Brigade (United States Army)

A brigade is a military formation utilized by the United States Army since its creation as the Continental Army. The brigade traces its origins to the British Army of the 15th century as a temporary formation to control multiple regiments when necessary. The US Army also maintained this status until the middle of the 20th century, when the first permanent brigades were formed.[1] Traditionally brigades were composed of all one combat arm (infantry, cavalry, etc.) but with their permanent creation they evolved into combined arms formations.[2] A brigade was historically commanded by a brigadier general and composed of several regiments, but is currently commanded by a colonel and composed of several battalions. In the US Army, maneuver brigades are composed of combat arms units which directly engage the enemy, while support brigades provide administrative and logistical support. Between three and six brigades in total form a division.[3]

History

American Civil War

Brigades achieved prominence during the Civil War as over 200 were established by the Union Army to fight the Confederate States Army. After early experiments at combined arms, all Union brigades consisted of just one combat arm.[4] Infantry brigades could have as few as two or as many as twelve regiments, while cavalry brigades could range from two to eight regiments, though on average both consisted of four regiments.[5] Nominally, brigades were commanded by brigadier generals, but due to gaps in the Union command hierarchy many brigades were instead commanded by the most senior regimental colonel, though many were breveted to the rank of brigadier general.[4]

At minimum Union commanders sought to keep infantry brigades to a strength of at least 2,000 soldiers, which due to an inadequate replacement system often meant adding additional regiments to a brigade. By the Battle of Chancellorsville in 1863, a 2,000-strong brigade averaged 4.7 regiments, but a year later at the Battle of Cold Harbor such a unit averaged 5.5 regiments.[4] In July 1862, after having previously been attached to infantry units, cavalry in the Army of the Potomac were organized into separate brigades under army control, until February 1863 when they were formed into a separate Cavalry Corps with brigades forming dedicated cavalry divisions.[6] Likewise, field artillery was eventually consolidated into brigade formations, with each army corps assigned one brigade and the remaining forces consolidated under army control. Unlike with other brigades though, an artillery brigade consisted of between four and six batteries under the command of the senior most artillery officer.[4]

Brigades were numbered based on their position within their parent division, but could also acquire nicknames even when this designation changed. Famous examples included the Iron Brigade and the Irish Brigade. Brigades also used distinctive identifying flags for the first time during the Civil War. An initial generic design was eventually replaced with a triangular flag which would have the symbol of their parent corps and be color-coded to designate brigade and division numbering within the corps.[4]

Staff officers authorized to a brigade included an Assistant Adjutant General, an Assistant Quartermaster/Ordnance Officer, an Assistant Commissary of Subsistence (all with the rank of Captain) and a Surgeon.[7]

See Also

References
  1. McGrath, John J. The Brigade: A History, Its Organization and Employment in the US Army. (2004). Fort Leavenworth, KS : Combat Studies Institute, US Army Command and General Staff College. p. 1
  2. Wilson, J. B. (1998). Maneuver and Firepower: The Evolution of Divisions and Separate Brigades. United States: Center of Military History, U.S. Army. Pg. viii
  3. International Encyclopedia of Military History. (2004). United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis. p. 207
  4. McGrath, p. 17-19
  5. Eicher, J., Eicher, D. (2002). Civil War High Commands. United States: Stanford University Press. p. 65-66
  6. Wilson (1998), p. 13
  7. Shrader, C. R., Newell, C. R. (2011). Of Duty Well and Faithfully Done: A History of the Regular Army in the Civil War. United States: Nebraska. p. 70-71
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