Infantry Structure - American Civil War

For both sides of the Civil War, they used the same army structure to organize their armies to be the most efficient on the battlefield and on campaign. I covered each level of organization of the army from companies to armies.
Cavalry Structure: • Cavalry Structure - Am...
Artillery Structure: • Artillery Structure - ...
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Mod: American Civil War mod for Napoleon Total War

[@ethanrepublic]

I really like the idea of using Total war as an education show

[@fan9775]

That was an actual thing on Spike.

[@mirkobruner]

What is total war? Thanks.

[@jaybeeonyt]

Total War is an RTS (Real Time Strategy) game series spanning several different historical time periods. I dont think they have an official civil war game though so this must be a mod for one of the Total War games. ​@@mirkobruner

[@Badass-History]

​@@mirkobrunerit's a strategy game

[@ericflynn82]

SUPER helpful. I'm writing a story now that involves elements from the civil war, and I've really felt overwhelmed when researching it. This was a big help.

[@peralleljayfann4799]

Yeah I’ve been trying to see what the sizes of units were for so long

[@Epicuresfan]

THANK YOU I've been looking for so long for a video that concisely explained civil war infantry structure AND how they were used. brava sir.

[@12thDecember]

Thank you so much! It's difficult to comprehend the incremental units of an army when you're just reading it on paper. The way you present it visually makes it far easier to understand, especially with the way you distinguished between the two sides using the colors blue and red, as you explained how units were formed and identified and who was in command at different levels.

[@Rex-gu1bu]

You did a nice job of explaining the breakdown. Nice work!

[@Crusaderglenn]

Thank you very much bro.I'm really enjoying your videos. :) Greetings from Hungary

[@vladi3906]

Good job making this video!

[@MyBlueZed]

Great video!

[@carolinadog8634]

Great video very good job!

[@CHEESYHEAD684]

Army of THE Tennessee was the Union army and the Army of Tennessee was the confederate.

[@claybeaux68]

Good job! Looking forward to Cavalry and Artillery! One of my ancesters was in the 7th Mississippi Battalion. The pronunication of the guy who led the Louisana Tiger's was Roh-beh-dough :p

[@SarisTX]

aye, I was kinda wondering how to correctly pronounce his name.

[@claybeaux68]

I grew up in South Louisiana and had to learn their crazy ways early in life!

[@SarisTX]

I'm from South East Texas so I feel ya

[@colbypride2268]

Fought all the way Johnny reb Johnny reb

[@GuidoMillonezz]

Excellent

[@yuch1102]

For Battalion commander you meant lieutenant colonel or major

[@Captain_Frank_Abagnale]

Wouldn't mind knowing where you got your 820 men at Gettysburg info from since the NPS themselves say 426 men exactly of the 1st Texas were at Gettysburg. In fact they were there as the supporting regiment behind the 3rd Arkansas, they had 479 men and officers present for duty at Gettysburg

[@rafaelrojas7889]

In Roman numerals, XXV is 25, not 43. (43 is written XLIII)

[@samuelbousfield4342]

Do I hear wha'll be king but cherlie from that band

[@audgusto]

I think he meant a lieutenant colonel, and not lieutenant

[@logicaredux5205]

Not bad, but you portray each company as having their own battle flag. If there was such a case, I have never heard of it. The practice was that only one company in the regiment carried the flag, and that flag, or flags if a state flag were included, were the regimental colors. That company would contain the color guard and would usually be placed in front in a column of march and at the center of a line of battle. They often took the heaviest casualties because of their visibility.

[@thomasbaagaard]

Looks great, but Companies was NOT split into 10 man squads. That is some anachronistic idea that was not used during the civil war. And a squad was not a tactical unit, but what you call a small group of men during drill. The company was split into two platoons that was split into a total of 4 sections. The first platoon was commanded by the Captain, the 2nd platoon by the 1st LT. There are only a few cases where things are done "by platoon" and that is mostly used if some "terrain" force part of the company to break out of the formation. The battalion was the main tactical unit, and it was the COL that gave many of the orders.

