Both sides used Numbers to identify their regiments and the State from where they originated. Thus their name is referred to by "16th North Carolina Regiment" and "7th Massachusetts Regiment". The Union had some regiments that were regular infantry and had an identity such as "1st United States Infantry".
When the war stared, the Southerners began to join to fight the war and they enlisted in local militia. These were usually organized into companies(~200 men) and were give names that expressed their locality or their willing to fight. Some examples are:
Dixie Heroes
Yazoo Greys
Black Hawk Rifles
Neill's Guards
Buckner Rebels
These small units were grouped together for further training and organization into large forces. That is where the Regiments were formed from 10 to 12 of these companies.
The Regiments were named for their state and numbered. Some regiments, especially in the Union, had a long name that included terms like "State Volunteers" and such but in most documents they were referred to by the Number and State.
This did cause some confusion with similar names. A unit named a Ranger Battalion was confused with one named as a Regiment. This resulted in some duplication. Both Mississippi and Alabama had a pair of cavalry regiments with the same name.
Hope this answers your question.
On paper, an infantry regiment consisted of 10 Companies with 100 men in each for a total of 1000 men. This was a typical size of Union regiments when they were first formed and mustered into service. The Confederate regiments were not quite that size. Many didn't get to be that size as they were rushed into service. After the regiment went off to war, they began to lose men in combat. The regiment was trimmed down even smaller. It was common for a Confederate infantry company to be 40 men. It was common for Confederate regiments to be as small as 250 men during the last 2 years of the war. When the regiment experienced high loss of soldiers and officers, the regiment would be merged or "consolidated" with another regiment. Sometimes it was difficult to know this as they continued to be organized along their old regiment. Thus the 29th Mississippi Regiment and the 30th Mississippi Regiment in General Walthall's Brigade were merged into the 29th/30th Mississippi Regiment soon after the Battle of Missionary Ridge.
Rebels, Johnny, Johnny reb, reb and greyback were some names given the Confederate soldiers by the Union troops.
Rebels, Johnny, Johnny reb, reb and greyback were some names given the Confederate soldiers by the Union troops.
Yes there were. Although the Union outnumbered the Confederate soldiers...
He was a professor at Bowdoin College in Maine, and joined the Union Army as an officer. But what most people know him for is commanding the 20th Maine Regiment at the Battle of Gettysburg. He earned the Medal of Honor there- his regiment was the edge of the Union army, and had to defeat several Confederate assaults. At one point, his troops ran out of ammunition and he had to call for a bayonet charge, which successfully drove back the Confederate troops.If his regiment hadn't held the line there, the Confederates could have broken the Union flank, and if that had happened, the Battle of Gettysburg- and even the whole Civil War- would have ended very differently.
· Zollicoffer, Felix (Confederate General) · Zook, Samuel (Union General) · Zouave regiment
· Zouave· Zollicoffer, Felix (Confederate General)· Zook, Samuel (Union General)· Zouave regiment· Zollicoffer, Felix (Confederate General)· Zook, Samuel (Union General)· Zouave regiment
· Zollicoffer, Felix (Confederate General) · Zook, Samuel (Union General) · Zouave regiment
Zollicoffer, Felix (Confederate General)Zook, Samuel (Union General)Zouave regiment
· Zollicoffer, Felix (Confederate General) · Zook, Samuel (Union General) · Zouave regiment
· Zollicoffer, Felix (Confederate General) · Zook, Samuel (Union General) · Zouave regiment
· Zollicoffer, Felix (Confederate General) · Zook, Samuel (Union General) · Zouave regiment
· Zollicoffer, Felix (Confederate General) · Zook, Samuel (Union General) · Zouave regiment
· Zollicoffer, Felix (Confederate General) · Zook, Samuel (Union General) · Zouave regiment
· Zollicoffer, Felix (Confederate General) · Zook, Samuel (Union General) · Zouave regiment
· Zollicoffer, Felix (Confederate General) · Zook, Samuel (Union General) · Zouave regiment
How about Zouave. Units like Nicholson's Louisiana Tigers adopted the style of French military dress at the outset of the American Civil War.· Zollicoffer, Felix (Confederate General)· Zook, Samuel (Union General)· Zouave regiment· Zollicoffer, Felix (Confederate General)· Zook, Samuel (Union General)· Zouave regiment· Zollicoffer, Felix (Confederate General)· Zook, Samuel (Union General)· Zouave regimentFelix Zollicoffer and Samuel Zook were Generals during the Civil War. Felix Zollicoffer was a Confederate General. Samuel Zook was a Union General.