Regimental numbering?

[FiremarshalBill]

How were State regiments (Federal and/or Confederate) numbered as they were mustered into service? For example, assuming there was a 183rd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, does that mean that there were 182 New York infantry regiments mustered into service before the 183rd was established? What about artillery and cavalry regiments? Were they mustered into service using the same numbering system, or mustered into service using a different numbering system? Were all State regiments sequentially numbered as they entered into Federal or Confederate service? Thanks.

 

[kholland]

Here is how it worked initially for Pennsylvania troops:

Pennsylvania regiments that served in the Civil War used a numbering system that is sometimes confusing to those not familiar with the practices in place at the time the war began and the practices that evolved as the war continued. The first regiments that met the call of President Abraham Lincoln were formed for only ninety days service because Lincoln believed that the war would be of short duration and that if he asked a state regiment to serve longer, he would have to go to the U.S. Congress to to get a declaration of war. Although the nation was involved in a crisis, Congress did not plan to have session until July 1861. These first Pennsylvania regiments were numbered from 1 to 29 and all were signed up for ninety days service. In 1861, the call went out from Governor Andrew Curtin for volunteers and more than enough men signed up and were mustered into these first 29 regiments. All of these regiments were infantry, or "foot soldiers."

The Reserves. Since the "extra" men were not immediately needed for service, regiments 30 through 44 were asked to be ready in "reserve." The first to be called upon, if needed, were known as the "1st Reserves", the second as the "2nd Reserves," and so on. The table below shows the "official" Pennsylvania Volunteer number for the regiment followed by the reserve number. This is sometimes confusing to family members in researching their veteran ancestor, because family information may indicate volunteering for service in the "6th Pennsylvania" when in fact this was actually the "6th Reserves" or the "35th Pennsylvania." These Pennsylvania reserve units, when called into service, were "federalized" and were assigned to the Army of the Potomac. For the purpose of identification in searching this blog, the original, sequential Pennsylvania number is used, whether or not the unit or the soldier preferred to use the reserve number. Thus, the designation "35th Pennsylvania Infantry" would be the consistent search term on this blog for the members and service of this regiment – not "6th Pennsylvania Reserves."

Original Number Designated As
30th Pennsylvania 1st Pennsylvania Reserves
31st Pennsylvania 2nd Pennsylvania Reserves
32nd Pennsylvania 3rd Pennsylvania Reserves
33rd Pennsylvania 4th Pennsylvania Reserves
34th Pennsylvania 5th Pennsylvania Reserves
35th Pennsylvania 6th Pennsylvania Reserves
36th Pennsylvania 7th Pennsylvania Reserves
37th Pennsylvania 8th Pennsylvania Reserves
38th Pennsylvania 9th Pennsylvania Reserves
39th Pennsylvania 10th Pennsylvania Reserves
40th Pennsylvania 11th Pennsylvania Reserves
41st Pennsylvania 12th Pennsylvania Reserves
42nd Pennsylvania 13th Pennsylvania Reserves
43rd Pennsylvania 14th Pennsylvania Reserves
44th Pennsylvania 15th Pennsylvania Reserves

http://civilwar.gratzpa.org/2012/02/pennsylvania-regimental-designations-naming-and-numbering/

 

[redbob]

In Alabama, Confederate Regiments tended to be numbered in the order that they were organized.

 

[major bill]

Here in Michigan the answered would be sort of. For example we had the First Michigan Three Month Volunteer Infantry. After they came home and mustered out of service the State reformed the regiment as the First Michigan Three Year Volunteer Infantry Regiment. The state would authorize two or three new regiments (5th , 6th , 7th Infantry) to form and give them a number, but different regiments actually mustered in out of order. The way this worked was the regiment muster in once it reached full strength so the 7th could reach full strength before the 5th. Also two Independent Regiments were raised by the Federal Government and not originally given a number, but later given a number. So the 16th Infantry formed at the same time as the 5th, 6th and 7th Infantry.

One needs to study the particular state they are interested in to insure they understand how it worked in that state.

 

[Lnwlf]

Indiana has a somewhat confusing system as well. They started at the 6th Regiment Indiana Volunteers. The first 5 designations were already used by regiments that served in the Mexican War. It really did not matter if they were 90 day men or 3 year men, or even infantry or cavalry. The cavalry would be designated yet again by another number. For examples, the 7th Cavalry is actually the 119th Regiment of Indiana Volunteers, while the 13th Cavalry is the 131st Regiment of Indiana Volunteers. Official papers will usually use the Cavalry numeral while diaries, letters and newspapers might use the original numeral. It is good to remember this when looking up Indiana soldiers.
Also, the numbers were usually given on a "first come first served" basis.

 

[rpkennedy]

How were State regiments (Federal and/or Confederate) numbered as they were mustered into service? For example, assuming there was a 183rd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, does that mean that there were 182 New York infantry regiments mustered into service before the 183rd was established? What about artillery and cavalry regiments? Were they mustered into service using the same numbering system, or mustered into service using a different numbering system? Were all State regiments sequentially numbered as they entered into Federal or Confederate service? Thanks.

It depended on the state. Pennsylvania numbered all of their regiments numerically regardless of branch of service. For example, the 1st Pennsylvania Cavalry was the 44th Regiment.

New York numbered their regiments numerically based on branch of service.

R

 

[photoman475]

I believe Illinois used the same system as Indiana for infantry regiments. I'd have to check, but I think Illinois's ACW numbering started with the 7th or 8th-the units formed before the ACW had been in Mexican War Service.

Minnesota's were numbered in the order that they were organized, but that did not mean they went into federal service in that order. My unit, 5th Minnesota, was organized at Fort Snelling in March 1862. Three companies were detached on March 15 and assigned to Forts Ridgely, Ripley and Abercrombie, while the remaining seven companies were sent south to join Gen. Grant. When the 1862 Sioux Uprising took place, elements of the still organizing 7th and 9th Minnesota were dispatched to Fort Abercrombie to relieve the siege that fort was undergoing.

 

[DixieRifles]

Mississippi formed different types of units.
There were militia units that served under the State. They formed units designated regiments, battalions and sharpshooters. Where the mounted cavalry were formed under various names, but some of these may have been state militia.
The best source for this is Dunbar Rowland's "Military History of Mississippi"---many of the unit histories can be found on the internet.

Tennessee formed cavalry units in order. Then they reformed into a new designation but when the number was found to be a duplicate, it was re-designated again up until the time regiments were consolidated into a combined designation. Aww-w-w-w Shuuucks---the cavalry are all screwed up!!