View source for Commanding General of the United States Army

{{Short description|Extinct military position in the US}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox official post
| post                     = Commanding General
| body                     = the United States Army
| native_name              = 
| insignia                 = 
| insigniasize             = 
| insigniacaption          = 
| flag                     = 
| flagsize                 = 
| flagborder               = 
| flagcaption              = 
| image                    = Winfield Scott by Fredricks, 1862 crop.jpg
| imagesize                = 
| alt                      = 
| imagecaption             = '''Longest serving<br>[[Brevet (military)|Brevet]] [[Lieutenant general (United States)|LTG]] [[Winfield Scott]]'''<br>5 July 1841 – 1 November 1861
| incumbentsince           = 
| department               = [[United States Army]]<br>[[United States Department of War]]
| style                    = 
| type                     = Senior-most [[Officer (armed forces)|officer]]
| status                   = 
| abbreviation             = 
| member_of                = 
| reports_to               = The [[United States Secretary of War|secretary of war]]
| residence                = 
| seat                     = [[List of Washington's Headquarters during the Revolutionary War|Several HQs]] {{small|(Washington)}}
| nominator                = 
| appointer                = The [[President of the United States|president]]
| appointer_qualified      = with [[United States Congress|Congress]] [[advice and consent]] 
| termlength               = No fixed term
| termlength_qualified     = 
| constituting_instrument  = An act of the [[Second Continental Congress]]
| precursor                = 
| formation                = 15 June 1775<br>June 1821
| first                    = [[General (United States)|GEN]] [[George Washington]]<br>{{small|as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army}}<br>[[Major general (United States)|MG]] [[Jacob Brown (general)|Jacob Brown]]<br>{{small|as Commanding General of the United States Army}}
| last                     = [[Lieutenant general (United States)|LTG]] [[Nelson A. Miles]]
| abolished                = 8 August 1903
| succession               = [[Chief of Staff of the United States Army|Chief of Staff of the Army]]
| unofficial_names         = 
| deputy                   = 
| salary                   = 
| website                  = 
}}

'''Commanding General of the United States Army''' was the title given to the service chief and highest-ranking officer of the [[United States Army]] (and its predecessor the [[Continental Army]]), prior to the establishment of the [[Chief of Staff of the United States Army|chief of staff of the United States Army]] in 1903.  During the [[American Revolutionary War]] (1775–1783), the title was '''Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army'''. Between 1783 and 1821, there was no true overall commander for the army. Historians use the term '''Senior Officer of the United States Army''' to refer to the individual that held the highest rank by virtue of his date of commission, though the authority they exerted depended on the will of the secretary of war. In 1821, Secretary John C. Calhoun appointed Jacob Brown as the Commanding General of the United States Army, thus establishing the office of Commanding General.  The office was often referred to by various other titles, such as "Major General Commanding the Army" or "General-in-Chief".

From 1789 until its abolition in 1903, the position of commanding general was legally subordinate to the [[United States Secretary of War|United States secretary of war]]; (senior member of the [[Cabinet of the United States|President's Cabinet]]), but was replaced by the creation of the statutory [[Chief of Staff of the United States Army|chief of staff of the Army]] by action of the [[United States Congress]] in 1903, under the 26th [[President of the United States|president]] [[Theodore Roosevelt]] ([[Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt|1901&ndash;1909]]).

==Officeholders==

† denotes people who died in office.

===Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army (1775–1783)===

{{Officeholder table start
| showorder          = y
| showimage          = y
| image_title        = Portrait
| officeholder_title = Commander-in-Chief
| showtermlenght     = y
| showparty          = n
| showdefencebranch  = n
| showaltofficeholder    = y
| alt_officeholder_title = Notes
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 1
| image             = Portrait of George Washington.jpeg
| military_rank     = [[General (United States)|General]]{{efn|[[Posthumous promotion|Promoted posthumously]] to [[General of the Armies]] in 1976, by an [[Act of Congress]] ([[wikisource:Public Law 94-479|Public Law 94-479]]) as part of the [[United States Bicentennial]].}}
| officeholder      = [[George Washington]]
| officeholder_sort = Washington, George
| officeholder_note = 
| born_year         = 1732
| died_year         = 1799
| term_start        = 15 June 1775
| term_end          = 23 December 1783
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1775|06|15|1783|12|23}}
| alt_officeholder  = [[George Washington in the American Revolution|Appointed]] by the [[Second Continental Congress]], after being nominated by [[Samuel Adams]] and [[John Adams]]. [[George Washington's resignation as commander-in-chief|Resigned]] to the [[Congress of the Confederation]], at the end of the [[American Revolutionary War]].
}}
{{Officeholder table end}}

