Rank's
Rank and Responsibilities The rank of a Civil War soldier indicated his duties and responsibilities within the army. The vast majority of soldiers were enlisted men—they made up the bulk of the fighting force. Above them were noncommissioned officers (also considered enlisted soldiers) and commissioned officers. While officers had more prestige than privates, they also carried added burdens, since they were accountable for all the soldiers under their command. Officers~ Captain:A Captain had command of a company of infantry or cavalry, or an artillery battery of guns. In addition to his administrative duties, an infantry captain led his company into battle by giving the proper commands for the movement and fighting of his troops, in concert with the other companies in the regiment. 1st & 2nd Lieutenant: Lieutenants were second in command of infantry and cavalry companies and artillery batteries. Infantry lieutenants assisted the company captain in their positions behind the line of battle by guiding the troops in their movements and firing ~Non-Commissioned Officers~ Sergeants: :Sergeants served either in the regimental color guard or in the individual companies of the regiment. There could be divisions, related to administrative duties, within the rank—for example, first sergeant, ordnance sergeant, and quartermaster sergeant. Infantry sergeants advanced either in or behind the line of battle, depending on individual responsibilities. They helped guide troop movements and kept the men in their positions by example and force of command. Corporal: Corporals served either in the regimental color guard or in the individual companies of the regiment. During combat, infantry corporals who were not part of the color guard were positioned in the line of battle. They helped to keep a uniform line in the movement of the company. Privates looked to corporals to help guide them during combat. ~Enlisted~ Private:Privates served as the backbone of the army and did most of the fighting in battle. Privates moved together shoulder to shoulder in straight battle lines and acted on the commands of their company officers. Privates rarely acted independently but rather worked as a group with the single purpose of fighting as a sheer force of numbers Recruit is the newest members of the regiment that have to prove they are dedicated and mature players, willing to get better and listen. In addition to the regular ranks, Civil War armies had several specialist ranks. Each regiment had a contingent of staff officers, which included surgeons, quartermasters, adjutants, and, on occasion, chaplains. There were also special ranks for soldiers in specific parts of a regiment, such as the field music (fife and drums), the regimental band (brass instruments and drums), and the color guard. The color guard was an honorary group chosen to carry the flag, or colors, of the regiment. It usually consisted of eight color corporals and one color sergeant. |
Company Staff
Captain - Cpt 1st Lieutenant - 1stLt 2nd Lieutenant - 2ndLt Non-Commissioned Officers Sergeant- Sgt Corporal- Cpl ~Enlisted Men~ Private - Pvt Recruit -Rct |
I. Infantry Units.
COMPANY. The basic unit is the company, commanded by a captain 100 men = 2 platoons = 4 sections = 8 squads A company has the following officers (commissioned and non-coms): Captain (1), 1st. Lieut. (1), 2nd. Lieut. (1) SgtMaj [1] Sgt[4] and Corporals [8] The rest all Pvt's and Vol's Plus 2 musicians. When the company was divided into platoons, the captain commanded one and the 1st Lt. the other. There was a sergeant for each section, and a corporal for each squad. The 1st Sgt. "ran" the whole company. |
|