The North and South had several armies fighting in different parts of the country. These armies were very large. In order to control them better, each army was divided into smaller units. Each soldier was a member of five units within the army, though when a man wanted to soldier he joined a company. Companies were generally formed by community, so a soldier often knew many of the men in his company. Below are the other units in the army to which he belonged.
** Note to teachers: This information can easily transform into a fun math activity. Have your students attempt to figure out the numerical strength of regiments, brigades, divisions, corps and armies. You might also present the information by having your entire school district represent an army, each school represent a corps, each grade represent a division, two or more classes together can be a brigade, each class can be a regiment, and desk clusters within a class can represent companies.
UNIT - NUMBER OF MEN - LEADER
company: 100 men - captain
regiment: 10 companies or 1000 men - colonel
brigade: Union = 3 regiments or 3000 men - brigadier general
Confederate = 5 regiments or 5000 men - brigadier general
division: Union = 3 brigades or 9000 men - major general
Confederate = 3-5 brigades or 15 –25,000 - major general
corps: Union = 3 divisions or 27,000 men - lieutenant general
Confederate = 3 divisions or 45-75,000 men - lieutenant general
army: Union =3 to 7 corps - general
Confederate = 3 corps plus cavalry
The actual number of men in each unit was often much lower than the original enrollment. These reduced numbers were due to losses by battle, disease, desertion, and expiration of soldiers’ term of enlistment. Typically, the Union army phased out old regiments (instead of replenishing them) and created new ones.
INFANTRY: Infantrymen were foot soldiers. They traveled from place to place by marching, many times in Each infantryman carried his own weapon – a rifled musket and bayonet – along with personal belongings and equipment, and food for several days. Most soldiers were in the infantry.
CAVALRY: Cavalrymen traveled on horseback, which was faster than the infantry. Each carried three different weapons – a rifle, a sabre , and a pistol – as well as personal belongings and equipment. They were the eyes and ears of the army. They scouted, screened the movements of the army from the enemy scouts, protected the flanks of the army while the infantry fought, and engaged in battle as needed. They could raid weak enemy positions and quickly retreat. Cavalrymen knew a man and a horse presented a much bigger target than a lone man on foot.
ARTILLERY: Artillerymen carried no weapons of their own, but were part of a team that operated a single weapon – the cannon. They needed very special training to perform their duties, each man performing a task to help move, load, aim, and fire the cannon. The cannon were pulled by horses from site to site, as the men rode.
Although each of these three soldier types had different jobs, equipment, and even camp lifestyles, they all worked together as an army to defeat their common enemy.
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Gettysburg National Military Park
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