Civil War: Confederate Field Manuals

Description

Confederate Military Manuals and Regulations of the Civil War

Timeline of Main Events (Based on Publication Dates)

This timeline focuses on the publication dates of the Confederate military manuals, reflecting the evolving needs and organization of the Confederate forces during the Civil War.

• February 9 – September 3, 1861: Laws for the Army and Navy of the Confederate States are enacted and approved by the Provisional Congress. This marks the initial legislative foundation for the Confederate military.
• 1861: A flurry of crucial military manuals are published, indicating the early efforts to standardize training and operations:
• Rifle and Infantry Tactics, Revised and Improved Second Edition Volume 1: Providing fundamental infantry tactics for Confederate soldiers.
• The Hand-book of Artillery: Adapting existing artillery knowledge for the Confederate forces.
• Instruction for Heavy Artillery: Focusing on the operation of larger artillery pieces.
• Laws for the Army and Navy of the Confederate States: Compiling the foundational legal framework for the military.
• The Volunteer’s Hand Book: An abridged version of Hardee’s tactics for volunteer forces.
• Cooper’s Cavalry Tactics, For the Use of Volunteers: To Which is Added, A Manual for Colt’s Revolver: Providing guidance for volunteer cavalry units.
• Regulations for the Medical Department of the Confederate States Army: Establishing rules for the medical services.
• Regulations of the Ordnance Department of the Confederate States, for the Use of Troops in the Field: Standardizing procedures for ordnance.
• Regulations for the Subsistence Department of the Confederate States of America: Organizing the supply of food for the army.
• Abstract of the Virginia Militia Law, Relative to the Assessment and Collection of Fines, Allowance and Payment of Claims, and the Powers, &C. of Battalion and Regimental Courts: Specific regulations for Virginia’s militia.
• Regulations for the Commissary’s Department of the State of Virginia: Regulations for Virginia’s commissary services.
• Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics, For the Exercise and Maneuvers of Troops When Acting As Light Infantry or Riflemen: Another manual focused on infantry tactics.
• Hardee’s Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics: Another edition of the influential infantry tactics manual.
• Skirmish Drill for Mounted Troops: Specific drills for mounted soldiers in skirmish situations.
• Manual of Instruction for the Volunteers and Militia of the State Of Texas: Taken From Gilham’s Manual of Instruction for the Volunteers and Militia of the United States: Texas adapting existing manuals for its forces.
• A Manual of Infantry and Rifle Tactics, With Honors Paid By the Troops, Inspections, Reviews, &C: Covering a broader range of infantry activities.
• 1862: Continued efforts to refine and expand military doctrine and support functions:
• Manual of Instruction for the Volunteers and Militia of the Confederate States: A comprehensive manual for volunteer forces.
• Regulations of the Army of the Confederate States, 1862: The first comprehensive set of army regulations.
• A Manual of Military Surgery: Providing essential medical guidance for surgeons.
• Notes on Artillery: Offering insights and knowledge on artillery.
• Regulations for the Navy of the Confederate States: Establishing rules for the Confederate Navy.
• The School of the Guides, For the Use of the Army of the Confederate States, With Questions. Twenty-Eight Illustrations: Training for guides within the army.
• The Quartermaster’s Guide: Being a Compilation from the Army Regulations and Other Sources: Assisting quartermasters with their duties.
• Cavalry Drill and Sabre Exercise: Focused training for cavalry.
• Summary of the Course of Permanent Fortification and of the Attack and Defence of Permanent Works, for the Use of the Cadets of the U.S. Military Academy: Even drawing on pre-war US military education.
• Volunteers’ Camp and Field Book. Containing Useful and General Information on the Art and Science of War: A practical guide for soldiers in the field.
• The Trooper’s Manual, or, Tactics for Light Dragoons and Mounted Riflemen: Specific tactics for mounted infantry and dragoons.
• Treatise on Field Fortification, Containing Instructions on the Methods of Laying Out, Constructing, Defending, and Attacking Intrenchments: Providing knowledge on field fortifications.
• Instruction for Field Artillery, Extracted from Gilham’s Manual for Volunteers and Militia: Artillery instruction based on Gilham’s manual.
• Infantry Tactics, or, Rules for the Exercise and Manoeuvres of the Confederate States Infantry in the Evolutions of the Line: More specific infantry tactics for line formations.
• The Field Manual for the Use of the Officers on Ordnance Duty: A guide for ordnance officers in the field.
• Manual of Military Reconnaissances, Temporary Fortification and Partisan Warfare, For Officers of Infantry and Cavalry: Covering reconnaissance and unconventional warfare.
• The Officer’s Manual. Napoleon’s Maxims of War: Drawing on historical military wisdom.
• 1863: Continued refinement and adaptation based on wartime experience:
• Regulations for General Hindman’s Division, in Camp: Specific regulations for a particular division, indicating decentralized adaptation.
• Regulations for the Army of the Confederate States: A revised edition of the army regulations.
• Additional Rules For the Laboratories of C. S. Arsenals and Ordnance Depots: Specific rules for ordnance production and storage.
• Special Instructions to Surgeons: Updated medical guidance based on wartime needs.
• A Revised System of Cavalry Tactics, For the Use of the Cavalry and Mounted Infantry, C. S. A.: Updated cavalry tactics.
• Andrews’ Mounted Artillery Drill: Specific drills for mounted artillery units.
• 1864: Manuals addressing later-war realities and administrative needs:
• The Duties of a Judge Advocate, in a Trial Before a General Court-martial: Guidance on military law and court-martials.
• Guide for Claimants of Deceased Soldiers: Addressing the administrative burden of dealing with casualties.
• Regulations for the Army of the Confederate States, 1864: The final major revision of army regulations, indicating lessons learned throughout the war.
• A Manual of Military Surgery (Third Edition): An updated and expanded medical manual.
• A Digest of the Military and Naval Laws of the Confederate States: A compilation of military and naval laws.
• Instructions for Field Artillery; Compiled From Standard Military Authority; Embracing Schools of the Piece, Battery, And Battalion or Evolutions of Batteries; With An Instructive Appendix: A comprehensive manual for field artillery.
• A Digest of the Military And Naval Laws of the Confederate States, from the Commencement of the Provisional Congress to the end of the First Congress Under the Permanent Constitution: Another compilation of military and naval laws.
• Regulations for the Army of the Confederate States: with a full index: A user-friendly version of the army regulations.
• The Spirit of Military Institutions: A more theoretical work on military organization and principles.

