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The general officers of the Confederate States Army (CSA) were the senior military leaders of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War of 1861–1865. They were often former officers from the United States Army (the regular army) before the Civil War, while others were given the rank based on merit or when necessity demanded. Most Confederate generals needed confirmation from the Confederate States Congress, much like prospective generals in the modern U.S. armed forces.
Like all of the Confederacy's military forces, these generals answered to their civilian leadership, in particular Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederate States of America and therefore commander-in-chief of the military forces of the Confederate States.
History
Much of the design of the Confederate States Army was based on the structure and customs of the United States Army[1] when the Confederate States Congress established the Confederate States War Department on February 21, 1861.[2] The Confederate States Army was composed of three parts; the Army of the Confederate States of America (ACSA, intended to be the permanent, regular army), the Provisional Army of the Confederate States (PACS, or "volunteer" Army, to be disbanded after hostilities), and the various state militias.
Graduates from United States Military Academy and Mexican–American War veterans were highly sought after by Jefferson Davis for military service, especially as general officers. Like their U.S. Army counterparts, the Confederate Army had both professional and political generals within it. Ranks throughout the CSA were roughly based on the U.S. Army in design and seniority.[3] On February 27, 1861, a general staff for the army was authorized, consisting of four positions: an adjutant general, a quartermaster general, a commissary general, and a surgeon general. Initially, the last of these was to be a staff officer only.[2] The post of adjutant general was filled by Samuel Cooper (the position he had held as a colonel in the U.S. Army from 1852 until resigning) and he held it throughout the Civil War, as well as the army's inspector general.[4]
Initially, the Confederate States Army commissioned only brigadier generals in both the volunteer and regular services;[2] however, the Congress quickly passed legislation allowing for the appointment of major generals as well as generals, thus providing clear and distinct seniority over the existing major generals in the various state militias.[5] On May 16, 1861, when there were only five officers at the grade of brigadier general, this legislation was passed, which stated in part:
That the five general officers provided by existing laws for the Confederate States shall have the rank and denomination of 'general', instead of 'brigadier-general', which shall be the highest military grade known to the Confederate States ...[6]
As of September 18, 1862, when lieutenant generals were authorized, the Confederate States Army had four grades of general officers; they were (in order of increasing rank) brigadier general, major general, lieutenant general, and general.[7] As officers were appointed to the various grades of general by Jefferson Davis (and were confirmed), he would create the promotion lists himself. The dates of rank, as well as seniority of officers appointed to the same grade on the same day, were determined by Davis, "usually following the guidelines established for the prewar U.S. Army."[8]
Brigadier general
These generals were most often infantry or cavalry brigade commanders, aides to other higher-ranking generals, and War Department staff officers. By the war's end, the Confederacy had at least 383 different men who held this rank in the PACS and three in the ACSA: Samuel Cooper, Robert E. Lee, and Joseph E. Johnston.[9] The Confederate States Congress authorized the organization of regiments into brigades on March 6, 1861. Brigadier generals commanded them, and these generals were nominated by Davis and confirmed by the Confederate Senate.[2]
Though close to the U.S. Army in assignments, Confederate brigadiers mainly commanded brigades, while U.S. brigadiers sometimes led divisions and brigades, particularly in the first years of the war. These generals also often led sub-districts within military departments, with command over soldiers in their sub-district. These generals outranked Confederate States Army colonels, who commonly led infantry regiments.
This rank was equivalent to brigadier general in the modern U.S. Army.
Major general
These generals were most commonly infantry division commanders, aides to other higher-ranking generals, and War Department staff officers. They also led the districts that made up military departments and had command over the troops in their districts. Some Major generals also led smaller military departments. By the end of the war, the Confederacy had at least 88 men who had held this rank, all in the PACS.[10]
The Confederate States Congress authorized divisions on March 6, 1861, and major generals would command them. These generals were to be nominated by Davis and confirmed by the Confederate Senate.[2] Major generals outranked brigadiers and all other lesser officers.
This rank was not synonymous with use in the U.S. Army, where major generals led divisions, corps, and entire armies. This rank was equivalent in most respects to a major general in the modern U.S. Army.
