What Professionals Study

[Mark F. Jenkins]

The Central Ohio Civil War Round Table speaker tonight was J.D. Petruzzi, talking about subjects related to his book The Gettysburg Campaign in Numbers and Losses.

One of the items he mentioned in passing was something I would have liked to ask him about, but unfortunately there were a whole string of questions (some on point, others not so much) and I didn't think I could squeeze it in. He talked about a unit's paper strength vs. its actual strength. Now, I know (intimately) what that's all about (having helped do unit status reports during my own stint in the Army); what interested me was that he said that a unit with, for instance, 500 on the books might be able to put, say, 300 on a battlefield with rifles (this is not an average, just an example); the remaining 200 might be detailed to the ambulance corps, work parties, on the sick list, on furlough, etc. etc.

The part about work parties and the ambulance corps caught my attention. In the Late 20th Century Army I knew, for every soldier on the "front line," there were up to eight or nine working in various support capacities. Obviously, the less-technological armies of the 19th Century would not have been that extreme, but there still was the matter of moving the goods: food, ammo, medical supplies, the wounded, and all the various other impedimenta of a large organization of men (not to mention waste disposal, with all those men and horses crammed into small geographical areas... phew). Nowadays there are specific units (say, the Nth Motor Transport Company, Air Force transport commands, etc.) specifically designated for logistical roles; I have never heard of anything like that in the Civil War -era army. Were all those necessary functions performed by sizable details from the "front-line" units (i.e., many of those 200 of the 500-man unit in the example)? And if so, how many of those might be yanked back up to the "front line" when the cannons began booming?

 

[Robtweb1]

I have seen a couple of references, one by Brig General Afred J. Vaughan in his post war book, to the litter bearers being chosen from the strongest of the regiment.

 

[Miles Krisman]

Were all those necessary functions performed by sizable details from the "front-line" units (i.e., many of those 200 of the 500-man unit in the example)? And if so, how many of those might be yanked back up to the "front line" when the cannons began booming?

Generally, men on "detached duty" (ie. Teamsters, Quater Master Clerks, Commissary Clerks, Nurses, Couriers) did not serve in "front line" combat duty during battles. The only time that I have read of these men picking up a gun to join in the fight, is if the army was overrun as the Confederates were at the 3rd Battle of Winchester.

However, there were many instances where regiments entered battles with far fewer men than their rosters would have indicated. Men would fall out as they entered the field or claim unworthiness due to illness. These men were given many names (Shirkers, Straggler, etc.). There are several accounts of men like these lining the river bank during the Battle of Shiloh.

There were also instances where men fell out for legitimate reasons such as during the Battle of Gettysburg. Many men suffered from sunstroke or heat exhaustion and didn't even make it to the field of battle although listed on an active roster.

 

[TerryB]

I believe the WWII ratio was six supports for every one trigger puller. In Vietnam, I hear it was as high as 11 or 12 to 1. 200 supports out of 500 in the ACW seems reasonable. And in the CSA, men who had lost arms or legs were still used in the rear areas. One ancestor of mine had a bad heart condition and was given a disability discharge after Perryville. He was later conscripted by the state of Mississippi and put to work at the Grenada Depot. He was there, with a brother, when Taylor surrendered.

 

[NedBaldwin]

There were 3 sources of manpower for support functions:
Detachments from regiments (what Petruzzi is referring to)
Hired civilians
Slaves or contraband/fugitive slaves.

The mix of these varied across armies and over time. For example after the Peninsula campaign there was an effort by the army of the Potomac to use more civilians and less soldiers for supply line management in order to increase battle efficiency.

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

Generally, men on "detached duty" (ie. Teamsters, Quarter Master Clerks, Commissary Clerks, Nurses, Couriers) did not serve in "front line" combat duty during battles. The only time that I have read of these men picking up a gun to join in the fight, is if the army was overrun as the Confederates were at the 3rd Battle of Winchester.

But would these individuals actually be (at least nominally) assigned to a line unit? Or were there "staff/support" formations attached to larger units?

 

[NedBaldwin]

But would these individuals actually be (at least nominally) assigned to a line unit? Or were there "staff/support" formations attached to larger units?

There is no easy universal answer. Often individuals were nominally part of a line regiment. One of my ancestors was nominally part of a MA infantry regiment but he was assigned to the AotP Provost office for special duty. But there were regular army officers and men who were not nominally attached to a line unit but were rather part of the staff departments. Also a few volunteer units were converted to special functions -- generally engineering.

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

Petruzzi noted at one point in his talk the disparity between staff sizes of various commanders... he said that Pleasanton's bodyguard could be riding by almost all day, whereas Buford had a staff of maybe two or three, and no bodyguard at all.

 

[rpkennedy]

But would these individuals actually be (at least nominally) assigned to a line unit? Or were there "staff/support" formations attached to larger units?

Most of these men were still at least nominally on the rolls of whatever unit they enlisted with. They may be performing detached duties as aides, teamsters, etc. but would have still been carried on the company rolls, usually with the "detached" label.

R

 

[TerryB]

Most of these men were still at least nominally on the rolls of whatever unit they enlisted with. They may be performing detached duties as aides, teamsters, etc. but would have still been carried on the company rolls, usually with the "detached" label.

R

True, but the CS had its own Signal Corps and Hospital Corps. I know the Signal Corps was regular Confederate. Not sure about the Hospital Corps.

 

[Elaine Kessinger]

Laundresses in the Federal Army were hired at the company level... 4 women to a company. "Revised Regulations for the Army, 1861" They traveled with the baggage trains, thus... far from the front lines, only catching up when the main body was in stationary camp or when the baggage trains were overtaken.

Ambulance Corp-men remained detached enough that they could follow soldiers close to the battlefield and be first responders and transfer wounded to the ambulance depot. They are under the Division Quartermaster, who also has the responsibility for ensuring the transport of wounded and distribution of ambulances. "Revised Regulations for the Army, 1861"