Climbing The Officer's Ladder

[Miss Elizabeth]

Fellow Forum Members,
I know I should know this, but quite frankly, I do not. I am very interested in our era and the war. I must admit to an ignorance of understanding how the ranks work. I of course understand the private to general, but could anyone give me a concise understanding of how the ladder of command works? The classifications of officers is what I am asking about and while on the subject, how do I tell which officers are which by the uniform insignias?
Your Indebted Servant,
Miss Elizabeth

[NoahBriggs]

For this question and many other technical questions regarding the military I suggest you invest in the Columbia Rifles Research Compendium, 2nd Ed. available from the Watchdog for about forty bucks. Inside is an article which explains the different ranks and job positions in the regiment. Not only do you get the different ranks, you get how they interacted, who was subservient to whom and who actually ran the show as opposed to who was technically in charge.

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Below I will provide an example of the "ladder". This is not complete, and leaves alot of more detailed positions out...but it will give you an idea of how things flow.

General
Colonel
Lt. Colonel
Major
Captain
Lieutenant
Sargeant
Corporal
Private

Again, this doesn't take into the varying levels of these positions (1st, 2nd, 3rd...); but should give you an idea of the basic structure. Note in addition to these you also have Brevet ranks (hopefully someone else can provide more info. on these)...

It's also important to remember that for Comissioned roles (Lieutenant and above) sometimes the date of commission may play a role in who has seniority.

Hope this gives you an idea.

Paul

[ScottWashburn]

The rank of Union officers can be told in several ways. The easiest way is to look at the rank shown on their shoulder straps. These are the rectangular objects enclosed by gold braid on each shoulder. If the rectangle is empty it means 2nd Lieutenant. A single gold bar at each end (total of 2) means a 1st lieutenant. Two gold bars at each end (total of 4) means a captain. A gold oak leaf at each end means a major, a silver oak leaf a lieutenant colonel and a silver eagle denotes a full colonel. Generals will have stars inside the rectangle. One star is a brigadier general, two stars is a major general and three stars a lieutenant general. The background color inside the rectangle denote the branch of service: light blue for infantry, yellow for cavalry and red for artillery. Generals do not have a branch and the color will be black. You can sometimes tell the rank of officers by the way the buttons are arranged on their coats. Lieutenants and captains will have a single row of buttons while majors, lt. colonels and colonels will have a double row. Generals have double rows but the buttons are grouped in twos, threes or fours depending on the rank.

Lieutenants are theoretically in command of platoons, but platoons were rarely ever sent off on their own so their authority was limited. Captains would command a company. Colonels commanded a regiment and they were assisted in this by the major and lt colonel, who, theoretically commanded the left and right wings of the regiment. A brigadier general would command a brigade, a major general a division and a lt. general a corps. At least in theory :) Because the US congress was reluctant to create the rank of 4-star general to command armies, the Union army usually had its generals commanding forces one step higher than normal so that colonels often found themselves commanding brigades and brigadier generals commanded divisions, etc.

Confederate rank structure was similar but the rank was denoted by insignia on the collar. I believe that one gold bar was 2nd lieutenant, two gold bars was 1st lieutenant and 3 bars a captain. One gold star was a major, two was a lt. colonel and three a colonel. Generals would have the stars enclosed by a wreath.

I hope that helps.

[tompritchett]

To expound on Paul's chart starting from the bottom

Private - the common soldier

Corporal - the first NCO rank, up to 4 in an infantry company; wears two stripes on his shoulder.

Sergeant - the next highest NCO rank; again, three stripes; 4 to an infantry company

Orderly Sergeant - the highest ranking NCO at company level; only one to a company; three stripes and a diamond

Company officers are 1 Captain and 3 lieutenants; the ranks of the lieutenants can be either a 1rst or 2nd Lieutenant (Confederate insignia's 2 or 1 bars respectively on the collar). First Lieutenants were the more experienced lieutenants. The insignia for Captains were three horizontal bars on the collar for Confederate (in the field all Confederate officer ranks are worn on the collar except for the variations in trim that sometimes was seen on the cuff) and two bars on the shoulder strap for the Union.

At Bn/Regt level you had a new set of NCO's and officers

Quartermaster SGT - three stripes with a bar, Ordnance SGT - three stripes and and a star and the Sergeant Major three stripe curved upwards on top of three stripes pointing down. The first two ranks were typically found only in the state raised regiments are were not in the regulations for the U.S. Army Regular troops. One SGT MAJ was found in all regiments and he was the senior-most NCO in his regiment. Brigades would also have one SGT MAJ who was the senior-most NCO for the Brigade. There was no difference in the insignias between the two levels of SGT Majors.