===Senior Officer of the United States Army (1783–1821)===

{{Officeholder table start
| showorder          = y
| showimage          = y
| image_title        = Portrait
| officeholder_title = Senior Officer
| showtermlenght     = y
| showparty          = n
| showdefencebranch  = n
| showaltofficeholder    = y
| alt_officeholder_title = Notes
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 1
| image             = Henry Knox by Gilbert Stuart 1806, detail.jpg
| military_rank     = [[Major general (United States)|Major General]]
| officeholder      = [[Henry Knox]]
| officeholder_sort = Knox, Henry
| officeholder_note = 
| born_year         = 1750
| died_year         = 1806
| term_start        = 23 December 1783
| term_end          = 20 June 1784
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1783|12|23|1784|06|20}}
| alt_officeholder  = Resigned to begin career farming and developing land in [[District of Maine|Maine]]; appointed [[United States Secretary of War|Secretary of War]] under [[Articles of Confederation]] in 1785.
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 2
| image             = JohnDoughty.jpg
| military_rank     = [[Brevet (military)|Brevet]] [[Major (United States)|Major]]
| officeholder      = [[John Doughty]]
| officeholder_sort = Doughty, John
| officeholder_note = 
| born_year         = 1754
| died_year         = 1826
| term_start        = 20 June 1784
| term_end          = 12 August 1784
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1784|06|20|1784|08|12}}
| alt_officeholder  = Served when the Army was reduced to only 80 soldiers. Lowest ranking individual ever to command the U.S. Army.
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 3
| image             = Josiah Harmar by Raphaelle Peale.jpeg
| military_rank     = Brevet [[Brigadier general (United States)|Brigadier General]]
| officeholder      = [[Josiah Harmar]]
| officeholder_sort = Harmar, Josiah
| officeholder_note = 
| born_year         = 1753
| died_year         = 1813
| term_start        = 12 August 1784
| term_end          = 4 March 1791
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1784|08|12|1791|03|04}}
| alt_officeholder  = Served at the beginning of the [[Northwest Indian War]] with the [[Northwestern Confederacy]]. Removed by President [[George Washington]] in the aftermath of the [[Harmar campaign]].
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 4
| image             = General Arthur St. Clair - portrait.jpg
| military_rank     = Major General
| officeholder      = [[Arthur St. Clair]]
| officeholder_sort = St. Clair, Arthur
| officeholder_note = 
| born_year         = 1736
| died_year         = 1818
| term_start        = 4 March 1791
| term_end          = 5 March 1792
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1791|03|04|1792|03|05}}
| alt_officeholder  = Simultaneously served as Governor of the [[Northwest Territory]] (1787&ndash;1802). Resigned as Senior Officer at the request of President [[George Washington]], in the aftermath of [[St. Clair's defeat]].
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 5
| image             = Anthony Wayne (1745–1796).jpg
| military_rank     = Major General
| officeholder      = [[Anthony Wayne]]
| officeholder_sort = Wayne, Anthony
| officeholder_note = 
| born_year         = 1745
| died_year         = 1796
| died              = y
| term_start        = 13 April 1792
| term_end          = 15 December 1796
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1792|04|13|1796|12|15}}
| alt_officeholder  = Commanded the [[Legion of the United States]] during the [[Northwest Indian War]] and negotiated the [[Treaty of Greenville]] with the [[Northwestern Confederacy]] after the [[Battle of Fallen Timbers]].
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 6
| image             = James Wilkinson.jpg
| military_rank     = Brigadier General
| officeholder      = [[James Wilkinson]]
| officeholder_sort = Wilkinson, James
| officeholder_note = 
| born_year         = 1757
| died_year         = 1825
| term_start        = 15 December 1796
| term_end          = 13 July 1798
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1796|12|15|1798|07|13}}
