Wikipedia:WikiProject Military history/American Civil War task force/Ranks

Guidance for rank (or in some points of view "office") names, abbreviations and links for American Civil War era military forces is presented here. Note that during the Civil War, rank names were spelled differently and hyphenated, such as "Brigadier-General". That historical style is no longer used. When writing an article, spell out and link the rank of each new individual on their first appearance in the article, using the rank that they held at the date timeframe that the article is being written for. When referring to that same individual again throughout the article, use only their last name from that point forward. Avoid abbreviating ranks in articles, unless absolutely necessary. Do not refer to rank titles by informal oral styles, such as "full bird" for a Colonel, or "Sarge" for a Sergeant.

United States military forces

United States Army

As a note, Lincoln referred to many generals (such as Halleck, Grant) over time as his "General-in-Chief" but there was never a U.S. Congressional creation of such a rank or office.

[[General of the Army (United States) | General of the Army]]  for Ulysses Grant after 25 July 1866
[[Commanding General of the United States Army]]               for Ulysses Grant after 12 March 1864
[[Lieutenant general (United States) | Lieutenant General]]    for Winfield Scott, Ulysses Grant after 2 Mar 1864
[[Major general (United States) | Major General]]
[[Brigadier general (United States) | Brigadier General]]
[[Colonel (United States) | Colonel]]
[[Lieutenant colonel (United States) | Lieutenant Colonel]]
[[Major (United States) | Major]]
[[Captain (United States) | Captain]]
[[First Lieutenant#United States | First Lieutenant]]
[[Second Lieutenant#United States | Second Lieutenant]]
[[West Point cadet#rank | Cadet]]

United States Navy

Note that the Navy added and changed ranks to align with the levels and quantities of ranks that the U.S. Army had, and this change was made on 16 July 1862. The U.S. Navy did not have any rank called "Lieutenant Junior Grade", and had the rank of "Master" instead. There were three terms of modified rank names in use up until 15 July 1862, which were "Flag Officer", "Commodore", "Lieutenant Commanding". A "Flag Officer" was a Navy Captain in charge of multiple ships at sea in a flotilla or squadron. A "Commodore" was a Navy Captain in which responsibilities of command, often with other Navy Captain's in junior positions to himself, and a "Lieutenant Commanding" was a Navy Lieutenant who was commanding a ship. These office names were all basically formed into official Congressionally-appointed ranks as you see in this list starting 16 July 1862, and began the process of harmonizing the US Army and US Navy rank structures.

[[Admiral (United States) | Admiral]]                            for Farragut after 25 July 1866
[[Vice admiral (United States) | Vice Admiral]]                  for Farragut after 21 Dec 1864
[[Rear admiral (United States) | Rear Admiral]]                  only after 16 July 1862
[[Commodore (United States) | Commodore]]                        only after 16 July 1862
[[Captain (United States | Captain]]
[[Commander (United States | Commander]]
[[Lieutenant commander (United States) | Lieutenant Commander]]  only after 16 July 1862
[[United States Navy officer rank insignia | Lieutenant]]
[[Master (naval) | Master]]
[[United States Navy officer rank insignia | Ensign]]            only after 16 July 1862
[[Passed Midshipman]]                                            up to 15 July 1862, which changed to Ensign
[[Midshipman#United States Navy and Marine Corps | Midshipman]]

United States Marine Corps

Note that the highest rank for the USMC during the war was a Colonel Commandant. In years later, as the USMC had more Colonels, and added a permanent Brigadier General, the office title of Commandant was retained. Additionally, since a Colonel Commandant might informally be referred to by "Colonel" much like a Brigadier General might be referred to as a "General", there is often confusion on the name of this rank.

[[United States Marine Corps officer rank insignia | Colonel Commandant]]
[[United States Marine Corps officer rank insignia | Lieutenant Colonel]]
[[United States Marine Corps officer rank insignia | Major]]
[[United States Marine Corps officer rank insignia | Captain]]
[[United States Marine Corps officer rank insignia | First Lieutenant]]
[[United States Marine Corps officer rank insignia | Second Lieutenant]]

Confederate States military forces

Confederate States Army

Note that the C.S. Army used flag ranks in a different manner from the U.S. Army. All C.S. Army generals wore the same rank insignia, and emphasized a more collegiate view of the rank, not emphasizing differences on the uniform. General Robert E. Lee consistently wore the rank of a Colonel: three stars with no laurels on the collar. The C.S. Army used distinct and different flag ranks for its command structure as noted below, which also differed from the U.S. Army. In the latter months of the war, General Lee's rank or title was changed to "General-in-Chief", and he is properly addressed by that title after January 31, 1865.

