Ten companies make up a regiment, and can consist of anywhere from 1-100 soldiers.  Many of the companies by late 1864, especially on the Confederate side, consisted of less than a dozen soldiers.  In addition, they can often be detached for service elsewhere, which is why many of the Union regiments are not at full ten company strength.  The “company” icon is also used here to depict an informal group of soldiers grouped together for an impromptu mission.

The regiment was the basic maneuver element of both armies during the Civil War.  At Allatoona Pass some Confederate regiments numbered fewer than 100 soldiers, less than regulation company strength.  The Union regiments on the map are shown by company since there were numerous detachments made during the battle, and we have a fairly accurate knowledge of where each company was.  Confederate regiments are shown as whole units.  In both armies, two or more regiments were grouped together into a brigade.  Two or more brigades were formed into divisions.

Artillery was a major component of both Civil War armies.  With one exception, the Union artillery stayed within the two redoubts during the battle, and the Confederate artillery was more than a thousand yards away providing long range support.

Fieldworks consisted of a wall of logs that had a ditch dug on the inner side.  The soldiers then piled the dirt from this ditch on the outside of the works, the side facing the enemy.  Another thick log was propped up on top.  The soldier could then fire through the gap between the top of the wall and this headlog.  This provided a great measure of protection from enemy small arms fire, and artillery fire if thick enough and deep enough.

A rifle pit is what we would call a foxhole today.  It was a simple 1-3 man hole, made much the same way as fieldworks with a smaller wall and piling the dirt from the hole on the outside.  Many even had headlogs.  The icon shown can depict one or more rifle pits grouped together.

Forts, or redoubts, were well-designed structures made to provide permanent protection for important terrain such as town, supply depots, or strategic terrain features.  They were also used in elaborate defensive lines as anchors and artillery locations at important tactical points.  They had thick earth walls several feet high, with embrasures for artillery pieces to fire through.  They were also surrounded by deep ditches, making them almost impossible to climb into without scaling ladders.

A footbridge was constructed over the railroad cut to help movement and communication between the two forts.  It was made from two pine tree trunks lain across the cut, with boards nailed down as flooring and handrails added.  A supply of artillery ammunition was located near the western end on the shelf.

Railroad Tracks