Company Organization in the  “North Carolina Army”

  May 1861

The company was the basic unit of organization for the North Carolina regiments during the war.  While the company was divided into two platoons, this was not a permanent assignment for the individual soldier, as it is in modern army organization.  In 1861, the soldiers were members of a company and identified themselves as such.

Antebellum United States Army organization served as the basis for the company organization in the “North Carolina Army”, but the state did not copy the US model exactly.   US Army company organization was under review at the war broke out, but the 1861 Regulations called for an infantry company to have 1 Captain, 1 First Lieutenant, 1 Second Lieutenant, 4 Sergeants, 4 Corporals, 2 Musicians and 42 to 74 Privates (3 officers and from 51 to 84 men).

North Carolina infantry and cavalry regiments were composed of ten companies each, while the Artillery regiments had eight companies, three of light artillery and five of heavy artillery.  Note that the cavalry and artillery units were designated “companies”, not “troops” or “batteries”.  As we know, the “present for duty” strength of a company varied greatly from the established strength of the company in the field, but this number of men was the standard that the regiments tried to maintain.  A company of volunteers mustering into state service had to have between 64 to 77 Privates to be accepted for active duty.

Listed below is the basic organization for NC companies in 1861 as shown in Abstracts I-III in North Carolina Convention (1861-1862) State Troops,  North Carolina. Military Board, (Raleigh: Syme & Hall, Printers to the Convention, 1861) pp 34-36.

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