Cast of Characters and Brief Bios:

• W.J. Hardee: Colonel in the Confederate States Army and author of “Rifle and Infantry Tactics, Revised and Improved.” His tactical manual was widely used by both sides in the Civil War, highlighting his pre-war influence on American military doctrine.
• Lieut. Col. Burns: Author of “Questions and Answers on Artillery,” a British work that served as a basis for “The Hand-book of Artillery” adapted for Confederate use.
• William Gilham: Colonel of Volunteers, Instructor of Tactics, and Commandant of Cadets at the Virginia Military Institute. Author of “Manual of Instruction for the Volunteers and Militia of the Confederate States.” His manual was also influential in training volunteer forces.
• Gen. P.O. Herbert: Likely a high-ranking Confederate general under whose authority “Regulations of the Army of the Confederate States, 1862” was published.
• Major W.T. Mechling: Compiler of “Regulations of the Army of the Confederate States, 1862.”
• Captain R. C. Gilchrist: Acting Judge Advocate General, Department South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Compiler of “The Duties of a Judge Advocate, in a Trial Before a General Court-martial.”
• James Seddon: Secretary of War for the Confederate States. His directive is mentioned in the introduction to “Regulations for the Army of the Confederate States, 1864,” indicating his role in overseeing military publications.
• Major-General Thomas Carmichael Hindman: A Confederate general for whose division specific camp regulations were issued (“Regulations for General Hindman’s Division, in Camp”).
• J.P. Wilson: Assistant Adjutant General (A.A. General) serving under Major-General Hindman, responsible for publishing the division’s orders.
• Oliver Cromwell: Lord Protector of England during the mid-17th century. “The Soldiers’ Pocket Bible” associated with his army was reprinted in 1860, perhaps for symbolic or inspirational reasons during the lead-up to the Civil War.
• Napoleon Bonaparte: Famous French Emperor and military leader whose “Maxims of War” were compiled into “The Officer’s Manual,” reflecting the continued study of his military strategies.

Civil War:  Confederate Field Manuals

12,553 pages of field manuals printed in the Confederate States and used during the Civil War by Confederate forces.

