- Joined
- Aug 25, 2012
The more standard division of military assets during the Civil War were: armies, Corps, divisions, brigades, battalions, regiments, and companies/batteries. Still a couple of legions were formed and used, perhaps Hampton's Legion being the most well known.
In size legions are smaller than divisions and larger than regiments or battalions, but are not brigades. The real difference is that legions are of mixed combat arms.
The Corps is considered the smallest unit that can engage in sustained combat. This is because divisions at the time did not contain the necessary support arms needed for sustained combat. As a nod to our members who have served in modern armies I do know that currently, divisions have enough support arms to engage in sustained combat. I also have miltary training in the use of enhanced brigades who do have the organic assets for limited long term combat.
During the Civil War, depending on the time, an infantry division's combat effectiveness was reduced by not having organic combat arms and support arms such as cavalry and artillery. A legion was formed with an infantry battalion, a cavalry battalion, and an artillery battalion (often just a couple of artillery batteries).
During the Civil War appears that the best use of cavalry and artillery was to concentrate them at Corps level of command. Attempts were made to include small amounts of cavalry and artillery at division level of command, but in the end this was not an effective use of these assets.
So what about Civil War legions? I believe the legion commander loved to have his own organic cavalry and artillery, but was this an effective use of these military assets.
In size legions are smaller than divisions and larger than regiments or battalions, but are not brigades. The real difference is that legions are of mixed combat arms.
The Corps is considered the smallest unit that can engage in sustained combat. This is because divisions at the time did not contain the necessary support arms needed for sustained combat. As a nod to our members who have served in modern armies I do know that currently, divisions have enough support arms to engage in sustained combat. I also have miltary training in the use of enhanced brigades who do have the organic assets for limited long term combat.
During the Civil War, depending on the time, an infantry division's combat effectiveness was reduced by not having organic combat arms and support arms such as cavalry and artillery. A legion was formed with an infantry battalion, a cavalry battalion, and an artillery battalion (often just a couple of artillery batteries).
During the Civil War appears that the best use of cavalry and artillery was to concentrate them at Corps level of command. Attempts were made to include small amounts of cavalry and artillery at division level of command, but in the end this was not an effective use of these assets.
So what about Civil War legions? I believe the legion commander loved to have his own organic cavalry and artillery, but was this an effective use of these military assets.