The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1888-09-11
GENERAL OF THE AIsnrY &. !
History OF til. Three Acts RBestowing
This Title on Famons arpIors.

Asa rank, OF course, it means only
that the General is the highest onlcer
In the army, barring the ex-officio pb.
sition held by tho President, and there.
fore 1t is in reality no higher than has
always been held by tie ranking ofllcef
OF the army, whether this title has
been General, ( Lieutenant JIG enefal or
Major: General. at leastS the power
enjoyed by tho individual has been no
greater. AS a title, however, it means
the highest compliment syer paid to d
soldier by our GOVERNMENT, and has
been created by act Of Congress three
times-once in 1890, as ay compliment
to Washington again in 1866, as AN
additional honor for G Grant, and recent
ly for the behoof of the late Phil. Sher-
ida11. ~ S%i5Ys X sE
Tie history, Of these three different
acts is(interesting. is( AT The end. OF the
eighteenth century there was a pros
pectlof war between the United States
and France, and in 1893 Congress EN-.
powered the President to raise a s'pro-
sylstonal army of 10000 mems, ana by
Sthe,s same act authorized him. with the
sanction Of the Senate, to commission
asLieptenant General, who should be
commander Of the army. This was ON
May, %. 1903. on Juiy2o the same
year President Adams nominated Gen.
eral George Washington for the posi-. !
tlon. and the Senate unanimously con-
lrmed him next day. Washington be-
ing notified Of his nomination wrote a
provisional acceptance. stipulating
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 prepara-
tions were still I'M progress Congtess.
with Its customary circumlooutIon,
struck out the first half of the title
leaving 1t "Generap'sinst Of ''Lieu.
tenant General. - {
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 commits.
sion was Issued of the highest rank,
and the legislation was considered to
be repealed by desuetude or indirection,
!, ord 4aior. G enelal Commanding res
5mained the highest DOS ition
attainable. TO this rank, Alexander
Hamilton succeeded.
In 1855 the Congress again created
the title and rank Of Lieutenant G. Gener.
al, avowedly as q compliment to GEN
eral Winfield Scott for his services as
Major. General In the Mexican war. It.
was enacted at the same time that the
new Office. once having been filled and
become vacant, should thereafter
cease. This accordingly, happened at
General Scott's death.
In 1864 nearly the samo thing was
done for General Grant, who was at
once made Lieutenant.G G General by Pres.
ident Lincoln. Two years later the
rank Of General was revived, and
Grant was appointed to- 1t. The second
rank, that of Lieutenant G eneral, was
awarded to General Sherman. When
Grant was made President he promo
ted Sherman to the rank Of General, !,
and Sheridan, then a Major G eneral, to
be Lieutenant-a q aeneral.
In 1875 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 sher.
man was retired two years ago on acs
count Of his age, and had it not been
for the quick action of Congress 1t is
not likely that there would have been
another General of the army unless in
the future the Nation might have de-
sired to honor some hero as vet
unknown.
ta -. Z = = - p 4 . 4. Il