dialectal "from the home" /of the home

[Dave Wilton]

> It is certainly possible that George C. Marshall made such a statement.
> However, the first man to be considered for a rank equivalent to
> Field Marshal was
> Pershing, in the first World War.  Pershing, for some reason
> unknown to me,
> instead became "General of the Armies" rather than "Field Marshal."

The post and rank of "General of the Armies of the United States" was
actually created in 1799 by Congress for Washington, but he died before it
was conferred on him. Washington died with the rank of Lieutenant General.
In 1800 after Washington's death, Congress suspended the rank. In 1976, the
rank was posthumously conferred on him.

Congress revived the post and rank in 1866, changing the title slightly to
"General of the Army of the United States," and appointing Grant to the
post. William T. Sherman succeeded Grant in the title when the latter was
inaugurated president in 1869. In 1888, the ranks of Lieutenant General and
General of the Army were merged and Philip Sheridan was also granted the
rank of General of the Army--a month before he died. The rank was again
suspended with the death of Sherman in 1891.

The rank was again revived in 1919 and Pershing appointed to the post. In
this revival the title was again fashioned with the plural "Armies." The
exact reason for choices of singular/plural is unknown. Pershing held the
rank until his death in 1948.

In 1944, Congress enacted a new law authorizing the ranks of "General of the
Army" and "Fleet Admiral." Technically, this is a different rank and office
than Grant, Sherman, Sheridan, and Pershing held, although the title is the
same. This is the rank that Marshall, Eisenhower, et.al. were appointed to.
Initially, these new ranks were to be temporary. Congress made them
permanent in 1946.

(Source: https://www.perscom.army.mil/tagd/tioh/rank/goa.htm)

--Dave Wilton
  dave at wilton.net
  http://www.wilton.net