| alt_officeholder  = Commanded the Legion of the United States at the start of the [[Quasi War]]. Responsible for establishing Reserve Corps in the [[Ohio River Valley]] and the lower [[Mississippi River Valley]] to be deployed in the event of war with [[First French Republic|France]] or [[Spanish Empire|Spain]]. Later discovered by historian [[Charles Gayarré]] to have been a Spanish spy.
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 7
| image             = Portrait of George Washington.jpeg
| military_rank     = [[Lieutenant general (United States)|Lieutenant General]]
| officeholder      = [[George Washington]]
| officeholder_sort = Washington, George
| officeholder_note = 
| born_year         = 1732
| died_year         = 1799
| died              = y
| term_start        = 13 July 1798
| term_end          = 14 December 1799
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1798|07|13|1799|12|14}}
| alt_officeholder  = Previously served as President of the United States ([[Presidency of George Washington|1789&ndash;1797]]). Appointed by President [[John Adams|Adams]] during the [[Quasi-War]] against the [[French First Republic|French Republic]]. Did not actively command the Army during this period but was prepared to lead it if the need arose.
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 8
| image             = Alexander Hamilton By William J Weaver.jpg
| military_rank     = Major General
| officeholder      = [[Alexander Hamilton]]
| officeholder_sort = Hamilton, Alexander
| officeholder_note = 
| born_year         = 1755/1757
| died_year         = 1804
| term_start        = 14 December 1799
| term_end          = 15 June 1800
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1799|12|14|1800|06|15}}
| alt_officeholder  = Previously served as [[United States Secretary of the Treasury|Secretary of the Treasury]] (1789&ndash;1795). Served as Inspector General of the Army with rank of major general, with effective command-and-control during the Quasi-War from 19 July 1798. Became Senior Officer in the Army after the death of Washington.}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 6
| image             = James Wilkinson.jpg
| military_rank     = Brigadier General{{efn|Promoted to major general during the [[War of 1812]] and retired on 15 June 1815.}}
| officeholder      = [[James Wilkinson]]
| officeholder_sort = Wilkinson, James
| officeholder_note = 
| born_year         = 1757
| died_year         = 1825
| term_start        = 15 June 1800
| term_end          = 27 January 1812
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1800|06|15|1812|01|27}}
| alt_officeholder  = Commanded during the [[Louisiana Purchase]] and the [[Lewis and Clark Expedition]]. Known for suppressing the [[Burr conspiracy]].
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 9
| image             = Gilbert Stuart - Major-General Henry Dearborn - 1913.793 - Art Institute of Chicago.jpg
| military_rank     = Major General
| officeholder      = [[Henry Dearborn]]
| officeholder_sort = Dearborn, Henry
| officeholder_note = 
| born_year         = 1751
| died_year         = 1829
| term_start        = 27 January 1812
| term_end          = 15 June 1815
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1812|01|27|1815|06|15}}
| alt_officeholder  = Previously served as [[United States Secretary of War|Secretary of War]] (1801&ndash;1809). Last [[American Revolutionary War]] veteran to serve as Senior Officer. Served as the Commanding General at the beginning of the [[War of 1812]]. Known for authorizing the American invasion of [[Lower Canada]], including the [[Battle of York]]. Reassigned to administrative post in [[New York City]] after achieving few victories.
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 10
| image             = Jacob Jennings Brown (1775-1828) 1923 3.jpeg
| military_rank     = Major General
| officeholder      = [[Jacob Brown (general)|Jacob Brown]]
| officeholder_sort = Brown, Jacob
| officeholder_note = 
| born_year         = 1775
| died_year         = 1828
| term_start        = 15 June 1815
| term_end          = June 1821
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1815|06|15|1821|06|01}}
| alt_officeholder  = Appointed Commanding General of the Army after successes on the Northwestern front of the War of 1812. Presided over a reduction in the size of the U.S. Army in the 1810s. Created the United States's first military colleges and the [[United States Army Recruiting Command|General Recruiting Service]].
}}
{{Officeholder table end}}