[@claybeaux68]

To clarify: We had squads even before the civil war. but it could be anything from 2 to 12 men, and was not part of the organization of a company during battle, it was more a designation for a group of men assigned to a specific task. You'd break a squad of men off to get water, for instance and the firing squad was definitely a thing by then. But they weren't part of the organization of a company in terms of drill. The smallest unit in a company was the section, which was also called a half platoon. There was no official designation of squad leader until 1890 or so, when we were back to fighting Native Americans and Army units were scattered across a big landscape trying to control large areas of land with no assets.

[@thomasbaagaard]

I belive that would be called a "detail", that is at least what Krautz call them then they are doing fatigue duty or similar work.

[@justinmiller3754]

Nope. You sir are not correct. For the most part "platoons" were not recognized as a formation during the Civil War. While the term was in use, it was rarely if ever used as a designation of infantry.

[@thomasbaagaard]

​@@justinmiller3754 Guess you never actually read any of the relevant drillbooks... The structure with two platoons is very clearly described in all the major drill books used. (Hardee's, Gilhams, Hardees revised, US. infantry tactics 1861, Casey) This is from Hardee's revised. "5. Each company will be divided into two equal parts, which will, be designated as the first and second platoon, counting from the right ; and each platoon, in like manner, will be subdivided into two sections." The word "platoon" is used 302 times in his school of the soldier and school of the company. (compared to the 334 times "company" is mentioned) And another 73 times in school of the battalion. It other words Platoon is used as a designation all over the drill books. There are plenty of maneuvers that could and where done by Platoon. So your claim is factual wrong. But as I also wrote, platoons was only used for some evolutions. Usually when the terrain did not allow for a wider formation. And they could not be used in an independent job... (unlike in some European armies of the period, where the platoons did have their own commander)

[@justinmiller3754]

@@thomasbaagaard you show me where in any references to civil war armies it says the word platoon. It simply wasn't used. Guess you didn't read my comment where I said it was a term used at the time but rarely if ever was used to designate infantry sections.

[@FatJoe98100]

Zoo Zoo Zoo!

[@SarisTX]

100 men = 2 platoons = 4 sections = 8 squads

[@matthewresnick7536]

I don't know if you do requests, but can you differentiate the Regular Army, Volunteers and State Militia?

[@SarisTX]

yeah sure!

[@thomasbaagaard]

factual wrong claim. Hardee's revised: "5. Each company will be divided into two equal parts, which will, be designated as the first and second platoon, counting from the right ; and each platoon, in like manner, will be subdivided into two sections." Squads was not a tactical or administrative formation.

[@HrHTeam]

What game is this? What mod? Thanks.

[@visualizedhistorylore5444]

Have you ever considered playing the Brother vs Brother mod for Empire total war?

[@SarisTX]

I've played it before because you can actually fight on a campaign map but it would crash after 25 turns for me

[@visualizedhistorylore5444]

Saris When is the last time you played it? The most recent version allows for fort sieges, and extremely minimizes crashes. I am doing a series if it in my channel.

[@SarisTX]

Couple months ago

[@visualizedhistorylore5444]

Saris Weird, well down to the point. I am wondering if you would be interested in doing some online matches together with either Napoleon total war, or empire (using civil war mods)

[@SarisTX]

Sure add me on steam @ [1stTX.F] 1stSgt Saris

[@afuea-qg5yo]

hehe hi saris

[@thesinofpride9433]

Good overview, but I refuse to believe that Major Generals led both divisions, army corps and armies on the union side. Also, that liutenants led battalions - that must be liutanant colonels :P

[@barrbrown12]

No officer can outrank George Washington. Until George Washington was posthumously promoted, the army didn't like to permanently promote people above MG.

[@robertweber567]

Battalion led by a Lt.?

[@mikeoxsmal8022]

Lt colonel

[@DJSbros]

What mod are you using?

[@SarisTX]

you check the description?

[@DJSbros]

@@SarisTX Oh sorry yes i did but i missed it.