Term: Company (Civil War)
Definition: a military unit that had a minimum of 83 men and a maximum of 101 men. A “war strength” company had 100 men. Generally, every company had the same number of officers. In order of rank, they were:
1 Captain
1 First Lieutenant
1 Second Lieutenant
1 First Sergeant
4 Sergeants
8 Corporals
Each company also had 2 musicians and 1 wagoner. Number of privates in a company ranged from 64 to 82 men. All companies were commanded by a captain. A lieutenant commanded half of a company, called a platoon.
[Source: Estabrook, Charles. Records and Sketches of Military Organizations (Madison, 1914)
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