 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 all must depend
on the skill. ability and disccrnment Of
the staff through which it acts. IL is in
vain that Scott, or any great general
commands. If the staff officers are incom-
petent.
The staff consists Of the aids, the ad-
jutant general, tho engineer, the quar-
termastcr. aud comInissary generals.
Through the adjutant general all orders
are conveyed to each particular part. BY
the quarterGastef geseral all transporta-
tions, and vehicles, and horscs are fur
nisbed by the company all supplies by
the engineer the topography Of the coun-
try is thoroughly examined. the practi-
cobili'y Of passes determined. foriifca-
tons built or attached. Then the staff
Of an army BECOMES It's eyes. and all its
faculties. the general simply deciding
the movements Of the army on the facts
and elements thus furnished. In tho
grand French armies there was chief
of-tbe.staf, or bead Of the active militia
ry bureau. In Napoleon's time, this
chief-of- the-siaff was Marshal Berthier.
deemed ono Of tho ablest Of officers Of
tho French army. Napoleon knew the
value Of good staff. and had ADLER men
init than we're at the head Of tho diyi-
sions