Question - how many men per mile?

[Davinci]

Hey, where is the mathematician of the forums?

I’m trying to figure out if the men were standing shoulder to shoulder, two ranks deep, how many men would it take too stretch a mile.

I have come up with 5280 feet in a mile – two feet per man roughly - equals 3520 men x two ranks equals 7040 men within a mile.

So, a five mile map should hold approximately 35,200 men standing shoulder to shoulder.

Is this correct, or I’m I doing this wrong?

This picture represents twelve brigades standing shoulder to shoulder with the last brigade in column formation so that it would not overlap the brigade next to it.

Each brigade is roughly 2500 men which brings the total to approximately 30,000 men.

The attachment line1.jpg is no longer available

davinci

[born2see]

Davinci wrote:

two feet per man roughly

Two feet is a pretty narrow shoulder span. I'd give them three feet if they were touching. More if they were standing side by side normally. That's 1600x2x5 = 16000 if they're 4 inches apart. In the picture they have at least 18 inches between them. so that's 5280 / 4.5 * 2 * 5 = 11,733. The 4.5 is 36" + 9" per man on each side. To be really accurate you would subtract 36" from the grand total for the guys on each end.

Somebody prove my calculations in error, please. :S

B

PS: How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?

[Davinci]

Two feet is a pretty narrow shoulder span. I'd give them three feet if they were touching. More if they were standing side by side normally. That's 1600x2x5 = 16000 if they're 4 inches apart. In the picture they have at least 18 inches between them. So that’s 5280 / 4.5 * 2 * 5 = 11,733. The 4.5 is 36" + 9" per man on each side. To be really accurate you would subtract 36" from the grand total for the guys on each end.

Somebody prove my calculations in error, please. :S

Why is it 1600x2x5 and not 1760x2x5 ?

So, you are saying that the total is 11,733 total men for five miles?

PS: How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?

Let me think about this…..thinking…..thinking…..thinking….. I have no idea …..unthinking!

davinci

[born2see]

Davinci wrote:

So, you are saying that the total is 11,733 total men for five miles?

Yes. 5280 /4.5 = 1173 (rounded down) per mile. Times 2 = 2347 * 5 = 11,733 in 5 miles.

Are you sure you're not Mike Slaunwhite in disguise? :laugh:

B

[Davinci]

Yes. 5280 /4.5 = 1173 (rounded down) per mile. Times 2 = 2347 * 5 = 11,733 in 5 miles.B

Perhaaps you are a lot smarter at this than myself, but I'm just not seeing how that can be correct!

davinci

[born2see]

Don't know that I am. However, my reasoning is each man has a shoulder width of 36" or 3 feet. If there is 18" between each man that's 36" width plus 9" on one side and 9" on the other. Two men together would be 36" + 18" + 36". 5 men together would be 36" + 18" + 36" + 18" + 36" + 18" + 36" + 18" + 36". If you split up the distance between them and give 9" per man/ per side that's 36" + 9" + 9" which equals 54" or 4.5 feet. If a mile is 5280 feet then it's 5280 feet divided by 4.5 feet per man which equals 1173 men per mile. Multiply that by 2 for two ranks and that = 2347 men per mile. Multiply that times 5 for five miles and you get 11,733 men stretched across 5 miles in two ranks.

How do you see it?

B

[born2see]

Somewhere on this site I'm sure I read how much space a regiment in line takes up.

B

[Little Powell]

Math is not exactly my specialty but the typical length of a regiment was around 100 yards. This isn't exactly answering your question, but roughly 17 regiments would be a mile in length. Even though the scale of the soldiers in the game is 3 to 1, the map scale matches the troop scale.

[born2see]

Little Powell wrote:

Math is not exactly my specialty but the typical length of a regiment was around 100 yards. This isn't exactly answering your question, but roughly 17 regiments would be a mile in length. Even though the scale of the soldiers in the game is 3 to 1, the map scale matches the troop scale.

Certainly not mine either. Took me three times to pass Algebra.

What would be the average size of the 100 yard regiment? Regulation size or actual size.

From civilwarhome.com

"Theoretically, company strength was 100; regiment, 1,000;... Livermore gives these average regimental strengths in the Union army at various periods: Shiloh, 560; Fair Oaks, 650; Chancellorsville, 530; Gettysburg, 375; Chickamauga and the Wilderness, 440; and in Sherman's battles of May '64, 305. According to Bigelow the average strength of Federal regiments at Chancellorsville was 433 and of Confederate regiments 409."

So if we say 500 per regiment arrayed in double line formation that's 8500 per mile. For 5 miles that would be 42,500.

So I'm way off, D is much closer.

And I've worn my poor brain out why, D? :S

B

[Little Powell]

Yeah I believe that 100 yard rule is for an average size regiment which is 1,000 men.