Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-08-09
GENERAL or the ARMY.


History OF the Three Acts Bestowins This
Title ON Famous Warrlors.
As rank. of course, it means only
that the General is the highest officer
in the army, barring the ex-ot.icio po-
sition held by the President. and there
fore it is in reality no higher than has
always been held by the ranking officer
of the army. whether this title has
been General. Lieutenant-Gene-al or
Major General. At least the power
enjoyed by the individual has been no
greater. As title, however, i; means
the highest compliment ever paid to q
soldier by our Government. and has
been created by act of Congress three
times in 1899. as a compliment
to Washington; again in 1866, as an
additional honor for Grant, and recent
" for the behoof of Phil Sheridan.
The history Of these three different
acts is interesting. At the end of the
eighteenth century there was pros
pect Of war between the United States
and France. and in 1898 Congress en-
powered the President to raise PRO
visional army of 10000 men, and by
the same act authorized him. with the
sanction Of the Senate. to commission
! q Lieutenant-Gcneral. who should be
commander of the army. This was on
May %, 1898. On July 2 Of the same
year President Adams nominated Gen.
eral George Washington for the posi-
ton. and the Senate unanimously con.
| irmed him next day. Washington be-
ing notified of his nomination wrote
provisional acceptance STIMULATING
that he should not be expected to as
sumo the duties of the office until the
army was raised and ready for him to
take command. On March 3, 1899. war
still threatened. and while preparations
were still in progress Congress. with
its customary decentralization, struck
out the first half of the title. leaving it
General" instead of "Lieutenant-Ge
eral.''
Washington died before the war
cloud lifted. but never assumed the
position or title, the highest commits
sion he ever held being that of Major
General Commanding. After his death.
war being averted. no commission was
issued of the highest rank, and the
legislation was considered to be re-
pealed by desuetude or indirection.
and Major-General Commanding re-
NAMED the highest military position
attainable. To this rank Alexander
Hamilton succeeded.
In 1855 the Congress again created
the title and rank of Lieutenant-Gener-
al, avowedly as compliment to Gem
eral Winfield Scott for his services as
Major-General in the Mexican war. 1t
was enacted at the same time that the
new Office, once having been filed and
become vacant. should thereafter
cease. This, accordingly. happened at
General SCOTS death.
In 1864 nearly the same thing was
done for General Grant. who was at
once made Lieutenant-General by
President Lincoln. Two years later
the rank of General was revived, and
Grant was appointed to it. The second
rank, that of Lieutenant-General. was
awarded to General Sherman. When
Grant was made President he promo
| ted Sherman to the rank OF General,
and Sheridan, then a MajOr-General,
! to be Lieutenant General.
In 1876 the Congress again fixed
things up, providing that when these
two Offices should become vacant they
should cease. This barred Sheridan
from promotion to General when
| Sherman was retired two years
| ago on account of his age, and had it
not been for the quick action of Con-
gress it is not likely that there would
| have been another General of the
army unless in the future the Nation
might have desired to honor some