The Volunteer Army of the United States

[Hancock the Superb]

So I finally can begin deciphering the organization of the United States Army in the Civil War.

The first mention that I can find of the actual name of the collection of volunteer organizations is in General Orders Number 126 (dated September 6th, 1862): "I.-The following is the organization of the Regiments and Companies of the Volunteer Army of the United States..." It is interesting to note that in the first general order concerning the composition of the volunteer force, General Orders Number 15 (dated May 4th, 1861), defines the organization as "a Volunteer Force, to aid in the enforcement of the laws, and the suppression of insurrection..."

Under the General Orders Number 15, it was directed that "Thirty-nine Regiments of Volunteer Infantry will be raised..." and "One Regiment of Volunteer Cavalry will be raised..." These regiments were organized into "three Divisions of from three to four Brigades" (3. General Organization). A Brigade would consist of four regiments, and commanded by a Brigadier General. Other Brigade officers included: "One Aide-de-Camp, (a Lieutenant,) One Assistant Adjutant General, (a Captain,) One Surgeon, One Assistant Quartermaster, (a Captain,) [and] One Commissary of Subsistence, (a Captain.)" It should be noted that all brigade officers, with the exception of the Aide-de-Camp, are appointed by the President with the consent of the Senate. A Division would be commanded by a Major General along with two Aides-de-Camp who are either Captains or Lieutenants and an Assistant Adjutant General with the rank of Major.

I find it odd that under this organization, there will be ten brigades, of which one is composed of three infantry regiments and one cavalry regiment if I am interpreting the order properly.

However, the (regular) Army of the United States was to be organized into "two Divisions of two Brigades each" (4. General Organization, General Orders Number 16). In this organization, each division is led by a Major General, who is supported by two Aides-de-Camp (Captains or Lieutenants), an Assistant Adjutant General, "a Major from the Adjutant General's Department," as well as a Quartermaster and a Commissarry of Subsistence, both appointed from the Staff of the Army. A brigade is directed by a Brigadier General with the help of an Aide-de-Camp with the rank of a Lieutenant, an Assistant Adjutant General who is "a Captain from the Adjutant General's Department," an Assistant Quartermaster with the rank of a Captain and an Assitant Commissary with the rank of a Captain. It should be noted that the divisional staff in the regular Army is much larger than in the Volunteer Force/Army.

These orders would indicate that there are two separate hierarchies within the United States: the Volunteer Army of the United States and the Army of the United States. Brigade and higher level commissions in the Volunteer Army (with the exception of the Aide-de-camp) are due to national government selection into the Volunteer Force (later refered to as the Volunteer Army of the United States).

[Saddletank]

I think this kind of history is fascinating as its peculiar to the USA and a republic, not a monarchy. In Europe, when you wanted more men, the government (or if he was an absolute monarch) the King, just ordered that men be conscripted. I think Britain was unique among European powers in the early 19th centiry in having a wholly volunteer army, though the same cannot be said for the navy and even in the army certain 'volunteers' were not really so and were co-erced to the colours by various despotic means such as convicted criminals being offered places as soldiers instead of going to prison.

But a complete army of volunteers, raised for a sole purpose, with its senior officers selected by politicians, is a very American thing and one can also quickly understand why it would need to be kept separate from the small regular standing army whose senior officers were career men jealously guarding their ranks and priviledge.

So, yes, good stuff you're uncovering there.