Size of a Company

[bAcK88]

All,

I have searched online (including this forum under various key words), through my manuals, and my secondary resources but I still can not find any answer, thus I post to the forum members.

How many yards would the front of 1, 100 man company take up while in line of battle?

Thanks!

[john duffer]

Re: Size of a Company

For practical purposes 100 feet. Figure 2 foot per man so in two ranks it's 2 x 50 or 100 feet. Present day folks may be a bit wider than the original gentlemen, and different manuals/references vary slightly but that's a pretty reliable rule of thumb.

[KeithRK]

Re: Size of a Company

According to Colonel H. L. Scott's Military Dictionary of 1861, under the definition of a File on page 299, it says "each man in line occupies about 21 inches".

So, for a full strength company of 100 (4 officers, 4 sergeants, 8 corporals, and 84 privates) in 47 files would have about a 27.4 yard frontage. I included the Captain and First Sergeant in the line with rest of the officers and sergeants as file closers.

[john duffer]

Re: Size of a Company

Mr. Kosek is of course correct about the detailed analysis of the company numbers (except it's five sergeants and the eight corporals seem to be gone by 1855 HARDEES - that's more of a three rank thing), I was giving a more quick general rule of thumb - 1,000 men is 1,000 feet, etc. SCOTT'S MILITARY DICTIONARY does give 21" but I've also seen 20", 24" & 28". 24" seems like a good average and is easier to do the math for in your head. MacDougal gives it as a "rule of thumb".

[Silas]

Re: Size of a Company

For what's its worth, I've used the same rule of thumb as Duffer. Simple math is much easier for my old brain.