During the Mexican American war and the American Civil war the two Armies were drawn down to a smaller peace time military force requiring the use of often untrained and undisciplined volunteers. The Officers were graduates of the Military Academy the NCO's where elected by their peers and learned tactics and developed doctrine that would be used during the American Civil war. Unfortunately the technology of the day surpassed the tactics causing an increase in causalities and destruction of property. Enlistments during the Mexican American war were 3 to 12 months this posed a problem, when enlistments were up citizen soldiers went back to their farms. During the Civil war enlistment increased to the duration of the war, a culture of patriotism kept most soldiers from leaving the army.

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