Who was the highest ranking officer in the Civil War?

Who was the highest ranking officer in the Civil War?

Samuel Cooper (general)

General Samuel Cooper
Service/branch United States Army Confederate States Army
Years of service 1815–1861 (USA) 1861–1865 (CSA)
Rank Colonel (USA) General (CSA)
Commands held Adjutant General and Inspector General

What rank of officer usually commanded a company during the Civil War?

captain
COMPANY. A company was the basic unit in a Civil War army. A company had approximately 100 men and was commanded by a captain.

How were officers chosen in the Civil War?

Within the Confederacy, volunteer companies, following militia tradition, elected their own officers (captain and lieutenant). Within the Union, enlisted men elected many of their officers and governors appointed the rest, similar to the Confederacy, at the start of the war.

How big was a brigade in the Civil War?

Brigade. During the Civil War a brigade was made up of anywhere between two and six regiments, but most commonly contained four. A brigade was commanded by a brigadier general who reported directly to the division commander.

Why they couldn’t hit an elephant at this distance?

What will you do when they open fire along the whole line?” Although ashamed, his men continued to flinch and he said, “Why are you dodging like this? They couldn’t hit an elephant at this distance.” Reports that he never finished the sentence are apocryphal, although the line was among his last words.

Did officers fight in the Civil War?

Civil War staff officers were vital to the operations of Civil War armies. Their efforts ensured that the armies were not only prepared for battle, but also had all necessary supplies to travel and camp throughout the war. Due to scarcity of weapons in the early days of the war, many were commissioned from Europe.