Seniority in Rank in the Union Army

[General Quarters]

If anybody is interested, here is the seniority in rank of the early top Union major generals:

The most senior held commissions in the regular army:
Winfield Scott, from June 25, 1841 (brevet Lt Gov)
George B McClellan, 14 May 1861
John C Fremont, 14 May 1861

then volunteers:
John A Dix, 16 May 1861
Nathaniel P Banks, 16 May 1861
Benjamin F Butler, 16 May 1861
David Hunter, 13 Aug 1861
Henry W Halleck, 19 Aug 1861 (regular army)
Ethan A Hitchcock, 10 Feb 1862
Ulysses S Grant, 16 Feb 1862
Irvin McDowell, 14 Mar 1862
Ambrose E Burnside, 18 Mar 1862
William S Rosecrans, 21 Mar 1862
Don C Buell, 21 Mar 1862
John Pope, 21 Mar 1862
Samuel R Curtis, 21 Mar 1862
Franz Sigel, 21 Mar 1862
John A McClernand, 21 Mar 1862
Charles F Smith, 21 Mar 1862
Lewis Wallace, 21 Mar 1862

In April 1862:
O M Mitchel
C M Clay
G T Thomas
G Cadwalader

May 1862:
W T Sherman
E O C Ord
E V Sumner
S P Heintzelman
E D Keyes
Joseph Hooker
Silas Casey

None in June 1862

It was great good fortune that the relatively obscure Grant was given rather high seniority and ranked the other hundred and some major generals appointed during the war.

[chris0827]

ORIGINAL: General Quarters

If anybody is interested, here is the seniority in rank of the early top Union major generals:

The most senior held commissions in the regular army:
Winfield Scott, from June 25, 1841 (brevet Lt Gov)
George B McClellan, 14 May 1861
John C Fremont, 14 May 1861

then volunteers:
John A Dix, 16 May 1861
Nathaniel P Banks, 16 May 1861
Benjamin F Butler, 16 May 1861
David Hunter, 13 Aug 1861
Henry W Halleck, 19 Aug 1861 (regular army)
Ethan A Hitchcock, 10 Feb 1862
Ulysses S Grant, 16 Feb 1862
Irvin McDowell, 14 Mar 1862
Ambrose E Burnside, 18 Mar 1862
William S Rosecrans, 21 Mar 1862
Don C Buell, 21 Mar 1862
John Pope, 21 Mar 1862
Samuel R Curtis, 21 Mar 1862
Franz Sigel, 21 Mar 1862
John A McClernand, 21 Mar 1862
Charles F Smith, 21 Mar 1862
Lewis Wallace, 21 Mar 1862

In April 1862:
O M Mitchel
C M Clay
G T Thomas
G Cadwalader

May 1862:
W T Sherman
E O C Ord
E V Sumner
S P Heintzelman
E D Keyes
Joseph Hooker
Silas Casey

None in June 1862

It was great good fortune that the relatively obscure Grant was given rather high seniority and ranked the other hundred and some major generals appointed during the war.

How was Grant relatively obscure? He was the North's most successful general at the time.

[bountyhunter]

Wool,_J.E. BG (USA) 25 Jun 1841, MG (USA) 16 May 62 - 4th ranking general when he retired in 63.

[General Quarters]

ORIGINAL: bountyhunter

Wool,_J.E. BG (USA) 25 Jun 1841, MG (USA) 16 May 62 - 4th ranking general when he retired in 63.

Thanks. When I looked at Wool, my eyes mistakenly went to his retirement date instead of his date of commission. At the beginning of the war, he was the ranking Brig Gen (followed by Twiggs and Harney), having been promoted the same day (25 June 1841) Winfield Scott became Maj Gen.