The company was divided into three sergeants'
commands and those into three corporal squads. Each company consisted
of one hundred and thirty-five privates, nine corporals, three
sergeants, one company clerk, one lieutenant and a captain. Four
companies composed a battalion, commanded by a major, and the regiment
by a colonel. There were no lieutenant colonels; the senior major taking
charge of the regiment in case of death or disability of the colonel
until the regiment elected an officer to fill the vacancy. All vacancies
above the rank of colonel were filled by the corps commander, all
vacancies up to and including that of colonel by the votes of the men,
but the colonel had to be chosen from the majors, a major from the
captains of his battalion. The lieutenant succeeded to the captaincy
without a vote-but the lieutenant had to be chosen from the sergeants
and company clerk and the sergeant from the corporals of his command.
The corporals were elected by the privates of the squads, so that any
soldier could rise from the ranks through merit to high command.
The corps commander holds the rank of lieutenant general, the general
of division that of major general, and the commander of a brigade that
of a brigadier general.
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