Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-09-21
THE LfEUTENANT GENERALCY.
A ReJOinder 90 s'Au.hentfc HIstorf-
cal Facts Regarding the once I"

ATLANTA, September 81 regret excee6
ingly that my contribution Of few bare and
/ simple facts in regard to the grade of General
/ and Lieutenant General has started up q
lengthy and disturbing discussion. 1 neither
sought such an issue or anticipated it, because
| every statement made was based upon and
backed by official records that are unim.
| peached.
And yet General Wayne, in your issue n,
yesterday, squarely contradicts my points. and
| declares that he examined oil the an.
| thorities and consulted the Oldest and
most prominent army officers on the
| subject, in the interest Of General Scot
Were not thrice armed with the truth Of
history" l should hesitate to confront INV
friend, General Wayne. in his intrenched no.
sition.
never knew General Jesup or General Tot
| ten, yet did know General Scott and General
Gibson. But none Of these officers have anv-
thing In the world to do with this question
Ihey are not in Il, except so far as General
Scott was brevet Lieutenant General Lam
having no discussion OF the question either
with dead or living army officers snd car
not what they may have said on the subject. /
have dealt only with recorded Official facts.
Nor shall now go beyond that line In replv
to General Wayne, then, say:
!. Tne reVouuonary army and the United
States army under President Adams were too
very distinct organizations. That Wasbing-
toms rank OF General in the former could in no
way affect his lower rank Of Lieutenant Gem
eral in the latter no more than his later higher
title or Presldent. de had gone into retire
ment at Mount Vernon. and was as much a
private citizen of America as am to-day.
z. President Adams HeUer hesitated or felt
Sny deli0acy in communicating to Washington
his appointment on account of its having at
a lOVvaF
challenge General Wayne or any other man
TO produce a stn0le official authority for such
q statement All his delicacy grew out of the
fact that Washington had been President and
Adams even went so far as to write that he
wonId gladly, il he could, change places with
Washington. But neUeT. any here, line that
he had erred in making him Lieutenant Gen
eral instead of full General / call for the,
official record on this point
.. All the controversy ana delcacg and cor
respondence that ensued grew out of wrangle
Generals Hamilton and PinckneV: and also
WashiDgton's desire to arrange his own steff
A long, delicate and sometimes sharp corrs-
spondence ensued. All that Gen. W. says about
Secretary McHenry and President Adams deli
cate management of the Lieutenant General
matter is irrelevant.
a. insist that Lieutenant General Washing
ton not only accepted the commission, but that
he had military secretary, was allowed aides
and did organize plans for the army, and per
formed acts only allowable TO one holding his
high rank. Although not in the field, he per
formed the duties Of Lieutenant General.
5. also assert, as of official record, that the
Secretary OF War did address Washington as
Lieutenant General several months after the
passage of the act Gn March. 1799,) making him
a full General, and which he declined.
6. l reafirm. and with emphasis. that there
is no such rank OF itself as COMMANDMENT
Chief" and never has been. A Colonel has
been Comm Rnder-in- Chief, " but ''Mr" " George
Washington, although an ex-Genesal and ex-
President. could not occupy that position. l
call for official proof that he did.
Z. still assert that Washington was the first
and Grant the second Lieutenant General of
the United States army. and no man can show
to the contrary from official sources.
10 conclusion. l am writing this hasty reply
in the Office of friend near the depot, and
have mono of my authorities at hand. nor do
need them, as my only purpose now is to make
n demand upon General Wayne for his Official
records As yet he has not quoted single one
to disprove my facts. l want no hearsay evil
dence, no lengthy discussions on the war or
the government at that time, but the plain
unquestioned official records to sustain his at
tack upon nay historical facts. When he shsll
have brought them forward. il they in any way
impair my position or facts, / shall not be slow
with Official records to sustain eUeyg point
have made, or own up my error.
SIDNEY HERBERT.