===Commanding General of the United States Army (1821–1903)===

{{Officeholder table start
| showorder          = y
| showimage          = y
| image_title        = Portrait
| officeholder_title = Commanding General
| showtermlenght     = y
| showparty          = n
| showdefencebranch  = n
| showaltofficeholder    = y
| alt_officeholder_title = Notes
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 1
| image             = Jacob Jennings Brown (1775-1828) 1923 3.jpeg
| military_rank     = Major General
| officeholder      = [[Jacob Brown (general)|Jacob Brown]]
| officeholder_sort = Brown, Jacob
| officeholder_note = 
| born_year         = 1775
| died_year         = 1828
| died              = y
| term_start        = June 1821
| term_end          = 24 February 1828
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1821|06|01|1828|02|24}}
| alt_officeholder  = .
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 2
| image             = AlexanderMacomb-CC.jpg
| military_rank     = Major General
| officeholder      = [[Alexander Macomb (general)|Alexander Macomb]]
| officeholder_sort = Macomb, Alexander
| officeholder_note = 
| born_year         = 1782
| died_year         = 1841
| died              = y
| term_start        = 29 May 1828
| term_end          = 25 June 1841
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1828|05|29|1841|06|25}}
| alt_officeholder  = Commanding general at the [[Battle of Plattsburgh]]. Advocated expanding the U.S. Army during his tenure.
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 3
| image             = Winfield Scott by Fredricks, 1862 crop.jpg
| military_rank     = Brevet Lieutenant General
| officeholder      = [[Winfield Scott]]
| officeholder_sort = Scott, Winfield
| officeholder_note = 
| born_year         = 1786
| died_year         = 1866
| term_start        = 5 July 1841
| term_end          = 1 November 1861
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1841|07|05|1861|11|01}}
| alt_officeholder  = Personally commanded the Army in the [[Battle for Mexico City]] in 1847, during the [[Mexican–American War]]. Runner-up in the [[1852 United States presidential election|1852 presidential election]]. Commanded the [[Union Army]] at the beginning of the American Civil War. Developed the [[Anaconda Plan]] to defeat the [[Confederate States of America|Confederacy]] and recommended expanding the [[Regular Army (United States)|Regular Army]] rather than relying on [[President Lincoln's 75,000 volunteers|militia]]. Resigned after the Union defeat at the [[First Battle of Bull Run]]. Age 75 at his retirement, Scott was the oldest person to serve as Commanding General.
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 4
| image             = GeorgeMcClellan2 (cropped).jpg
| military_rank     = Major General
| officeholder      = [[George B. McClellan]]
| officeholder_sort = McClellan, George B.
| officeholder_note = 
| born_year         = 1826
| died_year         = 1885
| term_start        = 1 November 1861
| term_end          = 11 March 1862
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1861|11|01|1862|03|11}}
| alt_officeholder  = Simultaneously served as Commander of the [[Army of the Potomac]]. Removed by President [[Abraham Lincoln]] after the [[Peninsula campaign]] and McClellan's failure to pursue the [[Army of Northern Virginia]] after the [[Battle of Antietam]]. Later unsuccessfully [[George McClellan 1864 presidential campaign|campaigned]] with the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] in the [[1864 United States presidential election|1864 election]].
}}
|-style="text-align:center;"
|colspan=8|''Position vacant''<br/>(11 March 1862 – 23 July 1862){{efn|Eicher, ''Civil War High Commands''. The gap from 11 March 1862 to 23 July 1862 was filled with direct control of the Army by President [[Abraham Lincoln]] and [[United States Secretary of War|Secretary of War]] [[Edwin Stanton]], with the help of an unofficial "War Board" that was established on 17 March 1862. The board consisted of [[Ethan A. Hitchcock (general)|Ethan A. Hitchcock]], the chairman, with Department of War bureau chiefs [[Lorenzo Thomas]], [[Montgomery C. Meigs]], [[Joseph Gilbert Totten|Joseph G. Totten]], [[James Wolfe Ripley|James W. Ripley]], and [[Joseph Pannell Taylor|Joseph P. Taylor]].|name=|group=}} 
|-
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 5
| image             = Henry Wager Halleck - Brady-Handy.jpg
| military_rank     = Major General
| officeholder      = [[Henry Halleck]]
| officeholder_sort = Halleck, Henry
| officeholder_note = 
| born_year         = 1815
| died_year         = 1872
| term_start        = 23 July 1862
| term_end          = 9 March 1864
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1862|07|23|1864|03|09}}
| alt_officeholder  = Reassigned as the Army's chief of staff, subordinate to Grant.
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 6
| image             = GenUSGrant.jpg
