Would it have made a difference if...

[Elennsar]

Historically, the Regular Army was kept largely intact, and expanded by nine regiments of infantry and one each of cavalry and artillery.

Would it have made a difference to give commisions (even if only regimental level) to the Old Army officers and spread their talent through out the volunteers?

Note: A difference would not necessarily be for the better. Nor would it necessarily change the course of the war. I'm just wondering if it would have mattered - there were so many volunteer units that having any meaningful "seasoning" from the Regulars seems hard to imagine.

 

[34 NC Co. H]

I would think that would make sense so that volunteer officers could be trained for future events.

 

[prroh]

Historically, the Regular Army was kept largely intact, and expanded by nine regiments of infantry and one each of cavalry and artillery.

Would it have made a difference to give commisions (even if only regimental level) to the Old Army officers and spread their talent through out the volunteers?

Note: A difference would not necessarily be for the better. Nor would it necessarily change the course of the war. I'm just wondering if it would have mattered - there were so many volunteer units that having any meaningful "seasoning" from the Regulars seems hard to imagine.

Many Regular officers applied for Volunteer commissions and were the backbone of the newly formed Federal Army. Aldelbert Ames, for example, took a commission as colonel of the 20th ME, his home state. Weed and Hazlet, West Point friends who were killed together on Little Round Top. Weed applied for Volunteer commissions and was a Brigadeer general on July 2nd, Hazlett, a fellow artillery man , stayed in the Regular Army and was a Captain.

Promotion came fast in the Vounteers, but none faster than Custer from 1st LT to BG, a promotion bump that remains without equal in the US Army.

 

[johan_steele]

Many an NCO in the 1860 Regular Army acquired commisions in the Volunteers. The Regulars were seen as an avenue to a commision by some.

 

[prroh]

Many an NCO in the 1860 Regular Army acquired commisions in the Volunteers. The Regulars were seen as an avenue to a commision by some.

Two of Buford's Brigade commanders at Gettysburg were pre-war SGTs.

Unless they received a Regular commission, as well, the Volunteer officers would revert to their Regular NCO rank if theit ranks were not renewed during or after the war.

In 1956, the Army was downsizing and many Reserve officers reverted to an NCO. One former COL was reverted to MSGT in my artillery battelion. He was only three months from retiring as a COL. It was awkward dealing with this very nice and courtly gent. Same sort of stuff went on after the Civil War