WASHINGTON, _December 23, 1812_.
SIR: Before I reply to your question, "how many major generals
and brigadiers are necessary for an army of thirty-five
thousand men?" it may not be amiss to state what is believed
to have been the proportion of officers of these grades in
the Revolutionary army, and what is understood to be the
proportion, at this time, in European armies.
In the first army of the Revolution, raised in 1775, we had a
commander-in-chief, four major generals, and eight brigadiers.
In 1776, five brigadiers were promoted to the rank of major
generals, and twenty-three brigadiers appointed. In 1777, six
brigadiers were promoted to the rank of major generals, and
three major generals and eighteen brigadiers appointed.
The loss of papers in the War Office, by fire, in 1800, renders
it impossible to say, with precision, at what particular
periods many of these general officers left the service; but
it is within my recollection that, on the 28th of June, 1778,
fourteen major generals, and sixteen brigadiers, were actually
in service of the United States. Yet, by referring to the
official letters of General Washington, in 1778 and 1779, it
will be seen that a further increase of general officers was
often and warmly recommended.
The main army, under the immediate command of General
Washington, it is believed, never amounted to thirty-five
thousand men, and it is by no means certain that this number
was ever in service at one and the same time, in the whole of
what was designated "the continental army." Yet, at no period,
between the first of May, 1777, and the close of the war, had
we less than thirty general officers in service.
It was deemed necessary, in the Revolution, and it is
understood to be the general practice in Europe, at this time,
to have at least one brigadier general for every two thousand
men, and one major general for every four thousand.
In this country we have never had a grade between the
commander-in-chief and that of major general; hence it was
found necessary, in the "continental army," to give to the
senior major general the command of the right wing, and to the
next in rank, that of the left, which, from the limited number
of general officers, often left a division to a brigadier, a
brigade to a colonel, and a regiment to a subordinate field
officer; but, in Europe, this difficulty is obviated by the
appointment of general officers of higher grades.
From the best information I have been able to obtain on this
subject, I have no hesitation in saying that eight major
generals, and sixteen brigadiers, to command the divisions
and brigades of an army of thirty-five thousand men, is the
lowest estimate which the uniform practice of France, Russia,
and England, will warrant, and that this is much below the
proportion of officers of these grades actually employed in the
army of the Revolution.
As you have not required my opinion whether it be necessary
to have a higher grade than that of major general, I have not
deemed it proper to touch this subject, and have confined
myself to the number of major generals and brigadiers deemed
necessary to command the divisions and brigades of an army of
thirty-five thousand men. It may not, however, be improper to
remark that, if it is intended to have no higher grade than
that of major general, their number should be increased to
eleven; so as to give one for the chief command, one for each
wing, and one for each division of four thousand men.