[[General-in-Chief]] for Lee only after 31 Jan 1865                 (All CS Armies)
[[General (CSA) | General]]                                         (Army)
[[Lieutenant General (CSA) | Lieutenant General]]                   (Corps)
[[Major General (CSA) | Major General]]                             (Divisions)
[[Brigadier General (CSA) | Brigadier General]]                     (Brigades)
[[Confederate States Army#Ranks and insignia | Colonel]]            (Regiments)
[[Confederate States Army#Ranks and insignia | Lieutenant Colonel]] (Battalions)
[[Confederate States Army#Ranks and insignia | Major]]              (Staff positions)
[[Confederate States Army#Ranks and insignia | Captain]]            (Companies)
[[Confederate States Army#Ranks and insignia | First Lieutenant]]   (Asst Company)
[[Confederate States Army#Ranks and insignia | Second Lieutenant]]  (Asst Company)

Confederate States Navy

Note that the C.S. Navy had only seven officer ranks throughout the war, and only one rank for a flag officer: Admiral. There were no other types of admiral ranks, as the C.S. Navy had the same view as the C.S. Army regarding non-distinction of ranks within flag officers. However, due to the size of the C.S. Army, and its ties to the tradition of having prominent or "major" generals among the brigadiers, the C.S. Army did stratify its flag rank for practical reasons, while the C.S. Navy maintained one flag rank title. But to add some confusion, the "major" admiral among the few C.S. Navy admirals was collegiately senior to the other "rear" admirals, a tradition in rank names similar to the C.S. Navy practice of calling Lieutenants by First or Second, but bear in mind that the CS Navy did not make any written distinctions of a "Rear Admiral", and the use of that title in references is often done by the author to perhaps relate to modern rank usage. Lieutenants in the C.S. Navy were informally called First Lieutenants and Second Lieutenants. Further, it would be proper it an ACW bio to introduce a person as "First Lieutenant So-and-So" if they were differentiated as such on a CS Navy rank list ... but their insignia of course would be merely that of a Lieutenant. Of further note, early in the war, the C.S. Navy had provisions for a rank of "Flag Officer", similar in function to a "commodore" but with more emphasis as a specific rank. The C.S. Navy had a duty or office title of "Commodore", which was a duty held by a captain, and he would be addressed by the title of commodore while serving in that office, although a captain by rank. The "Flag Officer" rank was done away with and Buchanan was given the rank "Admiral" in August of 1862. The C.S. Navy ranks reflect the typical rank structure for the British Royal Navy of that time, and were very similar to the United States Navy at the beginning of the war.

[[Uniforms_of_the_Confederate_States_military_forces#Confederate States Navy uniforms | Admiral]]             
[[Uniforms_of_the_Confederate_States_military_forces#Confederate States Navy uniforms | Captain]]
[[Uniforms_of_the_Confederate_States_military_forces#Confederate States Navy uniforms | Commander]]
[[Uniforms_of_the_Confederate_States_military_forces#Confederate States Navy uniforms | Lieutenant]]          
[[Uniforms_of_the_Confederate_States_military_forces#Confederate States Navy uniforms | Master]]
[[Uniforms_of_the_Confederate_States_military_forces#Confederate States Navy uniforms | Passed Midshipman]]
[[Uniforms_of_the_Confederate_States_military_forces#Confederate States Navy uniforms | Midshipman]]

Confederate States Marine Corps

Note that the highest rank for the CSMC during the war was a Colonel Commandant, and there was only one of these, as well as only one Lieutenant Colonel, and a handful of Majors. The use of Colonel Commandant was more formal as a rank title, and was not as much a mere office title, as in the way the C.S. Navy used "Commodore". This is because the USMC and CSMC only ever had one Colonel at a time, and so he was not a "Commandant" Colonel, commanding over other Colonels.

[[Confederate States Marine Corps | Colonel Commandant]]
[[Confederate States Marine Corps | Lieutenant Colonel]]
[[Confederate States Marine Corps | Major]]
[[Confederate States Marine Corps | Captain]]
[[Confederate States Marine Corps | First Lieutenant]]
[[Confederate States Marine Corps | Second Lieutenant]]