Hello Alice: > The Confederates named their armies > for the location where an army was raised, while > Union/Federals named their > armies for rivers; Did you see my response to Edward? I was on the right track about the Confederates naming patterns - wasn't I? Yes, the South didn't dare name the battle for the Mississippi River, now could they - grin. Too hospitable... Now, does it mean anything if I say "the South" or "Confederates" when talking to someone from the Southern States? Or from the Northern States? Now here in California we, of course, never hear of the "Western States" or "Eastern States" but we hear the "Mainland". And it's often heard when someone from the Islands is speaking of the USA (the Mainland) and these are people born before the 1970s. Now I am glad there are two [CIVIL-WAR] female listers I have met - GRIN. --Manaia ++++ --- Alice Gayley <agayley@verizon.net> wrote: > To build on Edward's fine examples of the > differences between the > Confederate and Union naming conventions for > battles, the same was true for > the most part in naming their armies. The > Confederates named their armies > for the location where an army was raised, while > Union/Federals named their > armies for rivers; hence the Union army was made > up of the Army of the > Potomac, the Army of the Tennessee, etc. > > Alice Gayley

Manaia, > > Now, does it mean anything if I say "the South" or > "Confederates" when talking to someone from the > Southern States? Or from the Northern States? When you are talking about the Civil War/War of the Rebellion, most people (both NOrth and South") understand that "the South" means the Confederates or the Rebels and "the North" means the Union, the Federals, or the Yankees. The Union equivalent of "Butternut" was the "Blue." > > Now here in California we, of course, never hear of > the "Western States" or "Eastern States" but we hear > the "Mainland". And it's often heard when someone from > the Islands is speaking of the USA (the Mainland) and > these are people born before the 1970s. The Western Theater of operations and the Eastern Theater of operations was equivalent to those terms used in World War II. General Eisenhower's command was the European Theater of Operations (ETO); General McArthur was in command on the Pacific Theater of Operations, etc. As Mike explained, the Confederates and the Federals military were also organized by Departments. For the Federals, the Department of the Cumberland, the Department of the Ohio, etc. The heads of these departments were in charged of all military operations within their area. Similarly today's military operations in the U. S. is organized by Districts; for example, the Military District of Washington, etc. If anyone has anything to add to the above (or correct me where I am wrong), please do so. Alice Gayley