When the number of troops are placed on a war footing, each corps d’armee ordinarily contains from twenty to thirty thousand men.

The command of these several corps d’armee, divisions, and brigades, is taken by the officers of the corresponding grades according to seniority of rank, and without reference to arms, unless otherwise directed by the generalissimo, who should always have the power to designate officers for special commands.

The chief of staff of an army is usually selected from the grade next below that of the general commanding, and receives the title, for the time being, which is used to designate this special rank.  In some European armies, and formerly in our own service, this officer was called major-general.  In France, if the generalissimo commands in person, a marshal is made chief of staff with the temporary title of major-general; but if a marshal commands the army, a lieutenant -general or marechal-de-camp becomes chief of staff with the title of aide-major-general.  The chiefs of staff of corps d’armee and of divisions, are selected in precisely the same way.

The position assigned by the commanding general for the residence of his staff, is denominated the General Head-Quarter of the army; that of a corps d’armee staff, the Head-Quarters of [1st or 2d, &c.] corps d’armee; that of a division, the Head-Quarters of [1st or 2d, &c.] division, [1st or 2d, &c.] corps d’armee.

The petty staffs of regiments, squadrons, &c., consisting of an adjutant, sergeant-major, &c., are especially organized by the commandants of the regiments, &c., and have no connection whatever with the general staff of an army.  Of course, then, they are not embraced in the present discussion.

The subordinate officers of the staff of an army, in time of war, are charged with important and responsible duties connected with the execution of the orders of their respective chiefs.  But in time of peace, they are too apt to degenerate into fourth-rate clerks of the Adjutant-general’s department, and mere military dandies, employing their time in discussing the most unimportant and really contemptible points of military etiquette, or criticising the letters and dispatches of superior officers, to see whether the wording of the report or the folding of the letter exactly corresponds to the particular regulation applicable to the case.  Such was the character given to the first staff of Wellington, and a similar class of men composed the staff of the army of Italy when it was abolished by Napoleon and a new one formed in its place.  There are also some officers of this stamp in our own service, but they are regarded by the army with universal contempt.  The staff of our army requires a new and different organization, and should be considerably enlarged.

The following is the composition of a regularly organized general staff in the French service, for an army of forty or fifty thousand men divided into two corps d’armee and a reserve.