Posthumous promotion possible?!

[John Grant]

I have a question: Was it possible during the Civil War (on either side) to receive a posthumous promotion?!

I read here that George S. Patton Sr. was promoted to brigadier general by the Confederate Congress, but since he had already passed away, the promotion was not official and he therefore remains a colonel in history.

 

[Pollaco]

Maybe it depends on how long they linger on after being mortally wounded. General Bernard Bee was only a Colonel when he uttered the words which gave Jackson his nickname. Then he was wounded,promoted, and then died. Not sure how that works?

 

[RedRover]

There were, apparently, posthumous promotions, backdated to either the date of death, or prior. A case from 1864-65:

 

[rupert822]

Pretty sure John Pelham was promoted to Lt. Colonel posthumously.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Pretty sure John Pelham was promoted to Lt. Colonel posthumously.

Yes, after Pelham was killed in action at Culpeper on Mar. 17, '63, and acting on Lee's previous recommendation following Fredericksburg, the Confederate Congress promoted Pelham posthumously to the rank of Lt.-Col. on Apr. 4, '63. (See https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/john-pelham.htm )

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Am unaware of the U.S. Senate approving/confirming the posthumous promotion of any Union army general (appointed prior to their death) during the CW period.

 

[DixieRifles]

I thought these posthumous promotions were rather common. Maybe I am thinking of modern military and police promotions.

General Grant gave Colonel Joshua Chamberlain a promotion to Brig-General after he was severely wounded at 2d Battle of Petersburg. No one expected him to survive.

Maj. Gen. Gouverneur K. Warren: "He has been recommended for promotion for gallant and efficient conduct on previous occasion and yesterday led his brigade against the enemy under most destructive fire. He expresses the wish that he may receive the recognition of his services by promotion before he dies for the gratification of his family and friends."

Quote from Wiki.

 

[John Grant]

Great, there are already many good examples for my question, so it was clear that it had happened.

 

[Pollaco]

Wasn't Jesse Reno's promotion delayed because the Senate adjourned? I recall some sort of Controversy.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Relatedly, as examples of whether completed promotions to the full (not brevet) rank of general were posthumously possible during the CW. Can recall two notable appointments/promotions to general officer in the Union army that occurred immediately prior to the officer's death during the CW, and that were not posthumously confirmed by the Senate.

Col. Strong Vincent was promoted to B-G on 3 Jul. '63, after being m/w on the previous day. He died on 7 Jul. '63 and his promotion was never posthumously confirmed by the Senate,

Similarly, Col. William Sanders was appointed B-G on 18 Oct. '63, shortly before he was m/w on 18 Nov. '63. He died the next day but his appointment was not posthumously approved by the Senate.

Thought these examples might suggest that official posthumous promotions (needing Senate approval) to the general officer rank (not brevets) might not have happened in the CW.

 

[Stryker65]

Posthumous promotions were common for both sides, although there were four common subsets of this happening:

1) An officer was promoted, in that he was appointed to the new rank by his superior, but the promotion was not confirmed after his death (examples as given by @Nathan Stuart in Post #10, above)
2) An officer was promoted, in that he was appointed to the new rank by his superior, but the promotion was not confirmed until after his death (examples: CS Colonel John C. Carter, CS Colonel Roger W. Hanson, CS Colonel William E. Starke)
3) An officer was promoted, appointed, and confirmed, but the notice of his promotion did not reach the officer until after his death (examples: CS Colonel Samuel Benton, CS Colonel Isham W. Garrott, CS Colonel William Y. Slack)
4) An officer was promoted, appointed, and confirmed because of his death, usually as a posthumous honor (examples: US Colonel Joshua B. Howell, US Colonel Edward D. Baker, CS Colonel James B. Terrill)

Confederate promotions generally took longer, since Union-disrupted communications hindered the speed at which recommendations for promotion could reach Richmond.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

1) An officer was promoted, in that he was appointed to the new rank by his superior, but the promotion was not confirmed after his death

My understanding of promotions of living officers to the general officer rank (not other ranks, including brevet ranks) in the Union Army is that it needed Senate approval, and that posthumous confirmations by the Senate of such appointments was uncommon.

 

[Stryker65]

My understanding of promotions of living officers to the general officer rank (not other ranks, including brevet ranks) in the Union Army is that it needed Senate approval, and that posthumous confirmations by the Senate of such appointments was uncommon.

It was quite uncommon: Wikipedia only lists two officers who received posthumous promotions: Howell as listed in 4) and Philip Kearny who would be under 4) as well. For brevet ranks, only twenty field officers (Maj., Lt. Col., Col.) received posthumous brevets to general, and the majority of these were in '66-'67.

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

There were, apparently, posthumous promotions, backdated to either the date of death, or prior. A case from 1864-65:

View attachment 557531
View attachment 557532

Good answer, @RedRover.

 

[TLHS]

Pretty sure John Pelham was promoted to Lt. Colonel posthumously.

That is correct; Confederate Senate authorized it to encourage the troops.