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During the American Civil War, the United States Army was composed mostly of volunteer regiments raised from the states and territories of the nation, and they were the precursors to the United States National Guard. However, there existed a small component of the US Army, which at maximum numbered about only 26,000 men. These were the regular enlisted men and officers of the US Army, and they mostly enlisted for 5 year terms as career soldiers, unlike the US Volunteer forces which enlisted either for 3 months, 3 years, or 1 year respectively. The US Regular Army was considered to be the elite of the Union Army. Some soldiers held duel ranks, and could be simultaneously a Major General in the US Volunteers and a Colonel in the US Regular Army.
See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regular_Army_(United_States) and http://www.civilwararchive.com/unionusrg.htm