General of the Army Act, 25 July 1866
- When
- 1866
- Where
- Legislative chamber; United States Army
- Episodes
- 2
On July 25, 1866, the United States Congress promoted Ulysses S. Grant to the newly created rank of General of the Army. Although nominally a four-star rank, this grade held authority over the entire Army and was reserved for the Commanding General. Grant became the first holder of this distinct grade, which differed structurally from later five-star ranks.
Episodes
- Rank Structure Definition
The 1866 rank was nominally four-star but held authority over the entire Army, distinct from later five-star ranks.
- Congressional Promotion
Congress promoted Grant to the newly created rank of General of the Army on July 25, 1866, following the Civil War.
Background and detail
Background. Ulysses S. Grant served as Commanding General of the Union Army, leading it to victory in the American Civil War in 1865. He had been promoted to lieutenant general in 1864, giving him command of all Union Armies. In the United States, a General of the Army ranks above generals.
Legislative Action. Congress passed legislation on July 25, 1866, authorizing the rank of General of the Army. This grade was nominally four-star but structurally held authority over the entire Army, reserved for the Commanding General. Only one officer at a time could hold this rank, distinguishing it from standard four-star generals.
Compensation and Status. Grant's pay for this rank was four hundred dollars per month, plus allowances for fuel and quarters. If headquarters were in Washington, the allowance rate was three hundred dollars per month. The combined monthly pay and allowance of seven hundred dollars in 1866 is equivalent to $15,000 in 2025.
People involved
- Ulysses S. Grant · First holder of the rank
- United States Congress · Legislative body
Sources
- Ulysses S. Grant Wikipedia, revision of 2026-10-06
- General of the Army (United States) Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-26
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.