Major generals by seniority
Not further promoted
- Abbreviations: KIA = killed in action, MW = mortally wounded, NC = non-combat death
| List of major generals by seniority | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Date of rank[8] | Rank terminated[8] | Reason | ||
| David E. Twiggs | May 22, 1861 | October 11, 1861 | retired | ||
| Earl Van Dorn | September 19, 1861 | May 8, 1863 | murdered, Spring Hill, TN | ||
| Gustavus W. Smith | September 19, 1861 | February 17, 1863 | resigned | ||
| Benjamin Huger | October 7, 1861 | June 12, 1865 | paroled | ||
| John B. Magruder | October 7, 1861 | no record | no record | ||
| Mansfield Lovell | October 7, 1861 | no record | no record | ||
| George B. Crittenden | November 9, 1861 | October 23, 1862 | resigned | ||
| William W. Loring | February 15, 1862 | May 1, 1865 | paroled | ||
| Sterling Price | March 6, 1862 | no record | no record | ||
| Benjamin F. Cheatham | March 10, 1862 | May 1, 1865 | paroled | ||
| Samuel Jones | March 10, 1862 | May 12, 1865 | paroled | ||
| John P. McCown | March 10, 1862 | May 12, 1865 | paroled | ||
| Daniel Harvey Hill | March 26, 1862 | no record | no record | ||
| Jones M. Withers | April 6, 1862 | May 11, 1865 | paroled | ||
| John C. Breckinridge | April 14, 1862 | no record | no record | ||
| Thomas C. Hindman | April 14, 1862 | no record | no record | ||
| Lafayette McLaws | May 23, 1862 | no record | no record | ||
| Richard H. Anderson | July 14, 1862 | no record | no record | ||
| J.E.B. Stuart | July 25, 1862 | May 12, 1864 | MW, Battle of Yellow Tavern | ||
| Samuel G. French | August 31, 1862 | April 1865 | paroled | ||
| George Pickett | October 10, 1862 | April 9, 1865 | paroled | ||
| Carter L. Stevenson | October 10, 1862 | May 1, 1865 | paroled | ||
| David R. Jones | October 11, 1862 | January 15, 1863 | NC, Richmond, VA | ||
| John H. Forney | October 27, 1862 | June 20, 1865 | paroled | ||
| Dabney H. Maury | November 4, 1862 | May 11, 1865 | paroled | ||
| Martin Luther Smith | November 4, 1862 | May 1865 | paroled | ||
| John G. Walker | November 8, 1862 | no record | no record | ||
| Arnold Elzey | December 4, 1862 | May 9, 1865 | paroled | ||
| Patrick Cleburne | December 13, 1862 | Nov 30, 1864 | KIA, Battle of Franklin | ||
| Franklin Gardner | December 13, 1862 | May 11, 1865 | paroled | ||
| Isaac R. Trimble | January 17, 1863 | April 16, 1865 | paroled | ||
| Jubal Early | January 17, 1863 | no record | no record | ||
| Daniel S. Donelson | January 17, 1863 | April 17, 1863 | NC, Knoxville, TN | ||
| Joseph Wheeler | January 20, 1863 | June 9, 1865 | paroled | ||
| W.H.C. Whiting | February 28, 1863 | March 10, 1865 | NC, New York City | ||
| Edward Johnson | February 28, 1863 | July 22, 1865 | paroled | ||
| Robert E. Rodes | May 2, 1863 | September 19, 1864 | KIA, Third Battle of Winchester | ||
| W.H.T. Walker | May 23, 1863 | July 22, 1864 | KIA, Battle of Atlanta | ||
| Henry Heth | May 24, 1863 | April 9, 1865 | paroled | ||
| John S. Bowen | May 25, 1863 | July 6, 1863 | Died with Rank unconfirmed | ||
| Robert Ransom, Jr. | May 26, 1863 | no record | no record | ||
| Dorsey Pender | May 27, 1863 | July 18, 1863 | MW, Battle of Gettysburg | ||
| Cadmus M. Wilcox | August 3, 1863 | April 9, 1865 | paroled | ||
| Jeremy F. Gilmer | August 3, 1863 | no record | no record, assignment incomplete | ||
| Fitzhugh Lee | August 3, 1863 | April 9, 1865 | paroled | ||
| William Smith | August 12, 1863 | January 1, 1864 | resigned | ||
| Howell Cobb | September 9, 1863 | May 18, 1865 | paroled | ||
| John A. Wharton | November 10, 1863 | April 6, 1865 | murdered, Houston, TX | ||
| William T. Martin | November 10, 1863 | May 11, 1865 | paroled | ||
| Charles W. Field | February 14, 1864 | April 9, 1865 | paroled | ||
| J. Patton Anderson | February 17, 1865 | May 1, 1865 | paroled | ||
| William B. Bate | February 24, 1864 | May 1, 1865 | paroled | ||
| Prince de Polignac | April 8, 1864 | no record | no record | ||
| Robert F. Hoke | April 20, 1864 | April 1, 1865 | paroled | ||
| W.H.F. Lee | April 23, 1864 | April 9, 1865 | paroled | ||
| James F. Fagan | April 24, 1864 | June 20, 1865 | Temporary promotion, paroled | ||
| John B. Gordon | May 14, 1864 | April 9, 1865 | paroled | ||
| Joseph B. Kershaw | May 18, 1864 | no record | no record | ||
| Bushrod Johnson | May 21, 1863 | May 9, 1865 | paroled | ||
| Stephen D. Ramseur | June 1, 1864 | June 20, 1865 | Temporary promotion, MW, Battle of Cedar Creek | ||
| Edward C. Walthall | June 6, 1864 | no record | Temporary promotion, no record | ||
| Henry Clayton | July 1, 1864 | April 1865 | Temporary promotion, resigned | ||
| William Mahone | July 30, 1864 | April 9, 1865 | paroled | ||
| John C. Brown | August 4, 1864 | May 2, 1865 | Temporary promotion, paroled | ||
| Lunsford L. Lomax | August 10, 1864 | May 2, 1865 | Temporary promotion, paroled | ||
| Matthew C. Butler | September 9, 1864 | May 1, 1865 | paroled | ||
| James L. Kemper | September 9, 1864 | May 2, 1865 | paroled | ||