The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-05-01
Orga aMizaiion and Parts Of the
Army.

organization Of the army, are making inqui.
ries upon that subject, that we shall make
an outline of its elements, as recognized in
the French school and in our own so far as
we have had armies The number in com.
panies, regiments, &C., vary at different
times, and var5 by law. In times Of peace,
the rank and file are reduced to skeleton,
and the officers detained, 1--WE speak of regu.
lars.l 80 that in time Of war they can soon
be filled up. The outline elements of an
army are these:
Company is the Init ofan army, and is
composed to average, ON the war basis, 100
men. officers included The general rule for
the organization Of such Company gives
captain, 2 lientenants, sergeants and cor
porals and s5 men. Formerly, each compa.
pany had an ensign, who carried the flag !;
but his place is now supplied by the color
sergeant. There is one more sargeant than
corporal, the first lieutenant being called
the orderly sergeant, and is, next to the cap
tain, the most important man in the compa-
ny-carrying the hooks of the company, and
calling the roll morning and evening. The
company is formed, when in column, into
two patoons and four sections. each platoon
campnanded by lieutenant, and each Sec
ton by a sergeant.
A Regiment Is regularly composed Of ten
companies, or too battailions battalion
being half a regiment, composed offve corn.
panies-one of them called Light, or Route
Company, intended in regular service to op.
crate outside the heavy columns, as flank
ing parties, guards, etc.
The officers of regiment, independent of
company officers, are q colonel, lieutenant
colonel, two majors, adjutant, quartermaster,
and commissary. Each separate body of
troops must have commissary and quarter.
master, and in a large army they are appor-
toned to regiments or brigades. A regiment
when constituted, will be formed t,,us: 1
colonel, lieutenant co'onel, adtutant, l
q0artermaster, commissary, 2 majors, 10
captains, 20 lieutenants; so sergeants, 40
corporals, and $50 private Matchmaking 975
but in reality there are some others; each
Company has regularly drummer and fifer,
which makes a regimental band of2O, hasides
the drum major. Then the regiment, when
full, is made up regularly to 900 men.
A Brigade should be composed Of two r.gi-
roents, squadron of cavalry, and corps of
artillery. Tfthese were all full, complete
brigade operating alone, would, in our SER
vice, orin the French, make 2,4O0 men.
A Division is composed Of two brigades,
with additional corps ofcava!ry and artillery,
making m our army, including the whole
staff and music, about 5000 men, This is
the highest element of organization in our
service; but in France, as they organize i'm
monse armies, there is one other.
The Corps is composed of two or more Di-
visions, frequently of four or five. The corps
is, in the French service, probably comman-
ded by field marshal--an officer unknown
to our country land the corps is properly
complete army in itself
In Napoleon's march on Russia, he had
eight or ten Of these corps in active service
making fisld army Of from 2ao 900 t.
800, GOO men, From the elements we have
given, it will be seen that however large the
army may bc, it is so organized as to be per-
feet 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 ac-
tive service, the staff is the most important
part of tfa army; for, this being vast ma
chine, Of which each part is perfectly obedi-
ent to, and directed by the head, it is evi-
dent that all must depend on the skill, abil-
ity, and discernment of the staff through
which it acts. It is in vain that Scott, or
any other General commands, If the staff
officers are incompetent.
The Staff consists of the aids, the Adju-
tant- General, the Engineer, the Quarter
master, and Commissary Generals. Through
the Adjutant General all orders are convey
ed to each particular part. By the Quarter
Master Generslsll transportations, and vehi-
cles. and horses sre furnished; by the COM
pany all supplies by the Engineer the topo,
graphy Of the country is thoroughly exam
incd. the prac,icabiIity OF passes determined,
Notifications built, or attacked
Then the staff Of an army becomes its
eyes, and all 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
staff. or head of the active Military Bureau
In Napcleon's time, deemed one Of the ablest
officers Of the army, Napoleon knew the val
ne of good staff, and had abler men in it
than were at the head Of the. divisions. II
any extensive army should be formed, this
should always be the case.
In the statements we have made, it win be
seen. there IS strong similarity between
modern army, well organized, and that of
Romans. Our company corresponds with
the Roman Century, and our divisions 10
the Roman Legion. The Ronan Legion,
when, full. contained 5000 men, which COM
pretended portion Of Anxilliaries. and were
divided so rs to include all kinds Of service.
A Roman Legion was q complete army in
itself. and the experience then and now is
hat compact body or force Of SIX thousand
men is as large as can be organized to act as