Generals Whose Commissions Were Not Confirmed By The Senate?

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

Orlando Poe was given a brigade command. The Senate didn't confirm him as Brigadier General (apparently due to connections with McClellan) so he reverted to his engineer rank. He did great work under Sherman and did finally get his star at war's end.

Charles Gilbert was an regular Infantry Captain at the start of the war. Many regular officers with that rank or higher were offered colonel or brigadier commissions early in the war, but he wasn't. After Bull Nelson's murder in Louisville, two other officers declined promotions so Gilbert recieved a temporary appointment as a Major General from Horatio Wright. Thus he led a provisional corps at Perryville. Lincoln submitted a nomination as Brigadier, but the Senate didn't confirm him. Although brevetted Colonel, he was put in non-combat roles the rest of the war. His performance at Perryville was criticized and he was apparently unpopular with his men so it seems like the correct decision.

Who else?

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Another one was Brigadier General James Shields - the man who almost dueled with Lincoln back in 1842.

After Shields defeated Jackson's force at Kernstown (March 22, 1862), Lincoln promoted him to Major General, but the Senate failed to confirm the promotion (on political grounds). This rejection led to Shields resigning from the Army.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Sorry, misread the question raised.

Shields was already commissioned as an officer (before the promotion).

 

[ErnieMac]

The same situations arose with Confederate commissions as well. The case of Robert Hall Chilton, a member of Lee's staff, arose in another thread. Chilton continued to serve at his previous rank when the Senate failed to confirm.

 

[USS ALASKA]

Sirs, was Raphael Semmes appointment to act as a temporary brigadier general ever confirmed by the Confederate Senate?

Cheers,
USS ALASKA

 

[speedylee]

Archibald Gracie was a Brig. General for the Confederates. He was to be promoted but the Confed Congress failed to do so before GRacie was killed at Petersburg December 2, 1864.

 

[ErnieMac]

Joseph R. Davis (nephew of Jefferson Davis) was once rejected by the Confederate Senate, but was subsequently approved.

 

[PJO]

Orlando Poe was given a brigade command. The Senate didn't confirm him as Brigadier General (apparently due to connections with McClellan) so he reverted to his engineer rank. He did great work under Sherman and did finally get his star at war's end.

Charles Gilbert was an regular Infantry Captain at the start of the war. Many regular officers with that rank or higher were offered colonel or brigadier commissions early in the war, but he wasn't. After Bull Nelson's murder in Louisville, two other officers declined promotions so Gilbert recieved a temporary appointment as a Major General from Horatio Wright. Thus he led a provisional corps at Perryville. Lincoln submitted a nomination as Brigadier, but the Senate didn't confirm him. Although brevetted Colonel, he was put in non-combat roles the rest of the war. His performance at Perryville was criticized and he was apparently unpopular with his men so it seems like the correct decision.

Who else?

Gilbert's ACP File at the National Archives contains a petition to the WD signed by General Rosecrans and other general officers of the Army of the Cumberland, recommending Gilbert's reappointment as a brigadier general of volunteers...

 

[Belfoured]

Orlando Poe was given a brigade command. The Senate didn't confirm him as Brigadier General (apparently due to connections with McClellan) so he reverted to his engineer rank. He did great work under Sherman and did finally get his star at war's end.

Charles Gilbert was an regular Infantry Captain at the start of the war. Many regular officers with that rank or higher were offered colonel or brigadier commissions early in the war, but he wasn't. After Bull Nelson's murder in Louisville, two other officers declined promotions so Gilbert recieved a temporary appointment as a Major General from Horatio Wright. Thus he led a provisional corps at Perryville. Lincoln submitted a nomination as Brigadier, but the Senate didn't confirm him. Although brevetted Colonel, he was put in non-combat roles the rest of the war. His performance at Perryville was criticized and he was apparently unpopular with his men so it seems like the correct decision.

Who else?

You're putting things diplomatically regarding Gilbert. Everything I've read about his brief stint in corps command suggests that in combat his greatest danger of being shot didn't come from the front.

 

[Pollaco]

There were many, Felix Robertson comes to mind.

 

[Pollaco]

Victor Girardey was promoted by General Lee but not the Confedetate Senate. Gen.Kirby Smith promoted quite a few "Generals"but only one or two of them were ever confirmed but the Senate

 

[ErnieMac]

In Girardey's case it was less than two weeks from the time of his promotion until his death during which time the Senate was not in session.

 

[Pollaco]

Richard Waterhouse was one of those Kirby Smith appointees but he was finally approved by Jefferson Davis. But did the Senate ever do so?

 

[ErnieMac]

Richard Waterhouse was one of those Kirby Smith appointees but he was finally approved by Jefferson Davis. But did the Senate ever do so?

Waterhouse was approved by the Senate the day after Davis acted. His bio appears in Warner's Generals in Gray.

 

[Pollaco]

Waterhouse was approved by the Senate the day after Davis acted. His bio appears in Warner's Generals in Gray.

Sifakis' biography on Waterhouse just said that Davis legalized it. No action by the Senate is mentioned.

 

[rpkennedy]

In the US Army, it was much more common for promotions to go unapproved by the Senate (almost always from brigadier general to major general) and there were a ton of those such as George Morell and John Newton.

There were a number of "temporary" promotions in the CS Army in order for officers to fill positions that were vacant with Richard H. Anderson and Jubal A. Early as good examples. Then there were a number of Kirby Smith promotions that were done on his own initiative.

Ryan

 

[Pollaco]

In the US Army, it was much more common for promotions to go unapproved by the Senate (almost always from brigadier general to major general) and there were a ton of those such as George Morell and John Newton.

There were a number of "temporary" promotions in the CS Army in order for officers to fill positions that were vacant with Richard H. Anderson and Jubal A. Early as good examples. Then there were a number of Kirby Smith promotions that were done on his own initiative.

Ryan

Edwin Stoughton and Isham Haynie.

 

[Pollaco]

A few more "Kirby Smith Generals" were Wilburn Hill King and Xavier DeBray.

 

[Vicksburger]

Orlando Poe was given a brigade command. The Senate didn't confirm him as Brigadier General (apparently due to connections with McClellan) so he reverted to his engineer rank. He did great work under Sherman and did finally get his star at war's end.

Charles Gilbert was an regular Infantry Captain at the start of the war. Many regular officers with that rank or higher were offered colonel or brigadier commissions early in the war, but he wasn't. After Bull Nelson's murder in Louisville, two other officers declined promotions so Gilbert recieved a temporary appointment as a Major General from Horatio Wright. Thus he led a provisional corps at Perryville. Lincoln submitted a nomination as Brigadier, but the Senate didn't confirm him. Although brevetted Colonel, he was put in non-combat roles the rest of the war. His performance at Perryville was criticized and he was apparently unpopular with his men so it seems like the correct decision.

Who else?

William P. Rogers of the Second Texas was prevented from his Commission as General by a prejudice of President Davis's and remained a Colonel even though he commanded a Brigade at Corinth?

 

[Pollaco]

Didn't Gen. Magruder make Col. Philip Luckett a temporary general?