many militias elected their officers including field officers. when these units joined the confederate army, their officers were commissioned. there were also a number of professional officers who came from germany or britain (just as there were in the union army). but at the start of the war, few southern officers had any real experience. wealthy planters who owned 20 or more slaves were not required to serve in the army and many stayed home during the war. some served in the enlisted rank but many thought it was unfair to serve under officers so poor they could not afford a single slave. many confederate officers kept a slave as a personal servant throughout the war.