Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-09-05
LIEUT.. GENERAL AND GENERAL
Brief History OF the Origin and
Revival OF these Grades In the
Army OF the United States.

4
ly to indorse your just and pungent editorial
in the MORNING NEWS Of yesterday, on the
probable succession Of Phil. Sheridan to the
rank of General, and to the command of the
armies Of the United States
Under the law creating or reviving the grade
of General, it is not provided that he shall
| have that command by virtue of his title, but
may have it through the pleasure of the Presi-
dent
Your editorial is timely, and if followed up
by others of a similar character from the
Democratic press Of the country, it may ac-
complish much good. This matter needs to be
ventilated and discussed, and in order to make
such discussion more profitable and compre-
hensiVe,I offer few historical facts on the
subject.
The grade OF Lieutenant General was first
created by an act of Congress passed March s8.
l79S, authorizing the President to appoint by
and with the consent of the Senate a COM
mancer OF the army, to be commissioned a
Lieutenant General and to have control of all
the divisions of the army.
President Adams approved this act on June
%, 179S, and the same day rendered the posi-
ton to General George Washington, then in re.
tlrement at Mount Vernon. who accepted the
honor in due time.
On July 8, 1898, the Senate confirmed Lieut..
Oenerdl GeOfgo washington as COMMANDMENTS
chief Of the armies of all the United states.
But in act passed March 8, 1879, a change was
made in the title of the Commanderin-chief
from Lieutenant General to General.
washington, however, preferred the original
title. and died in office with the rank of Lieu
tenant General. The higher rank of General
was never conferred upon any other officer,
and not accepted by him, as it was thought to
as to the army.
President Adams failed to appoint any sue
cessor to Washington, either with the rank of
Lieutenant General or General and Congress
on May IA, 1900, authorized the suspension of
any such future appointment.
The army was divided, at later periods, into
departments and divisions, each one separate
and distinct from all others, and subject only
to the orders of the Secretary of War or the
President in his capacity Of Commanderin-
Chief.
But in 1928 the question of rank was raised
by General Scott, who wrote as follows to Hon
Peter b. Porter, then Secretary of War, under
date OF August 2l: Il do not claim the COM
mand of the army (under the Presideut) as
positive right. The acts OF Congress in force
do not create the Office of Commander in
Chief, of 'GeneraA-in. Chief or Commander of
the Army The first and third offices existed
specdvely, and were both filed by the same
individual-the Father of his Country,
All that contend for then is this: If either of
with the entire command of the army under
the President, it must be the senior General
on duty, which senior am -
And just here may refer to the fact that as
late as November 4, 1866. after Grant had been
made full Lieutenant General, and Scott was
on the retired list, the latter again raised the
question or rank, and in letter to me of that
date, now IN my possession, he writes: II claim
to be first in rank and precedence in the army
OF the United States In support of this claim
Congress, being aware of the vulgar prejudice
against brevet rank, in the act authorizing the
appointment of a second Lieutenant General
without my agency or knowledge expressly
prOvtded that nothing in this act Contained
snaII De construed, In any way. to affect the
rank. pay or allowance of Winfield Scott Lieu
tenant General by brevet. now on the retired
list of the army
Gen. Scott intended to convey the idea that
he was the first and Grant the second Lieuten-
ant General This was an error so far as he
was concerned, as his rank was simply brevet
one. Washington was the first and Grant the
second full Lieutenant General, so that Scott
was right, without, perhaps, knowing it. when
he called Grant a second Lieutenant General
1t was not until March %. 1S47, that the Bre-
vet of Lieutenant General was conferred upon
Major General Winfield Scott. Under this
rank he was commanding the army in 1861, but
in November of that year he was superseded
by Major General Geo. B. Mcclellan. who also
gave way to Major General Henry W. Halleck,
and he retiring when Lieutenant General u. s.
Grant was assigned to the command of all
me armies OF the United States on March 10,
This was the first revival of the actual rank
and authority conferred upon Gen Washing
ton. But Congress, on July IS, 1866. also re-
the Army of the United States, and Grant was
promoted to that grade which, unlike Wash
lngton, he eagerly accerted, and was the first
to I'LL.
Then followed his inaugural on as President
on March 4, 1869, when Lieutenant General
VIM. 7. Sherman, who had succeeded him In
that rank, was promoted to be General of the
Army OF the United States. Now that General
Sherman proposes to retire. the question Of a
successor is opened for discussion.
or course it was understood that Grant and
Sherman were to be the favored ones when the
rank of Lieutenant General and that of Gen
eral was created, or revived. but the act of
Congress left the choice with the President
only requiring that he should select from
officers most distinguished for courage, skill
and ability
It does not follow, therefore, that Lieutenant
Phil Sheridan must be promoted. It is not a |
question of promotion, but one OF appoint |
ment A Democratic President, under the law,
as above stated, could very honestly fairly and |
legally nominate Major General Winfield Scott |
Hancock to succeed General Sherman
The courage. skill and ability of General |
hancock surpass IN every respect those of |
General Sheridan. There are other Major
Generals Qn full or by brevet) whose claims are |
superior in all save rank to those of General |
Sheridan. But political influence will probably |
secure his promotion, unless, as may possibly |
occur, the grade Of General is abolished by |
Congress
The promotion of Gen. Sheridan will not |
carry with it the right to exercise the func-
tions now devolved upon Gen. Sherman, ex- |
cept by favor Of the President, as the act Gre
ating the grade of General contains restrict
i've clause. The President may authorize
him ito command the armies of the United |
the pleasure of the President"
thrust that it will be the pleasure of the |
President never to put Phil Sheridan in /
command of the armies of the United |
States" The descent from Washington, Scott, |
Mcclellan, Halleck, Grant, and Sherman to
Phil Sheridan may be said to come pretty near
the bottom of the pile.
Il is TO be hoped, however, that Congress
will be wise enough to abolish the now useless |
grade of General, and thereby save the coun-
try sad humiliation, as well as an unnecessa-
rV EXPENSE sidney HEpprpT