New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-11
WASHINGTON AND SCOTT.
THE ACTUAL RANK HELD BY EACH IN
THE ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: In the article in last Sundays paper. "Of.
ncers of the Civil War" you omit the name OF
Winfield Scott Lieutenant General Appletons
American Encyclopedia states that he was raised
to that grade In 1s55. You also name Washing,
ton ACKNOWLEDGEMENT was ne not Denera
New York March o. 1899. G. +. SHEPARD
[Our correspondent is wrong in both cases.
Upon examination we find that Washington
bureau. usual in any statement OF fact 1t puts
forth, was precisely correct. IL would have erred
indeed had II made The Tribune authority Tor the
statement that Washington was a General In the
United States Army and Scott Lieutenant-Gen-
eraL
Washington was General and Commander-in-
Chief Of the Continental Army during the War OF
the Revolution surrenderng his commission to the
Continental Congress at its close. In 1888. IL was
not until six years after this memorable event that
the United States Army was organized by law IL
dates from September %. 1889. Washington. mean
while had become President Of the United States
on April 80 17ss and served until March 4. 1871.
On July g. 1888 he was created Northumberland
and Commander of the United States Army. a mill
tary office which he continued to hold until MS
death, which occurred at Mount vernon va On
December H. 1899. But early In 1873 the grace Oh
full General was created for the benefit OF wash
ington, fact not now generally known or d.
least. remembered. on the meeting OF the next
Congress President Adams was a little dilatory IN
sending in the nomination, and Washington died
before II was made Therefore the Father OF HIS
Country never was full General IN 'he ohi'eu
States Army.
And "Appleton's Encyclopedia" to the contrary
notwithstandin neither was Winfield scott ever
Lieutenant General in the United States Army AS
this is a question which periodically recurs' IL may
no we'll n elucidate It fully. THE Army Register
for 1861 the last issued prior TO his retirement on
his own application. after forty or more con-
secutve years OF service" is alone conclusive OF
the matter He is recorded therein as the senior
Major General Of the Regular establishment, I'M
der the head Of Name. Rank and Date OF Commits
SION" followed in the order of their commissions
nv the names of George B. Mcclellan. John c.
Fremont and Henry w. Halleck. In a second COL
umn adjoining. under the head or BreVets ana
Former Commissions" Scott is noted as having
been brevetted Lieutenant-General. OF date March
90 1Si7 The date OF his original entry into the
service which appears in third column adJoin-
ing the second May g. 1908. as captain OF
light artillery. In the roster of retired officers as
printed In the annual Army Register for 1861
under the head of General Officers" SCOTS name
appears without any further indication OF his RANK
thus winfield Scott. L. 5. A. commanding the
Army"
'Heitman's Army Register" the accepted au-
thority in the War Department at Washington on
such matters. having been prepared from the
original Army rolls. contains the following Official
data concerning General Scott:
Scott, Winfield; born in Virginia, appointed from
Virginia, captain Of light artillery MAY So,nn Si
March H. 1slS colonel and adjutant genei al March
49, 1873; brgadier-general March 1874 major,gen
eral June 25 1s4l; commander-in-chief OF the Army
I,lv 3 iS4. TO November l. 1861: retired November
!. 1851; brevet major-general July 70 lslt ior ms
distinguished services in the successive CONNECTS OF
Chippewa and Niagara. Upper Canada and for
his uniform galantry and good conduct as az ON,
20 1s47 for eminent services in the late war with
Under his command captured Vera Cruz and the
battle of San Juan de Clloa Here loilo" rec ,
tons regarding the gold medal presence 70 Died
May %. 1856.
I'D to the very date OF his retirement, IT thus
appears Scott recorded In all official puphca-
tons as only a major general who had been
brevetted to the next higher grade for dis
tingushed services.
In his autobiography General Scott hmset
states that December q. 1882 Senator Clemens
procured the passage OF a Joint resolution au-
thorizng the President Of the United States to
confer the title Of acknowledgement by brevet for
eminent services" This was subsequently passed
by the House and under 1t, gathers from
General Scott's own account. he was brevetted
acknowledgement to date from March %. lsi7.
II is rcssible that the official records at Wash
ington are all wrong and that "Appletons Encyclo-
pedIa" is right but It is not probable 1t is sig
nifcant that Scott never signed his name oficialiy
as lieutenant general Even In the correspondence
upon the occasion OF his retirement from active
service he is alluded to by President Lincoln as
"Brevet Lieutenant General Winfield Scott But
as a matter OF fact 1t is unnecessary TO make
further citations or argument "Appletons Encyclo-
pedla" goes no further than to say the rank was
"gven to General Scott by brevet" He never held
the commission of ieutenant-general although he
was always addressed by that title without the
prefix Of "brevet," which would have been burden
some. BY special assignment under the law he
could have exercised command by virtue OF his
brevet rank. and perhaps have drawn the pay OF
a lieutenant general. 1t is likely that he did have
the pay; he certainly had the title and had been
COMMANDMENTS Chief by assignment In virtue OF
his seniority many years before he was thus bre-
vetted lieutenant generaL-Ed.l