70 volumes of text covering military tactics, logistics, regulations, ordinance, medicine, adjudication, and other topics related to raising and maintaining a fighting force.

These volumes were printed in the South during the Civil War.

The volumes include:

Rifle and Infantry Tactics, Revised and Improved Second Edition Volume 1 (1861)

Volume 1 – Schools of the Soldier and Company Instruction for Skirmishers, by Col. W,J. Hardee Confederate States Army.

The Hand-book of Artillery (1861)

From the Preface: “The following compilation originated in an attempt to adapt Lieut. Col. Burns’ ‘Questions and Answers on Artillery’ to the United States service. The British Artillery being very different from ours, it was found necessary to omit many of Burns’ questions, and to introduce others.”

Manual of Instruction for the Volunteers and Militia of the Confederate States (1862)

Manual of Instruction for the Volunteers and Militia of the Confederate States by William Gilham, Colonel of Volunteers, Instructor of Tactics and Commandant of Cadets, Virginia Military Institute.

Regulations of the Army of the Confederate States

Full title: Regulations of the Army of the Confederate States, 1862, Containing a Complete Set of Forms for Quartermaster’s, Subsistence, Ordinance, and Medical Departments of The Army; Articles of War; Forms Also For General, Regimental and Garrison Courts Martial. Published By Authority Of Gen. P.O. Herbert… By Major W.T. Mechling.. (1862)

The Duties of a Judge Advocate, in a Trial Before a General Court-martial, Comp from Various Works on Military Law (1864)

Compiled by Captain R. C. Gilchrist, acting Judge Advocate General, Department South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.

A Manual of Military Surgery (1862)

A Manual of Military Surgery, for the Use of Surgeons in the Confederate States Army; With an Appendix of the Rules and Regulations of the Medical Department of the Confederate States Army (1862)

Instruction for Heavy Artillery (1861)

Instruction Heavy Artillery; Prepared By a Board of Officers, For the Use of the Army of the United States

Guide for Claimants of Deceased Soldiers (1864)

Full title: Guide For Claimants of Deceased Soldiers; Being Instructions to Army Officers and to Claimants, With a Collation of the Laws of Congress and the Orders from the War Department, and the Rules of Practice in the Offices of the Second Auditor and Comptroller of the Treasury Concerning the Settlement of the Claims of Deceased Officers and Soldiers (1864)

Laws for the Army and Navy of the Confederate States (1861)

Laws Enacted by the Provisional Congress and Approved from Feb. 9 to Sept. 3, 1861

Regulations for the Army of the Confederate States, 1864 (1864)

Full title: Regulation For The Army Of The Confederate States, 1864.
Revised And Enlarged With A New And Copious Index. Third And Only Reliable Edition, In Which Are Corrected Over 3,000 Important Errors Contained In The Editions Published By West & Johnston.

From the introduction: The following Regulations for the Army of the Confederate States are published by direction of the President, for the government of all concerned. They will accordingly be strictly obeyed, and nothing contrary to them will be enjoined or permitted in any portion of the forces of the Confederate States by the officers thereof. James Seddon, Secretary of War.

A Manual of Military Surgery (Third Edition)

Full Title: A Manual of Military Surgery, For the Use of Surgeons in the Confederate States Army; With Explanatory Plates of All Useful Operations (1864)

Published in 1864 in Columbia, South Carolina

The Volunteer’s Hand Book

Full title: The Volunteer’s Hand Book: Containing an Abridgement of Hardee’s Infantry Tactics, Adapted to the Use of the Percussion Musket in Squad and Company Exercises, Manual of Arms for Riflemen. And United States Army Regulations as to Parades, Reviews, Inspections, Guardmounting, &c (1861)

Notes on Artillery: from Robins, Hutton, Chesney, Mordecai, Dahlgreen, Jacob, Greener, Gibbon, and Benton (1862)

From the preface: The writer, having had access to several interesting works on the subject of artillery that are now very difficult to obtain, has concluded to publish these “Notes,” hurriedly written, as they have been, in a few spare days. He does so with the hope that they may interest and instruct his fellow-comrades in arms, especially those who have lately entered this arm of the service, and may in some remote degree aid the great cause so dear to his heart.

