Post War Army Organization

[Jake Patterson]

I am giving a class at our high school on a ACW local soldier... I was looking to put together a slide or two on the organization of the Army after the war... The presentation is on Colonel J.E. Tourtellotte who was aide-de-camp and eventually chief of staff for Sherman when he was the GOA...

Any idea where I might get this information???

jake

 

[NedBaldwin]

Toward the end of his memoirs Sherman has a section of the army after the war.

 

[johan_steele]

Upton & the Army by Ambrose details some of the reforms, particularly the influence of the Prussians. Another, if you can find it, US Army Organization 1776-1988 I lent my copy out and never got it back.

 

[unionblue]

Jake Patterson,

I remember reading a long time ago that the post-war army went down to about just 7,000 regular troops by the time of the Indian wars out west.

I went searching on the internet and found the following:

Darkness And Light, The Interwar Years 1865-1893.

http://www.books/AMH-V1/ch13.htm

Hope that helps.
Unionblue

 

[Carronade]

I don't have a source handy, but after the war the Army was reorganized with an authorized strength of 45 infantry and 10 cavalry regiments, don't know about artillery. Not all of the infantry regiments appear to have been formed.

Before the war there had been ten infantry regiments, each with ten companies. In 1861 a further nine regiments were established, but these had three battalions, each with eight companies. In the postwar reorganization the 2nd and 3rd battalions were expanded into regiments in their own right, for example the 2nd battalion, 11th Infantry became the 20th Infantry and the 3/11 became the 29th.

Separate colored regiments were also created, the 38th-41st Infantry and 9th and 10th Cavalry.

In 1869 the infantry regiments were reduced to 25, with existing units being consolidated, for example the 38th-41st became the 24th and 25th.

 

[Carronade]

I did a little more research on wikipedia - so I don't have complete information - but apparently the 2nd battalions of the 11-19th became the 20-28th Infantry Regiments, in sequence, and the 3rd battalions the 29-37th; I was able to confirm this for 10 of 18 units. That would put the 38th-41st colored regiments next in sequence.

 

[Jake Patterson]

Toward the end of his memoirs Sherman has a section of the army after the war.

He goes into it on page 900. General Order No.118 reduces it into 19 "departments" and "5 military divisions" ... but he leaves it somewhat vague. I was looking to see if I could fine an organizational chart...