| military_rank     = [[General of the Army (United States)|General of the Army]]{{efn|[[Posthumous promotion|Promoted posthumously]] to [[General of the Armies]] in 2024,<ref name=":0">{{cite tweet |last=Simpson |first=Brooks D. |author-link=Brooks D. Simpson |user=BrooksDSimpson |number=1844824822205088223 |date=11 October 2024 |title=Someone got promoted! |access-date=12 October 2024 |quote=[with scanned attachment copy of April 19, 2024, [[United States Department of Defense|U.S. Department of Defense]] Memorandum for the [[United States Secretary of the Army|Secretary of the Army]]; Subject: Posthumous Advancement on the Retired List; . . . General Ulysses S. Grant . . . to the grade of General of the Armies . . .}}</ref> in compliance with Section 583 of the [[National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023|NDAA 2023]].<ref name=HR_7776>Act of 23 December 2022 James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 ([https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/7776 H. R. 7776] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221219162434/https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/7776 |date=19 December 2022 }}).</ref>}}
| officeholder      = [[Ulysses S. Grant]]
| officeholder_sort = Grant, Ulysses S.
| officeholder_note = 
| born_year         = 1822
| died_year         = 1885
| term_start        = 9 March 1864
| term_end          = 4 March 1869
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1864|03|09|1869|03|04}}
| alt_officeholder  = Appointed after successes in the [[Battle of Vicksburg]] and the [[Chattanooga campaign]]. When appointed, Grant served in the field, his headquarters attached to the Army of the Potomac. Defeated the Army of Northern Virginia at the [[Overland Campaign]] and the [[Siege of Petersburg|Petersburg campaign]]. Accepted General [[Robert E. Lee]]'s [[Battle of Appomattox Court House#Surrender|surrender]] at the [[Battle of Appomattox Court House|Battle of Appomattox]]. Resigned to become the [[List of presidents of the United States|18th]] [[president of the United States]] after winning the [[1868 United States presidential election|1868 election]]. ([[Presidency of Ulysses S. Grant|1869&ndash;1877]]).
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 7
| image             = General William T. Sherman (4190887790) (cropped).jpg
| military_rank     = General of the Army
| officeholder      = [[William Tecumseh Sherman]]
| officeholder_sort = Sherman, William Tecumseh
| officeholder_note = 
| born_year         = 1820
| died_year         = 1891
| term_start        = 8 March 1869
| term_end          = 1 November 1883
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1869|03|08|1883|11|01}}
| alt_officeholder  = Known for leading the [[Sherman's March to the Sea|March to the Sea]] and the [[Campaign of the Carolinas]] during the American Civil War. Served as commanding general during the [[Modoc War]], the [[Great Sioux War of 1876]], and the [[Nez Perce War]]. Resigned position; retired upon reaching mandatory retirement age of 64 in 1884.
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 8
| image             = Philip Sheridan 1.jpg
| military_rank     = General of the Army
| officeholder      = [[Philip Sheridan]]
| officeholder_sort = Sheridan, Philip
| officeholder_note = 
| born_year         = 1831
| died_year         = 1888
| died              = y
| term_start        = 1 November 1883
| term_end          = 5 August 1888
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1883|11|01|1888|08|05}}
| alt_officeholder  = Known for service in the American Civil War, [[Reconstruction era|Reconstruction]], and the [[Indian Wars]]. Influential in establishment of [[Yellowstone National Park]].
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 9
| image             = John M Schofield by CM Bell, c1860s (cropped).JPG
| military_rank     = Lieutenant General
| officeholder      = [[John Schofield]]
| officeholder_sort = Schofield, John
| officeholder_note = 
| born_year         = 1831
| died_year         = 1906
| term_start        = 14 August 1888
| term_end          = 29 September 1895
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1888|08|14|1895|09|29}}
| alt_officeholder  = Former military commander during the American Civil War and Reconstruction. Advised the government during the [[Pullman Strike]]. Retired upon reaching mandatory retirement age of 64.
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 10
| image             = Nelson A. Miles by Brands Studios, 1898.jpg
| military_rank     = Lieutenant General
| officeholder      = [[Nelson A. Miles]]
| officeholder_sort = Miles, Nelson A.
| officeholder_note = 
| born_year         = 1839
| died_year         = 1925
| term_start        = 5 October 1895
| term_end          = 8 August 1903
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1895|10|05|1903|08|08}}
| alt_officeholder  = Served as commanding general during the [[Spanish–American War]] and the [[United States Army beef scandal|Army beef scandal]]. Retired upon reaching mandatory retirement age of 64. Position replaced with the [[Chief of Staff of the United States Army|Army Chief of Staff]] upon Miles's retirement.
}}
{{Officeholder table end}}

