United States Civil War Military Organization

United States   U.S. Military    U.S. Civil War, 1861 to 1865     United States Civil War Military Organization

Introduction
The Union Army Forces and Confederate Army Forces were organized in similar ways. Each had several regional armies. Each army was divided into corps, divisions, regiments and battalions, companies, platoons, and squads.

Union Army
Union Army Forces had at least 16 Armies. Each army was basically divided in the following ways: 1 Army = 2 to 4 Corps 1 Corps = 3 Divisions 1 Division = 3 Brigades 1 Brigade = 4 to 5 Regiments 1 Regiment/Battalion = 10 Companies (1,100 men &amp; officers) 1 Company = 2 to 3 Platoons* (100 men &amp; officers) *depending on military manual 1 Platoon = 5 Squads (5 men &amp; 1 officer)

The 16 Union armies were:


 * 1) Army of the Cumberland
 * 2) The Frontier
 * 3) Georgia
 * 4) The Gulf
 * 5) Army of the James
 * 6) Kansas
 * 7) The Mississippi (there were several)
 * 8) The Mountain Department
 * 9) The Ohio
 * 10) Army of the Potomac
 * 11) Army of the Shenandoah
 * 12) The Southwest
 * 13) The Tennessee
 * 14) Army of Virginia
 * 15) Army of Occupation West Tennessee
 * 16) Army of West Virginia

Confederate Army
Confederate Army Forces had at least 23 Armies. Each army was basically divided in the following ways: 1 Army = 2 to 4 Corps 1 Corps = 3 Divisions 1 Division = 4 to 5 Brigades 1 Brigade = 4 to 6 Regiments 1 Regiment/Battalion = 10 Companies (1,100 men &amp; officers) 1 Company = 2 to 3 Platoons* (100 men &amp; officers) *depending on military manual 1 Platoon = 5 Squads (5 men &amp; 1 officer)

The 23 Confederate armies were:


 * 1) Army of Central Kentucky (Central Army of Kentucky)
 * 2) Army of East Tennessee (Army of Kentucky)
 * 3) Army of Eastern Kentucky
 * 4) Army of the Kanawha
 * 5) Army of Kentucky
 * 6) Army of Louisiana
 * 7) Army of Middle Tennessee
 * 8) Army of the Mississippi
 * 9) Army of Missouri
 * 10) Army of Mobile
 * 11) Army of New Mexico
 * 12) Army of Northern Virginia
 * 13) Army of the Northwest
 * 14) Army of the Peninsula
 * 15) Army of Pensacola
 * 16) Army of the Potomac
 * 17) Army of the Shenandoah
 * 18) The Southwestern Army
 * 19) Army of Tennessee
 * 20) The Trans-Mississippi Department (Southern Army - Trans-Mississippi Army)
 * 21) Vicksburg
 * 22) Army of the West
 * 23) Army of West Tennessee

Names of armies in parentheses are from The Armies of the Confederate States in the Civil War (accessed 13 September 2011). This site also includes short histories of the armies.

Army Organization - Union and Confederate

 * See web site, The Civil War Armies, specifically the following:


 * See web site, Organization of the Armies in the Civil War. Source: "Civil War Dictionary" By Mark M. Boatner III and "The Historical Times Encyclopedia of the Civil War" edited by Patricia L. Faust.


 * See web site, Organization Of U.S. Forces In The Civil War. Source: "Statistical Record of the Armies of the U.S." By Frederick Phisterer.