Each regiment or independent Bn was usually commanded by a single Colonel (three stars for Confederates and a silver eagle for Union) with the next most senior officer being his Lieutenant Colonel (2 stars -Confederate & silver oak leaf for Union). Other staff officers at this level would be a single Major (2 stars - Confederate & gold oak leaf - Union) and one or more Captains and Lieutenants. Usually the LT Col and the Major where assigned the duties of wing commanders each of whom were responsible for overseeing the proper implementation of the Col's orders within their wing (1/2 of the Regiment). If the situation required, the two wings could function semi-independently of each other with the Lt Col taking direct control of his wing while the Col remained with the other.

The next level up was the Brigade, which was composed of multiple regiments. The commander of this unit could have a rank as high as a Brigadier General (Confederate 1 star surrounded a wreath; Union a single star). Above that level was the Division, whose commander could reach the rank of Major General (Confederate - 2 stars in a wreath; Union - 2 stars). Divisions were then organized into Corps commanded by officers whose rank could get up to Lt. General (three stars either surrounded by a wreath (Confederate) or just plain (Union)). In most cases, Armies, which could consist of multiple Corps, were also commanded by Lt. Generals. Because there was no increase in rank with assuming command of an Army, sometimes you had a situation where a Corps commander technically out-ranked his commander based strictly on seniority, as was the case with Burnside when he was a Corps commander under Meade at the Crater.

[6thkentucky]

You might do a Google search on rank. Also seach Google images too. A very interesting thing about Union rank is that it's still used today. The Union shoulder straps are still used on dress uniforms which are blue again. It was neat to see this on the news the other night when that guy got his medal.
Also Tom meant to say 1st Sgt not Orderly Sgt.

[GaWildcat]

Brigadier General (Confederate 1 star surrounded a wreath; Union a single star). Above that level was the Division, whose commander could reach the rank of Major General (Confederate - 2 stars in a wreath; Union - 2 stars). Divisions were then organized into Corps commanded by officers whose rank could get up to Lt. General (three stars either surrounded by a wreath (Confederate) or just plain (Union)). In most cases, Armies, which could consist of multiple Corps, .


Tom,

Confederate Generals were not differentiated by the number of stars within the wreath. The stars were 1-Major, 2- LT Colonel, 3- Colonel For all General Officers, three stars within a wreath. Lee wore three stars, without a wreath, no doubt because of his modesty, and probably because his rank in the old Army was Colonel.

[Major Duane]

"The Union shoulder straps are still used on dress uniforms which are blue again. It was neat to see this on the news the other night when that guy got his medal.
Also Tom meant to say 1st Sgt not Orderly Sgt."

2nd Lt. back then had no bar whatsoever in the shoulder strap...it has a single gold bar today(at each end)...1st Lt. today a single silver bar (at each end).

And I'm pretty certain Tom meant to say Orderly Sgt.

John Adams
Huckelberry Mess.

[flattop32355]

Should we now inform her about Adjutants, Sergeant Majors, Quartermasters, Commissaries, other staff positions, etc?

Then there's the Navy....

[Miss Elizabeth]

Bring it on boys, I am all ears. This is wonderful information, thank you so very much. When you see a lady at a reenactment with a long computer printout checking out your uniforms, you will know its me. LOL
Seriously, I do appreciate all this, it was kind of a *everything you always wanted to know about officers, but were afraid to ask* thing. Now I am going to work on keeping it all in memory. You guys are great!
Oh, never mind the Navy for now, I'm landlocked in Minnestoa. (We do have lots of lakes though.)

[GaWildcat]

The most important thing to remember about officers is,

THe most dangerous thing in the army, is a Lieutenant, with a map and a compass!!!

(sorry officers, couldn't resist a little Enlisted humor!!:-)

[Kevin O'Beirne]

For this question and many other technical questions regarding the military I suggest you invest in the Columbia Rifles Research Compendium, 2nd Ed. available from the Watchdog for about forty bucks. Inside is an article which explains the different ranks and job positions in the regiment. Not only do you get the different ranks, you get how they interacted, who was subservient to whom and who actually ran the show as opposed to who was technically in charge.


An earlier version of that chapter from the CRRC2 was published as "Leadership in Reenacting" (Parts 1 and 2 in "Civil War Historian" magazine), which is posted on the AC Forum in the "Camp of Instructin/Research Articles" subfolder.

For "pictures" of Civil War rank insignia worn by US and CS officers, www.google.com works well.

[Ephraim_Zook]

Tom's use of "Orderly Sergeant" is quite acceptable; Orderly Sgt and First Sgt were (and sometimes still are) used interchangeably. He does mention corporal's stripes "on the shoulder". Officers' straps go on the shoulder. NCO stripes are worn on the sleeve, above the elbow. But in all fairness to Tom, a modern army veteran, modern army insignia such as division "patches" were referred to as "shoulder sleeve insignia". Confusing, huh?

Ordnance Sergeants were a relatively rare breed. They were pretty much specific to the regular army only, and they were assigned to a particular fort or garrison. If the unit stationed at the fort left, the ordnance sergeant stayed behind.

