Field ArTillery - US Army Center Of Military History

26 The OrganizaTiOnal hisTOry Of field arTillery
When Congress declared a state
of war between Great Britain and the
United States on 18 June 1812, the
authorized standing Army was, on
paper, respec table. In reality, however,
approximately half the units had
been legislated into being less than
six months before, and none was up
to strength. In July, the entire Army
numbered only 6,744 men, just slightly
more than the authorized strength of the
artillery regiments. 30
During the War of 1812, Congress
reorganized the three artillery regiments.
On 2 January 1814, Secretary
of War John Armstrong, who served
from January 1813 to September 1814,
recommended to both the House and
Senate “that the three Regiments of Artillery
(1st, 2d, and 3d) be consolidated
and formed into Battalions, under the
title Artillery of the United States.” 31
An act approved his recommendation
on 30 March. The law provided that the “first, second and third regiments of artillery
be joined in one corps, and organized into twelve battalions . . . [divided into]
forty-eight companies.” 32 The Corps of Artillery was no more than an appellation
describing the group of battalions, for neither a commander nor a staff was authorized.
The strength of the companies was increased by the addition of thirty-four
enlisted men and two lieutenants, one of whom was to be a “conduc tor of artillery”
responsible for ordnance equip ment and sup plies (Table 3). 33 Major George Peter
Each company in the
corps was to maneuver either four guns of the same caliber and two howitzers or six
guns of not more than two calibers. A company (or division) of artillery comprised
two half divisions, each consisting of two guns of the same caliber and one howitzer
or three guns of the same caliber. One ammunition wagon or caisson was allotted
to each pair of 3-pounders, one to each 6-pounder, and two to each howitzer. Two,
or at most three, were allotted to each gun larger than a 6-pounder. Three wagons
for equipment and stores supported each company and one each half division. A
30 American State Papers, Class 5, Military Affairs, 1:320.
31 Roll 1, Ltr, John Armstrong to [Chairman, Mil Affairs Cmte, Senate], 2 Jan 1814, Microfilm
220, Reports to Congress, 3 Feb 1803–13 Apr 1818, pp. 289–91 (quoted words, p. 289), RG 107,
NARA.
32 Callan, comp., Military Laws, pp. 252–55 (quoted words, p. 252).
33 Ibid.