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 ArmyEicher pp. 24–25. This resulted from the Confederacy's adoption of the U.S. 'Rules and Regulations of the Army' as their own, just with "Confederate States of America" put in wherever "United States of America" was in its text. when the Confederate States Congress established the Confederate States War Department on February 21, 1861.Eicher, p. 23. 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.Eicher, p. 23. "Actually, commissions in the ACSA were usually one grade higher than the former commissions in the U.S. Army, while commissions in the PACS usually amounted to whatever was suggested by the size of the volunteer unit accepted into the Confederate service." 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. 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.Dupuy, p. 190.

Initially, the Confederate States Army commissioned only brigadier generals in both the volunteer and regular services; 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.Eicher, p. 24. On May 16, 1861, when there were only five officers at the grade of brigadier general, this legislation was passed, which stated in part:

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.Eicher, p. 25 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."Eicher, p. 807.

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.Eicher, p. 817. 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.

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.Eicher, p. 810.

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. 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

List of major generals by seniority Name Date of rank Rank terminated 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 G.W.C. Lee October 20, 1864 April 6, 1865 paroled Thomas L. Rosser November 1, 1864 May 1865 Temporary promotion, paroled P.M.B. Young December 12, 1864 no record Temporary promotion, no record Bryan Grimes February 15, 1865 April 9, 1865 paroled William W. Allen March 4, 1865,promotion was not confirmed by the Confederate Senate May 1865 Unconfirmed paroled Thomas J. Churchill March 17, 1865 June 7, 1865 Temporary promotion, paroled John S. Marmaduke March 18, 1865 July 24, 1865 paroled Evander McIver Law was promoted to the rank of major general on March 20, 1865, on the recommendation of generals Johnston and Hampton just before the surrender. The promotion was too late to be confirmed by the Confederate Congress however.

Lieutenant general

The Confederate Army had 18 lieutenant generals, who were often corps commanders within armies or military department heads in charge of geographic sections and all soldiers in those boundaries. All Confederate lieutenant generals were in the PACS. The Confederate Congress legalized the creation of army corps on September 18, 1862, and directed that lieutenant generals lead them. These generals were to be nominated by President Davis and confirmed by the C.S. Senate. Lieutenant generals outranked major generals and all other lesser officers. Most were graduates of the United States Military Academy and were former officers in the United States Army, with the exceptions of Richard Taylor, Wade Hampton III, and Nathan Bedford Forrest.