Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-06-16
OUR GENERALS.
HISTORY OF THE HIGHER MILL.
TARY APPOINTMENTS.
Rank of General and LIEU
renant-Gen

/ lOISe anu uTtSiue, VI IlNSi anu idii Sh
there has been great deal of confusion i
the matter of the grades of Lieutenant
I General and General. To clear away thi
confusion New York Sun correspondent
at Washington has been digging down t
the roots of the matter, and the gist c
what he found is appended for the enter
tainment of such Record readers as lik
this sort of thing.
The first action on this subject was takel
under the administration of Presiden
John Adams, ninety years ago. Washing
ton had retired from the Presidency will
the avowed purpose of taking no further
part in public affairs. But troubles with
France had begun even under his admins
tration, the new French Republic being of
Tended at our Governments policy of hold.
ing aloof from European political disturb
ances Two years after the Inauguration
of John Adams Congress was called to-
gether to consult upon this difficulty, and
agents were sent to France to negotiate
with the Directory, but were insulted, and
war with France seemed inevitable. Ac-
cordingly, on the 2Sth of May, 1898, an
Act was passed by Congress, one section OF
which empowered the President to appoint,
with the consent of the Senate, "a CON-
mander of the army which may be raised
by virtue of this Act, and who, being COM
missioned as Lieutenant-General, may be
authorized to command the armies of the
United States"
1t was well understood that the officer
thus indicated was to be Washington, if he
could possibly be drawn from his retire
ment. President Adams wrote to him I:
We must have your name if you will in
any case permit US to use it. There will
be more efficacy in it than in many an
army" The Secretary Of War under
President Adams, James McHenry, of
Maryland, four days latter asked: May
we fatte- ourselves that, in crisis so aw-
full and important, you will accept the
command of all our armies? | hope you
will, because you alone can unite all hearts
and all hands" On the ID of July Presi-
dent Adams sent this message to the
Senate:
Gentlemen of the Senate: nominate
George Washington, of Mount Vernon, to
he Lieutenant-Generala and COMMANDMENTS
Chief of all the armies raised, or to be
raised, in the United States"
TIE following day the Senate unanI-
mously consented to the appointment, and
on the 4th of July Washington replied to
the Presidents letter that at the epoch of
his retirement "an invasion of the States
by any European power, or even the prob
ability of such an event happening in my
days was so far from being contemplated
by me that | had no conception that that
or any other occurrence would arise in so
short period which could turn my eyes
from the shades of Mount Vernon. But
this seems to be the age of wonders; and it
is reserved for intoxicated and lawless
France flor purposes of Providence far be-
yond the reach OF human KEN to slaughter
its own citizens and to disturb the repose
of all the world besides" He added that
in case of actual invasion by formida-
BILE force | certainly should not intrench
myself under the cover of age (67) and re-
tirement, if my services should be required
by my country to assist in repelling it."
To Secretary McHenry Washington also
replied that to quit the tranquil walks of
retirement and enter boundless field of
and trouble would be pro-
ductive of sensations which a better pen
than possess would find it difficult to de-
scribe;;" but that "as my whole life has
been dedicated to my country, for the poor
remains of it it is not an object to contend
for ease and quiet, when all that is valua-
bic i'll it is at stake"
President Adams then instructed Secre-
tary McHenry to go to Mount Vernon
with the commission for Washington, add
ing that it will require all your address
to communicate the subject in a manner
that shall be inofensive to his feelings and
with all the respect that is due
fro;:i me to him. If the General should
decline the appointment all the world will
be silent and respectfully acquiesce. If he
should accept it all the world, except the
enemies of this country will rejoice"
Washington, accordingly, on the 18th of
July, accepted the appointment, with the
that he wished that the choice
had fallen on a man less declined in years,
and better qualified to encounter the usual
of war" He made it con-
dition that he should not be called into the
field until his presence was required, and
that his acceptance must not be considered
as drawing after it any immediate charge
upon the public" and that he should not
receive any emoluments before entering
into situation to incur expense" The
year, on March 3, 1899, Congress
made the following change in its legisla-
ton:
"That commander of the army of the
United States shall be appointed and COM
by the style of General of the
Armies of the United States" and the
present office and title of Lieutenant-G Cen
eral shall thereafter be abolished"
Such was the early legislation on this
subject. More than half century had
elapsed after the death of Washington, in
December, 1899, when on the 18th of
February, 1856, the following resolution
was passed by Congress:
"That the grade of Lieutenant General
be, and the same is hereby, revived in the
army of the United States, in order that
when, in the opinion of the President and
Senate, it shall be deemed proper to ac-
eminent services of Major
General of the army in the late war with
Mexico, in the mode already provided for
in subordinate grades, the grade of Lieu
tenant General may be specially conferred
by brevet, and by brevet only, to take
rank from the date of such service or
services. Provided, however, that when
the said grade of Lieutenant-Generalb by
brevet shall have been once filled, and
have become vacant, this joint resolution
shall thereafter expire and be of no effect.n
Under that resolution General Winfield
Scott was appointed brevet Lieutenant
General with his rank dated back more
than eight years, to begin March %,
1917. The appointment was honorary
only, carrying no extra pay with it.
The remaining stages in this sort of
Legislation may be more rapidly reviewed.
Early in 1864 the grade of Lieutenant
General was revived by Congress, and
General Grant was appointed to it on the
I'd Of March. Two years later, after the
close of the war, July Is, 1866, the grade
of General was revived and he was APP
pointed to it, General Sherman at the
same time being promoted to be Lieu
tenant-General. When Grant was in
augurated as President, March 4, 1869,
Sherman wa, promoted to be General and
Sheridan to be Lieutenant General. The
following year Congress provided that
the offices of General and Lieutenant
General Of the army shall continue until
a vacancy shall occur in the same, and no
longer" and now we have the final step.
II