"The combat arms of an army were classified as infantry, cavalry and artillery. Infantry moved by marching, and its weapon was the individual firearm--musket or rifle, replacing the lance of the medieval army. Cavalry moved by riding, and its weapon was the sabre, later a carbine. Firing a muzzle-loading weapon while mounted was very unsatisfactory. Artillery moved by horse-drawn transport, and its weapon was the smoothbore cannon, howitzer or mortar. There were many variations within each category. Mounted infantry moved by riding, but dismounted to fight as infantry on the ground, and was armed with muskets. Dragoons were cavalry armed with carbines (originally short muskets called "dragons," hence the name) rather than sabers or lances, but U.S. dragoons originally had a saber and two pistols. Dragoons were intended as mounted infantry, at least at first. Grenadiers were infantry who threw hand bombs. Sometimes the name was simply used for units of hardened veteran soldiers. Light infantry and cavalry were units with light arms and limited supplies so they could maneuver rapidly and move quickly. For longer engagements, they required support. Units called "heavy" could operate more independently, but had cumbersome supply trains.
In addition to the combat arms, there were other necessary branches. The quartermaster corps and commissary were responsible for transport and supply, and the pioneers or engineers for stream crossings and the building and assault of fortifications. Sappers and miners were engineers who burrowed under enemy fortifications to collapse them or to blow them up by explosives. The ordnance corps dealt with firearms, artillery pieces, and ammunition. By the mid-19th century, a signal corps was appearing to handle flag signalling, telegraphs, messenger services, codes and ciphers, and other communications tasks. The sanitary corps provided hospitals and medical services, not latrines (toilets). Marines were soldiers carried aboard ships for naval combats, which originally were carried out by boarding and fighting on the decks. After the practice of fighting at sea with cannon became standard, marines became a kind of sea-mobile army, fighting mainly on land.
The basic unit of an army for recruitment, training and administration was the company, commanded by a Captain. These were often enlisted and trained by their Captain in a restricted locality. The Captain was assisted by his Lieutenants, usually two or three, and the First Sergeant. A company could be divided into platoons commanded by Lieutenants. A platoon could be further divided into squads. In the cavalry, companies were called troops instead. In the artillery, they were called batteries, and their subdivisions sections. Companies, troops or batteries were given letter designations in the US Army, such as A Company, H Troop, B Battery. Lieutenants and Captains are company-grade officers. The rank of Ensign became Second Lieutenant, and Lieutenant became First Lieutenant. Lieutenants are sometimes called subalterns…."
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