Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-16
IN COMMAND OF THE ARMY
A LIST OF OFFICERS WHO HAVE
HELD THE HIGHEST RANK.
There Have Only Been Three Generals,
Three Lieutenant Generals and
One by Brevet.

Mr.. Clark Of Missouri was right. and
Mr. Grosvenor of Ohio wrong, in the nam
ing of men who have held the rank of lieu
tenant general in the United States army"
said well-known military man to a Star
reporter recently. Mr.. Clark, in naming
the lieutenant generals from Washington to
new. omitted Gen. Scott, and Mr.. Gros-
venor called his attention to the omission.
AS matter of fact, Gen. Scott was never
a full-hedged lieutenant general The bre-
vet rank was conferred upon him. but major
general was Ills real rank. Only lnfre-
quently and at long intervals has there
been any higher grade than major general,
and there is much confusion in the minds
of people over the subject.
After the revolutionary war the army
was reduced to battalion of infantry and
one of artillery. under the command of
Lieut. Col. Josiah Harmar, who was the
ranking officer until 100, when force
was raised to operate against the Indians
in Ohio, and Maj. Gen. Arthur st. Clair.
veteran of the revolution. was put in COM
mand. He suffered ignominious defeat,
and resigned his commission. Anthony
Wayne was appointed his successor, with
the rank Of major general. and won a de-
ctsive victory. He held chief command I'M
til his death in 1896. Brig. Gen. James VII
kinson of Maryland was then placed in
command, and he held the Office till the
outbreak of the war with France. AT this
time Congress voted large appropriation
and increase of the army and navy, end
Washington was induced to accept COM
mand of the army, with he rank of lieu
tenant general He was commissioned July
8. 179S, and placed in supreme command
which position he held until his death, De-
cember IA. 1899. Thus. Washington was
the first lieutenant general
A Checkered Career.
But to return to Wilkinson, who was a
remarkable example Of what brave man,
well as a bad one. may achieve, for he
was both. Wilkinson was constantly as
scciated with the worst element Of the
continental army. and was one Of the
Conway cabap against Washington; in
fact, gave the thing away. He had been
made brigadfer general on trumped-up
grounds Of conspicuous services in the sur
render Of Burgoyne. but later was made
to give up his commission. After peace was
declared Gen. Wilkinson went to New Or
leans and tAeame implicated in a con-
spiracy to form new republic in the Mis-
sissippf valley, under the protection of
Spain, from which country he received a
pension till 1900. He embroiled the border
and frontier in constant disputes and In
dian wars, but finally gave up, after failing
financially, and succeeded in getting REIN
stated in the army as lieutenant colonel.
Under Wayne in 1892 he became a brigader
general, and in 1895. after Waynes death,
y
though he was not raised to the rank of
major general till March. 1878. In 1905 he
was governor Of Louisiana. and it is said
that he was the author of the plot known
as Burr conspiracy revival of his old
scheme for separate nation in the Mis-
sissippi valley. He was court-martialed
and tried, but acquitted, though Gen. Jack
son believed him guilty, and later events
by Washington and Hamilton in command
Of the army, but on the death of Wash
ington and resignation of Hamilton he re-
ceived promotion to major general. Another
court-martial followed failure of operations
in Canada, and acquittal was again his
portion, after which he was discharged
from the army and went to Mexico, where
he died in 1925.
Maj Gen. Henry Dearborn of New
Hampshire was commander Of the army
with the rank Of major general from Janu-
airy p, 1872, to June Is, 1915. when he re-
signed his commission. At the conclusion
Of the war of 1912 the army was reduced
and the number of general officers limited
to two major generals and four brigadier
generals. OF the former. Jacob Brown Of
'Pennsylvania was the ranking officer and
continued until his death in 1928, when
he was succeeded by Maj. Gen. Alex Mo-
Comb of Michigan. who commanded the
army till his death in 1871.
Major General Scott.
MAI. Gen. Winfield Scott was the tenth
commander Of the United States army, He
was or virginia birth and lawyer by pro-
fession, with military tastes, SO entered
military life in 1908 as captain of light ar
tillery. The very next year he was court
martialed and suspended for one year for
speaking unexpectedly Of Gen. Wilkin-
son. but after events showed that the
youthful Scott had the right of it, over his
dispute about the Burr conspiracy and Will
kinsons part in it. After brilliant service |
for over thirty years Scott succeeded Nc
Comb as commander-in-chief in 1S41, and |
was made full major general in July of |
that year. He had been brevetted major |
general for Chippewa and Niagara, and |
made not little trouble at that time be- |
cause he insisted that the brevet gave him |
precedence Of all Others because 1t was |
conferred by Congress and was the highest |
honor, When he achieved the full COM