A Digest of the Military and Naval Laws of the Confederate States (1864)

A digest of the military and naval laws of the Confederate States, from the commencement of the Provisional Congress to the end of the First Congress under the permanent Constitution (1864)

Regulations for General Hindman’s Division, in Camp (1863)

Headquarters Hindman’s Division, McFarland’s Spring, Sept. 4, 1863. General Orders, No. 8. By command of Major-General Thomas Carmichael Hindman, with J.P. Wilson, A.A. General. Published by Parrish & Willingham.

Some of the other titles include:

Cooper’s Cavalry Tactics, For the Use of Volunteers: To Which is Added, A Manual for Colt’s Revolver (1861)

Regulations for the Army of the Confederate States (1863)

Regulations for the Navy of the Confederate States (1862)

Regulations for the Medical Department of the Confederate States Army (1861)

Regulations of the Ordnance Department of the Confederate States, for the Use of Troops in the Field (1861)

Regulations for the Subsistence Department of the Confederate States of America (1861)

Additional Rules For the Laboratories of C. S. Arsenals and Ordnance Depots (1863)

The School of the Guides, For the Use of the Army of the Confederate States, With Questions. Twenty-Eight Illustrations (1862)

Abstract of the Virginia Militia Law, Relative to the Assessment and Collection of Fines, Allowance and Payment of Claims, and the Powers, &C. of Battalion and Regimental Courts (1861)

Regulations for the Commissary’s Department of the State of Virginia (1861)

The Confederate soldiers’ Pocket Manual of Devotions

Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics, For the Exercise and Maneuvers of Troops When Acting As Light Infantry or Riflemen; (1861)

The Quartermaster’s Guide: Being a Compilation from the Army Regulations and Other Sources (1862)

Special Instructions to Surgeons (1863)

The Ordnance Manual for the Use of officers of the United States Army Second Edition (1861)

Cavalry Drill and Sabre Exercise (1862)

Instructions for Field Artillery; Compiled From Standard Military Authority; Embracing Schools of the Piece, Battery, And Battalion or Evolutions of Batteries; With An Instructive Appendix (1864)

Summary of the Course of Permanent Fortification and of the Attack and Defence of Permanent Works, for the Use of the Cadets of the U.S. Military Academy (1862)

Skirmish Drill for Mounted Troops (1861)

Volunteers’ Camp and Field Book. Containing Useful and General Information on the Art and Science of War (1862)

The Trooper’s Manual, or, Tactics for Light Dragoons and Mounted Riflemen (1862)

Manual of Instruction for the Volunteers and Militia of the State Of Texas: Taken From Gilham’s Manual of Instruction for the Volunteers and Militia of the United States (1861)

Treatise on Field Fortification, Containing Instructions on the Methods of Laying Out, Constructing, Defending, and Attacking Intrenchments; With The General Outlines Also Of The Arrangement, The Attack And Defence Of Permanent Fortifications (1862)

A Manual of Infantry and Rifle Tactics, With Honors Paid By the Troops, Inspections, Reviews, &C (1861)

Instruction for Field Artillery, Extracted from Gilham’s Manual for Volunteers and Militia (1862)

A Revised System of Cavalry Tactics, For the Use of the Cavalry and Mounted Infantry, C. S. A. (1863)

Infantry Tactics, or, Rules for the Exercise and Manoeuvres of the Confederate States Infantry in the Evolutions of the Line (1862)

A Digest of the Military And Naval Laws of the Confederate States, from the Commencement of the Provisional Congress to the end of the First Congress Under the Permanent Constitution (1864)

Hardee’s Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics (1861)

The Field Manual for the Use of the Officers on Ordnance Duty (1862)

The Soldiers’ Pocket Bible. Issued For the use of the Army of Oliver Cromwell, A. D. 1643 (1860)

Regulations for the Army of the Confederate States: with a full index (1864)

Manual of Military Reconnaissances, Temporary Fortification and Partisan Warfare, For Officers of Infantry and Cavalry(1862)

General LeLouterel’s Work, (4th edition, Paris, 1850), of which this is, in the main, a translation.

The Spirit of Military Institutions (1864)

The Officer’s Manual. Napoleon’s Maxims of War (1862)

A Manual of Military Surgery, Or, Hints on the Emergencies of Field, Camp And Hospital Practice

The Army and Navy Prayer

Andrews’ Mounted Artillery Drill (1863)