==Timeline==
{{#tag:timeline|
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PlotArea  = top:10 bottom:50 right:100 left:20
AlignBars = late

DateFormat = yyyy
Period     = from:1775 till:1905
TimeAxis   = orientation:horizontal
ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:5 start:1775
ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:1 start:1775

Colors     =
  id:cinc value:rgb(0,0,0) legend: CINC
  id:so   value:rgb(0,0,1) legend: SO
  id:cg   value:rgb(1,0,0) legend: CG
  id:time value:rgb(0.9,0.9,0.9)

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  barset:PM

 bar:washington
 bar:knox
 bar:doughty
 bar:harmar
 bar:stclair
 bar:wayne
 bar:wilkinson
 bar:hamilton
 bar:dearborn
 bar:brown
 bar:macomb
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 bar:mcclellan
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  width:5 align:left fontsize:S shift:(5,-4) anchor:till
  barset:PM

 bar:washington
  from: 1775 till: 1783 color:cinc
  from: 1798 till: 1799 color:so   text:"[[George Washington|Washington]]" fontsize:10
 bar:knox
  from: 1783 till: 1784 color:so   text:"[[Henry Knox|Knox]]" fontsize:10
 bar:doughty
  from: 1784 till: 1784 color:so   text:"[[John Doughty|Doughty]]" fontsize:10
 bar:harmar
  from: 1784 till: 1791 color:so   text:"[[Josiah Harmar|Harmar]]" fontsize:10
 bar:stclair
  from: 1791 till: 1792 color:so   text:"[[Arthur St. Clair|St. Clair]]" fontsize:10
 bar:wayne
  from: 1792 till: 1796 color:so   text:"[[Anthony Wayne|Wayne]]" fontsize:10
 bar:wilkinson
  from: 1796 till: 1798 color:so
  from: 1800 till: 1812 color:so   text:"[[James Wilkinson|Wilkinson]]" fontsize:10
 bar:hamilton
  from: 1799 till: 1800 color:so   text:"[[Alexander Hamilton|Hamilton]]" fontsize:10
 bar:dearborn
  from: 1812 till: 1815 color:so   text:"[[Henry Dearborn|Dearborn]]" fontsize:10
 bar:brown
  from: 1815 till: 1821 color:so
  from: 1821 till: 1828 color:cg   text:"[[Jacob Brown (general)|Brown]]" fontsize:10
 bar:macomb
  from: 1828 till: 1841 color:cg   text:"[[Alexander Macomb (general)|Macomb]]" fontsize:10
 bar:scott
  from: 1841 till: 1861 color:cg   text:"[[Winfield Scott|Scott]]" fontsize:10
 bar:mcclellan
  from: 1861 till: 1862 color:cg   text:"[[George B. McClellan|McClellan]]" fontsize:10
 bar:halleck
  from: 1862 till: 1864 color:cg   text:"[[Henry Halleck|Halleck]]" fontsize:10
 bar:grant
  from: 1864 till: 1869 color:cg   text:"[[Ulysses S. Grant|Grant]]" fontsize:10
 bar:sherman
  from: 1869 till: 1883 color:cg   text:"[[William Tecumseh Sherman|Sherman]]" fontsize:10
 bar:sheridan
  from: 1883 till: 1888 color:cg   text:"[[Philip Sheridan|Sheridan]]" fontsize:10
 bar:schofield
  from: 1888 till: 1895 color:cg   text:"[[John Schofield|Schofield]]" fontsize:10
 bar:miles
  from: 1895 till: 1903 color:cg   text:"[[Nelson A. Miles|Miles]]" fontsize:10

}}

==See also==
*[[United States military seniority]]

==Notes==
{{notelist|2}}

==Bibliography==
* Historical Resources Branch; [[United States Army Center of Military History]].
*{{Cite book
 | last1 = Eicher | first1 = John H.
 | last2 = Eicher | first2 = David J.
 | title = Civil War High Commands
 | publisher = [[Stanford University Press]]
 | year = 2001
 | ISBN = 0-8047-3641-3 }}
*{{Cite book
 | first = William Gardner
 | last = Bell
 | title = Commanding Generals and Chiefs of Staff 1775–2005: Portraits and Biographical Sketches
 | location = Washington, D.C.
 | publisher = [[United States Army Center of Military History]]
 | year = 2005
 | url = http://www.history.army.mil/books/CG%26CSA/CG-TOC.htm
 | ref = Bell
 | access-date = 18 June 2010
 | archive-date = 10 April 2021
 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210410203809/https://history.army.mil/books/cg%26csa/cg-toc.htm
 | url-status = dead
 }}
*{{Cite book
  | last1 = King | first1 = Archibald
  | title = Command of the Army
  | series = Military Affairs
  | location = Charlottesville, Virginia
  | publisher = [[The Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School|The Judge Advocate General's School, U.S. Army]]
  | orig-year = 1949
  | year = 1960 
  | url = https://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/Military_Law/pdf/Command-Army_King.pdf
  | ref = King }}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{US Army Chiefs of Staff}}
{{Government of the United States under the Articles of Confederation}}
{{Star officer ranks}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Commanding General of the United States Army}}
[[Category:United States Army organization]]
[[Category:United States Army generals|#]]
[[Category:1775 establishments in the Thirteen Colonies]]
[[Category:1903 disestablishments in the United States]]
[[Category:Commanding Generals of the United States Army| ]]
[[Category:Confederation period]]