2nd Empire Army - Corps
The French had in time of peace no permanent large division of the army. Still, even then they had a number of Army Corps, which were formed, some for two years, others only for a few months, for exercising purposes, and there existed tolerably wellestablished data for their formation. The Army Corps or divisions which were formed were the Guard Corps, the armies of Lyons and of Paris, the Corps in the camps of Chalons and of Lannemezan, and the Cavalry Division of Luneville.
The rule for the formation of an Army Corps was: Three divisions of infantry (only exceptionally two or four); one division of cavalry ; and a reserve of artillery. A division of infantry had 13 battalions- namely, 1 battalion of Rifles, and 4 infantry regiments of 3 battalions each; these were divided into two brigades of 6 or 7 battalions. According to the ideas which prevailed in the year 1869, and which had been already partly accepted in 1868, a regiment of cavalry was attached to each division of infantry as divisional cavalry.
The arrangement was actually carried out in the first series of maneuvers in the camp of Chalons in 1869. Finally, the division of infantry was to receive 3 batteries of 6 guns each-namely, 24- pounder batteries and 1 mitrailleuse battery. A division of cavalry had, as a rule, 4 regiments in 2 brigades, and 1 battery of horse-artillery, if it was not destined to operate independently. When this was the case, 2 batteries were assigned to it. The Artillery Reserve of the Corps consisted, until 1869, of only 2 batteries of rifled 12-pounders. By the latest regulations it received 1 horse, 2 4-pounder, and 2 12-pounder batteries-that is, a total of 5. To each division of infantry a company of sappers was to be attached; while to the Corps Reserve were added, according to its destination, companies of sappers, of miners, and of pontoniers with bridge-trains.
A complete Army Corps consisted, therefore, commonly of 39 battalions of infantry, 7 regiments of cavalry, and 15 batteries-that is, of about 26,000 infantry, 3500 cavalry, or a total of nearly 30,000 men, infantry and cavalry, with 90 guns. If 9 Army Corps were established, and if to each one 7 regiments of cavalry were given, the total of 63 cavalry regiments would be thus distributed, and none would remain of which to form an Army Reserve, or large detachments for special enterprises. It follows, therefore, that some of the Army Corps, at least, could only have about 4 regiments of cavalry.
An army was composed of a greater or less number of Army Corps, and to it was then added a main cavalry and a main artillery reserve.
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