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Authorized number
Each regiment was supposed to have 37 commissioned officers, 133 non-commissioned officers, and 640 to 820 privates.
Although the President had the authority to consolidate companies when they had fewer than half the authorized number, he rarely if ever used it.
Instead, the number of officers was severely limited.
Actual number
As with other regiments, illnesses, injuries, and other duties quickly reduced the number of men available for combat in the 91st below the theoretical numbers.
For example, on 7 February 1863 (the date of the first extant compiled morning report), the regiment had only 357 total present, and 581 present or absent.
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An unusually bad day
On 17 May 1863, the regiment had only 75 total present for duty, including 14 commissioned officers, 28 noncommissioned officers, 11 musicians, 1 pioneer, and 12 privates.
This was partly due to the aftermath of the Battle of Chancellorsville, and partly due to many of the remaining men's having been detailed for duty elsewhere.
Details
Many men had special duties away from the regiment.
For example, men served as clerks, hospital attendants, provost guards, and teamster.
Some of these duties lasted only days.
But in other cases, they lasted for years.
For example, although the 91st left the Department of Washington in August 1862, some men from that Department had to be specially remustered as veteran volunteers in March 1864, apparently because they hadn't been present with the regiment earlier!
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