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Composition of the Spanish Continental Army, 1898

(Spanish Army in Europe)


Contributed by Francisco Jose Diaz Diaz

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General:

Below is information on the composition of the Army of Spain in Europe. This does not include troops in other areas of the Spanish Empire.

The Information:

Spanish Army in Europe was constituted by 10 Military Districts and 2 Military Command (Ceuta and Melilla, in Africa).

The Garrison in each Military District was a Army Corp with two or three divisions.

Composition of Divisions:

Headquarter,
Divisionary Troops (one Cavalry Regiment and one Artillery regiment, Medical and transport  Corps)
two or more brigades
Brigades:
Line Infantry: two regiments
Light Infantry: four battalions
Cavalry: two regiments
Regiments:
Line Infantry:  Staff of Regiment and two Battalions
Light Infantry was not organized in Regiments but in Battalions
Cavalry: Staff of Regiment and four squadrons
Engineers: staff of regiment and two battalions
Artillery: Staff regiment, four batteries and one ammunition column
Battalions:
Line Infantry:
Muster-out: 20 officers and 326 infantrymen
Muster-in: 18 officers and 2001 infantrymen
Light Infantry:
Muster-out: 23 officers and 477 or 716 infantrymen
Muster-in: 23 officers and 1001 infantrymen
Cavalry Squadon (similar to battalion)
25 officers and 152 soldiers.
Spanish army in Europe was organized as follows:
Royal Guard (One Squadron for Royal Escort and two Companies or Royal Halberdiers)
62 line infantry regiments
23 light infantry battalions
28 cavalry regiments.
16 Light artillery regiments
10 Heavy artillery regiments
5 Engineer regiments
1 telegraph battalion
1 railway battalion
2 medical brigades
1 military administration brigade
 Number of Spanish officers in the Continental Army as of December 1897:
 
Capitanes Generales (Captain General) 6
Tenientes generales (Lieutenant General) 39
Generales de División (major general) 60
General de Brigada (Brigadier General) 160
Colonel 523
Lieutenant Colonel  997
Major  2,146
Captain 4,493
 1st Lieutenant 3,106
2nd Lieutenant 1,029
Total officers  12,559

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