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The Washington Family Coat of Arms

Freepmail me to get ON or OFF this list.

I would encourage you folks to visit Trenton and the Old Barracks to re-live the Battle. You can stand on the hill where Hamilton set up his artillery and The General stood and sent a 17 y/o James Monroe with a few others to take a Hessian cannon (Monroe was wounded in this encounter).

Thanks to Molly Pitcher for posting. Trenton and the closely following Battle of Princeton were sorely needed wins in a tough campaign. It is because of the stick-to-itiveness of those early Americans that we enjoy the freedoms we have today in the greatest country that ever was, is, and ever will be.

Merry Christmas and/or Happy Hannukah to all of those on the list and to Freepers and their families everywhere.

Thanks PB for the ping. A sidebar, from the Icky-pedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_of_the_Armies

During his lifetime, George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799) never held the rank "General of the Armies." During the American Revolution he held the title of "General and Commander in Chief" of the Continental Army.

George Washington was not answerable to Continental Congress or the President of Congress while he commanded the Continental Army. In that regard, George Washington was the only person in United States history to actively command with complete authority all military forces of the United States.

[and he was worthy of that level of trust and responsibility, perhaps uniquely so]

A year prior to his death, Washington was appointed by President John Adams to the rank of Lieutenant General in the United States Army during the Quasi-War, after he had left office as President of the United States. Washington never exercised active authority under his new rank, however, and Adams made the appointment mainly to frighten the French, with whom war seemed certain.

Making up for lost time, and to maintain George Washington's proper position as the first Commanding General of the United States Army, he was appointed, posthumously, to the grade of General of the Armies of the United States by congressional joint resolution of January 19, 1976, approved by President Gerald R. Ford on October 11, 1976, and formalized in Department of the Army Special Order Number 31-3 of August 13, 1978, with an effective appointment date of July 4, 1776. The appointment confirmed George Washington as the most-senior United States military officer - more senior than Pershing because the date of Washington's posthumous commission predates Pershing by 143 years, but still subordinate in rank to the Commander In Chief. By normal US Military policy and precedent, no person may be elevated in seniority before their original date of appointment or enlistment.

Since George Washington is considered to be the most senior military officer, permanently outranking all other military officers, except the Commander In Chief, it is inferred that Washington's rank is considered a six star general, but there has never been any six-star insignia authorized or manufactured, since the rank of a five star general has already been established.