Paul Roberts wrote:This strikes me as a little odd. It seems to me that the use of stars ought to correspond to historical ranks. Historically, one star would be a Brigadier, who would command, well, a brigade. Two stars (Major General) would command a division, three stars (Lieutenant General) a corps, and four stars (General) an Army.
I guess we can just see it as the practice of some officers commanding forces above their grade. But that was the exception, not the standard.
Historically a 1 star could've commanded a brigade or division, 2 star could've commanded a division, corp, or Army. Grant was the only 3 star. 4 stars didn't show up until WWI when the U.S. needed a rank equivalent to a Field Marshall.
[note: Winfield Scott was promoted to a 3 star at the beginning of the war, but he never commanded in the field. Otherwise until Grant was promoted the only other 3 star in US history was George Washington.]
"At ease was never that easy to me. I don't relax by parting my legs slightly and putting my hands behind my back. That does not equal ease. At ease is not being in the military. 'I am at ease, bro, because I am not in the military.' " - Mitch Hedberg