Scourge of War Boards

All,

The United States Army has never had regional or Ststes-named units. The Continental Army did, but not the US Government. During the ACW, the units with States names were not part of the regular US Army. They were United States VOLUNTEER (or USV) regiments accepted into Federal service. As you will all recall, there were US Army regiments in the Army of the Potomac (the 5th. Corps springs to mind.) The Southern Regiments were obviously not going to be accepted into the US Armiy's roster - they were units in an Army formerly in rebellion against the US Federal Government. (To paraphrase Capt. Malcolm Reynolds - They were on the side that lost, not necessarily the wrong side.) Please note also that NONE of the USV Regiments were taken into the US Army after the war. As far as I know, they were all disbanded. During the next allegedly major war - The Spanish-American War, Volunteer units were again raised, (Teddy Roosevelts Rough Riders, 79th. New York Infantry, etc.), and disbanded after the fighting was over. Let it be remembered that many former Confederate officers and men joined the colors, (Joe Wheeler being a prime example), to fight the Spanish, with no apparent ill will involved.

Jack B)

Just as a side note - about 15 or 20 years ago, the US Army did experiment with a "Home regiment" type of organization. The idea was, if someone in the Army wanted to, they could spend thier entire career in one regiment. Maybe not the same Battalion, but the same Regiment. The idea was to establish cohesion and comradiere. Sort of like the Brits used to do, and maybe still do, for all I know. I have no idea if this is still going on.

The bottom 10 serving in the military, by percentage of state population are:

42 - North Dakota
43 - Pennsylvania
44 - Vermont
45 - New York
46 - Rhode Island
47 - New Jersey
48 - Minnesota
49 - Connecticut
50 - Massachusetts
51 - District of Columbia

2012 Per capita income ranking
42 - North Dakota 20
43 - Pennsylvania 19
44 - Vermont 24
45 - New York 4
46 - Rhode Island 16
47 - New Jersey 2
48 - Minnesota 11
49 - Connecticut 1
50 - Massachusetts 3
51 - District of Columbia 6 if all of Maryland is included

The well off don't go into the military.

The US National Guard units are state based and have been called up for deployment in WW1, WW2, and Iraq/Afg. There were also state-based regiments in the Span/Am war, a distant cousin of mine was wounded in the Philippines as part of a Colorado regiment.

-Jim

Just like the old game had in an intro screen the regiment and regimental flags were the heart and soul of a unit. Most regiments were comprised of men from the same community and county. And although this made for local calamity with losses, it also created a brother-hood and esprit-de-corps.

As far as the Federal system, there were several elite brigades, however, the U.S. War departments status quo on organization was as soon as terms expired or the said regiment was depleted, rather than recruit and replenish, they had the ability to disband the depleated regiments and form new ones. They also brigaded regiments from all states together as they were formed.

In the spring of 1862, President Jefferson Davis, through executive order of the Confederate War Department, made it a requirement that all units from the same state be brigaded together. This was political and in Davis' mind, essential for esprit-de-corps. General Joseph E. Johnston, in command or what would be Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, despised the order because it came during the middle of a camapign and placed units under commanders that were not familiar with the regiments after a year of war. However, to the credit of Davis, this proved to be a wise course of action that created many elite fighting units.

Furthermore, the Confederate War Depertment, never disbanded a unit. It was the job of the Confederate Conscription Depertment and the Army commanders to fill the ranks of depleted units from men of their home states. If the unit could not be properly replenished, the units were consolidated, i.e. 1st & 3rd Florida Consolidated or the 17th and 30th Tennessee Consolidated Infantry.

The North would rarely if at all recruit troops to replenish the regiments. Thats why Hood's Texas brigade surrendered at Appomatox and the Iron Brigade was not there on the Federal side.

The Natioal Guard also faught in Vietnam. They fought on the ground and air. My home town Army Guard unit the 131st Engineers served 1yr in Vietnam. Many other states units also. I understand that a great number of air sorties were Guard pilots.

Yes,

The National Guard are State units. I have served with their members on countless occasions, periodically under fire. I will reitierate, once these units are activated, they are not called the 5th. Texas engineers or whatever, they are the 205th. Engineering Company, US Army, or whatever. The original subject was why were there no State-named units in the US Army. I stand by my staement. There are no designated State named units in the US Army. Once again, when a Natl. Guard Ground or Air unit is activated, nowadays they are fully designated as US Army/Air Force units, leaving thier state designations behind.

Jack B)

Thanks everybody for all the interesting replies.

Geoff Laver