The Indianapolis journal., 1903-06-07
COMMANDING GENERALS
GREAT SOLDIERS WHO HAVE BEEN
AT THE HEAD OF OUR ARMY.
The Coming Adoption OF New Military
System Makes Review OF Record
Pertinent.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.

away or great Office. that OF the COM
manding general Of the American armies.
will mark an important change in our mill
itary system.
In the course of few months the office
OF senior or commanding general of the
army will pass into history and our mill
tary establishment will come under the
administration of genera. staff system.
The history of this high position, togeth-
er with the high character of the officers
VINO have from time to time occupied the
office Of general commanding of the army
recalls the most interesting chapter in the
military history of the Republic.
When Washington resigned his commits
sion as genera! of the American armies and
peace was restored In 1888. he succeed
ed by Major General Knox In command OF
1000 men. The records of the War Depart
ment show that Major General Knox was
superseded by Captain John Doughty. who
commanded only two light artillery batter
les from August 1854 10 1871. Colonel Josiah
Harmer was in command of the army. with
minimum strength OF 1000 to a maximum
Of 2,232 men. by act of Congress. March g.
17s1- After the year 1871 the strength Of
the army was considered to be such as to
entitle IL to be commanded by a major gen.
eral and that Office of command continued
to be that OF major general until
March. 1877, when the strength OF
the army was reduced to 1900 men. In
the meantime. Major General Wayne hav-
ing died, Brigadier General James Wilkin-
son assumed command. December. 1896, to
July. 17ss. the only officer OF that rank who
was ever In command Of our armies.
When war with France seemed imminent
H.. ~
men and Washington was called from re-
tirement at Mount Vernon and appointed
lieutenant general OF the army
The act of March 2 I799 abolished the
office Of lieutenant general and provided for
an officer to be styled general of the army
of the United States" The same act in
creased the army to 10000 men of all arms
War with France did not occur; in the
meantime Washington died as lieutenant
general in command. and Major General
Alexander Hamilton. who was second in
command by the side of Washington. in
case of war with France. assumed command
of our armies from Dec. IA, 1879, TO June
Is. 1900. Congress. in the year 1900. reduced
the army to 1900 men and limited the rank
of its commander to brigadier general,
which gave the command for the second
remained until 1872.
AT the beginning Of our second war with
England the army was increased 10 nearly
5000 men, with Major General Dearborn
IN command.
From 1915 to 1885, a period OF thirteen
years, the army was on a peace basis and
in command of Major General Brown.
From 1928 to 1s41 General Alex. Macomb
strength Of about 12OO0 men, which was
increased by the Florida war of 1888.
When Major General Scott was placed
in command OF the army in 1871 1t was 49,
900 strong and it so remained until the
war with Mexico, when acts Of Congress Of
1S47 made the increase to 10000
BY acts of Congress Feb. Is. 1885, Major
General Scott. then commanding the army.
was advanced to the rank of lieutenant
general by brevet and pay to date back to
1s47. Brevet Lieutenant General Scott was
in command of the army in 1861 when the
civil war commenced. He was succeeded
by Major General Mcclellan. who was in
command until March, 1862. General Nc
Clellan was followed in command of the
armies by Major General Halleck, who
was in command until March, 1864
highest rank was that OF a major general,
until Feb. 20. 1864. when Brevet Lieutenant
General Scott, being on the retired list.
Congress revived the grade of lieutenant
general to which Major General Grant
was advanced in 1864. and under which
rank he commanded the army when the
war ended. In 1866. July 2S. in further
recognition of his services, the grade of
ura9 nd fef1fa nt
eral Grant was appointed general in COM
mand OF the American army. then 1900
strong. AT the same time Major General
Sherman was promoted to the grade of
lieutenant general. vice Grant. when Gen.
eral Grant was elected to the presidency
In 1869. Lieutenant General Sherman then
became general in command OF the armies.
BY act of Congress of 1870 Congress lim-
tied the offices of general and lieutenan,
general to those then holding the offices
Upon the retirement of General Sherman
the grade of general the active lis,
ceased to exist. and the command of the
army passed to Lieutenant General Sher-
idan. In 1883. few months previous to the
death of General Sheridan. Congress dis
continued the grade of lieutenant general
and merged IL to that of general. to continue
during the lifetime of the then lieutenan,
general On the death of General Sheridan
Major General Schofeld appointed tC
command the army, and on Feb 25. 1895
when the strength of the army was 25O0
men. the grade of lieutenant general was
revived by Congress, and Major Genera
SchoheId was advanced to that grade.
From October, 1895, TO the reorganization
of the army in 1901. Major General Miles
was commanding general of the army. Feb
2. 1901 the grade of lieutenant general wa:
revived. and Major General Miles promoted
10 that grade as commander-in-chief, anC
will be retired in that grade Aug. 8. JUS
seven days prior to effective operation o1
the staff bill. on the 18th of the month.
Thus the records show that we have hac
about twenty-five years of ranking com
manding generals - Washington, Grant
Sherman. Sheridan; sixteen years of lieu
tenant generals commanding the army
Washington. Scott. Grant. Sheridan. Scho
field and Miles; major generals command
ing, nearly hfty-nine years-Knox, St. Clair
Wayne, Hamilton, Dearborn. Brown, Ma
comb. Scott. Mcclellan. Halleck. SchofielC
and Miles.
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