Confederate Regular Army

[Stryker65]

I recently read a JSTOR article about the Confederate Regular Army. According to the article, the plan was to form a "Regular Army" similar in size and ability to that of the United States, but there just wasn't enough time or enlistments to fulfill those plans, and the idea was discarded. Since the U. S. Regular Army was known as the backbone of the volunteers, because they had much more experience, could train them, etc., would a fully-organized, well-trained Confederate Regular Army have changed the outcome of the war any? The U. S. Regular Army didn't really play a big part in the war, other than training the volunteers, but the fact remains that the CSA didn't have ANY regular forces. What do you guys think?
-Stryker

 

[Bruce Allardice]

There's a whole book on the Confederate regular army. 1991, by Richard Weinert

 

[Sowbelly and Hardtack]

 

[Sowbelly and Hardtack]

 

[RedRover]

From his 1885 speech on the Confederate soldier, Gen. Daniel Harvey Hill contended the lack of a regular army was critical.

Col. Robert Tansill, a US Marine Corps Captain in the Seminole and Mexican wars, and a Confederate colonel, in 1865, had some similar complaints.

the "regular army" regiments of the Confederate Army, like the several "Confederate States Infantry Regiments" were not composed of regular army enlistees. Instead, these were units re-designated CS regular regiments, rendering their organizations as standing, or permanent. the personnel, particularly the enlisted men, remained enlisted wartime volunteers.

For example, Edward Bourne served with the 3rd Confederate Regiment, but never enlisted in the Regular army of the CSA, but was part of a volunteer company assigned to fill its ranks. William F. Bourne's company, was first Co. "F". "The Young Guard." Men from Memphis, with the 15th Regiment of Tennessee Volunteers, detached June, 1861 and became Co. "B", 18th (Marmaduke's) Arkansas Infantry, subsequently 3rd Confederate Infantry Regiment.

The fact that "volunteer" forces soldiers filled the ranks of these regular regiments is not odd. During the revolution, many Continental Army units often had their ranks filled by "levies" from the militia of the several States. Or as in the First World War when draftees of the "National Army" were among the personnel assigned to bulk the regular army units...

 

[Stryker65]

I believe I read Mr Weinert's book, or at least a shortened version of it, on JSTOR. It also may have been one about the Engineers. As I understand it, the only true Regular Army unit to see combat was LT J K Dixon's company C of the regulars, at the battle of New Orleans/Forts Jackson and St Philip. Would a full regular contingent have made a difference at all, though? A division of crack regulars, under a fighting general?
-Stryker

 

[Sheltowee]

Well, since the CSA was a new endeavor, I don't see how it would be possible to fully replicate the experience of their USA counterparts.

I guess they could have developed the skills of drill- in time. But hard earned experience on the western frontier was something that could not be developed.

Well- trained is one thing……experience is something entirely different.