For more info, along with the Columbia Rifles Research Compendium (spend the money -- it's well worth it), look at August V Kautz's Customs of Service for Non-Commissioned Officers and Soldiers. It's available on line, full text, here: http://books.google.com/books?id=jHgDAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=customs+of+service#PPP1,M1. You can buy a reprint, hardbound, from any number of sutlers, also. Every enlisted military reenactor ought to have read it. (For the strap-wearers, there is an Officer's edition also but I haven't found it on line. It too can be purchased in reprint form, hardbound).

[tompritchett]

THe most dangerous thing in the army, is a Lieutenant, with a map and a compass!!!

(sorry officers, couldn't resist a little Enlisted humor!!

That's all right. The President of my unit is an ex-enlisted man who used that joke on me a few times. The only problem is that he is navigationally challenged while I have the ability to absorb the key features of a road map almost at first glance and can usually remember how to get to locations even years later. Needless to say, I have jokely made him eat a little crow for that remark a few times.

[tompritchett]

Also Tom meant to say 1st Sgt not Orderly Sgt.

Orderly SGT was the rank that allowed for the wearing of diamond above the stripes while 1rst SGT was the position in the company that the justified the rank of Orderly SGT. Thus you see the two terms used interchangebly. And let's not even try to confuse her with the term "covering SGT" which could apply to either the 1rst SGT or 2nd SGT depending upon whether the company is marching back the flank normally or inverted.

[tompritchett]

Confederate Generals were not differentiated by the number of stars within the wreath. The stars were 1-Major, 2- LT Colonel, 3- Colonel For all General Officers, three stars within a wreath.

I stand corrected; I was at the office when I replied and was relying strictly on memory as I had to leave shortly for an appointment.

[tompritchett]

He does mention corporal's stripes "on the shoulder". Officers' straps go on the shoulder. NCO stripes are worn on the sleeve, above the elbow. But in all fairness to Tom, a modern army veteran, modern army insignia such as division "patches" were referred to as "shoulder sleeve insignia".

You are so correct. I should have said "mid-upper arm" but the shoulder came out from the background you described.


Ordnance Sergeants were a relatively rare breed. They were pretty much specific to the regular army only, and they were assigned to a particular fort or garrison. If the unit stationed at the fort left, the ordnance sergeant stayed behind.

Unfortunately, they are not that rare of a breed in reenacting. For some reason some reenacting units like giving the 2nd SGT the rank of Ordnance SGT with the idea that it distinquishs him as the Safety NCO of the "Bn". Unfortunately, usually these SGTs then serve in their companies as 2nd SGTs who then, to make things worse, do not fall back as a file closer when their company is an interior company within a Bn battleline. IMHO, this is one of the most farby practices within mainstream reenacting that there is.

[Justin Runyon]

In a perfect world, the manual calls for the use of 8 cpls in a company structure.

[Kevin O'Beirne]

Orderly SGT was the rank that allowed for the wearing of diamond above the stripes while 1rst SGT was the position in the company that the justified the rank of Orderly SGT. Thus you see the two terms used interchangebly. And let's not even try to confuse her with the term "covering SGT" which could apply to either the 1rst SGT or 2nd SGT depending upon whether the company is marching back the flank normally or inverted.

I don't agree with that. One sees the term "Orderly Sergeant" used interchangably in period correspondence and documentation with the term "First Sergeant". I've personally observed, but have not done any statistical study, that "First Sergeant" appears to be somewhat more common later in the war; it was the term used post-war by the Army.

The Orderly Sgt or the person acting as the Orderly Sgt always stood in the same position in a company; First Sgt was not just a "position in the ranks" because the position was intended only for the person doing that job.

[kayjay]

see
http://howardlanham.tripod.com/newindex.html
look in the obvious places for descriptions (US Regs) and some nice drawings and period photos.

[Memphis]

When I saw the title of this thread, I really hoped it would be a detailed discussion about the bawdy houses of occupied Nashville. :oops:

[Joanna]

Ordnance Sergeants were a relatively rare breed. They were pretty much specific to the regular army only, and they were assigned to a particular fort or garrison. If the unit stationed at the fort left, the ordnance sergeant stayed behind.


Miss Elizabeth - we in Minnesota actually owe a big debt of gratitude to Ordinance Sergeant John Jones who was left behind by his regular army unit at Ft. Ridgley (Minn.) when the unit was moved south for the war. During the 1862 Dakotah Indian Conflict, his expertise played a large part in the ability of the (relatively new and inexperienced) 5th Minnesota to defend the fort and save many civilian lives.

Joanna Jones (no relation whatsoever!)

[tompritchett]

In a perfect world, the manual calls for the use of 8 cpls in a company structure.

Depends upon the manual. Both Hardee manuals (Paragraph 8 of Title I, Formation of Regiment and General Instructions in both the 1858 & 1862 Editions) only call for 4 Corporals - one on either side of the two platoons while other manuals call the Corporals on either side of the sections. Most of my study has been of Hardee's.