| Most of an army is made up not of fighters, but of | | | | sick to the rear for treatment and (the all too rare) |
| units whose job is to support the fighters. Modern | | | | recovery.Orders for the movement of armies and |
| armies and Civil War armies are a part of modern | | | | combat information were passed through the signal |
| warfare, consume enormous amounts of everything. | | | | troops, who maintained the critical lines of |
| Whether in camp or in the field, armies consume tons | | | | communication for the army. In the Civil War these |
| of food and water every day; not just people do all | | | | troops used signal flags, mirrors, torches, balloons, |
| this consuming, either. The tens of thousands of | | | | couriers and the telegraph to pass orders and |
| animals that provided mobility for the cavalry and | | | | instructions. Throughout the war, both sides |
| artillery needed to be fed as well. Anyone who has | | | | established a highly organized system of |
| ever had to feed even one horse or cow knows | | | | communication that went from the national leaders to |
| how much forage it takes every day to keep them | | | | the armies in the field and down to the company |
| happy. In battle, an army consumes ammunition at | | | | level - and back up again. For the first time in the |
| incredible rates; consequently, men are killed or | | | | history of warfare, the telegraph became an |
| wounded at very high rates.In the general mess that | | | | indispensable means of almost instantaneous |
| is war, someone has to haul every bite of food and | | | | communication. It allowed Presidents Davis and Lincoln |
| every bullet and cannon ball fired. Someone has to | | | | an unprecedented opportunity to maintain contact |
| provide clothes, shoes (for horses and men), | | | | with generals in the field. The telegraph also allowed |
| equipment and repair or replace whatever is broken. | | | | them at times to meddle in their generals' affairs. The |
| Someone has to make sure supply stocks are | | | | armchair strategists in Richmond and Washington also |
| maintained, so that no shortages occur. Someone has | | | | enjoyed using the telegraph to provide field generals |
| to deal with the sick, dead and wounded. Someone | | | | with commentary and criticism. Civil War leaders were |
| has to house the troops when they go into camp. | | | | the first to discover what people today know all too |
| Someone has to build the bridges and rail lines to | | | | well: Communications technology can be both a |
| supply the army. You get the idea.The quartermaster | | | | blessing and a curse.Engineers planned and built |
| (called a logistician today) had the unromantic but | | | | fortifications both temporary and permanent, built |
| all-important job of providing everything an army | | | | roads and bridges (both temporary and permanent) |
| needs to fight. The quartermaster supervised the | | | | and made terrain maps (probably temporary and |
| supply trains (the long train of wagons) that followed | | | | permanent, too). As the war went on, the skills of |
| the army on the march. In the Union army, the | | | | engineers became of increasing importance when |
| standard was 25 wagons for every thousand men. | | | | both armies began to use entrenchments and |
| The medical corps treated casualties (the sick, dead | | | | breastworks, using sandbags and logs covered with |
| and wounded), taking them from the battlefield, | | | | earth to protect their forces while having a clear shot |
| burying the dead and evacuating the wounded or | | | | at the attacking enemy. |