Grant achieved 4 star rank in 1866. There was no brevet AFAIK as the four star 
rank did not exist until after the Civil War.  Lee was one of seven full 
generals in the CSA.

Trivia: Washington received his fifth star in 1976.




________________________________
From: John Smith at dhova <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Wed, November 17, 2010 4:51:25 PM
Subject: [VA-HIST] General Officers Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant

Having just watched a Netflix DVD on US Grant, I am puzzled by his rank and that 
of Robert E. Lee.  Everything I can read about Grant says he was promoted to Lt. 
General, the first person since Washington to hold it.  Nothing about being 
promoted to Full General.  Yet the DVD clearly shows four stars on his 
shoulderin his latter days of the Civil War.

On the other hand, Robert E. Lee is continually referred to on the Web as 
'General.'  However, photos I can find of him show only three stars, which in 
the old corps was Lt. General.  On the other hand, I did find one reference that 
Lee was indeed promoted to full (four-star) general at some point. 


So perhaps Grant was given some temporary (brevet?) promotion to four stars at 
Appomatox, so that he was of equal rank to the man surrendering to him.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Randy Cabell

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