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44-506: Two supporting columns were under the command of Brigadier General William Sooy Smith and Colonel James Henry Coates . Smith's expedition was tasked to destroy a rebel cavalry commanded by Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest , maintain communications with Middle Tennessee and take men from the defense on the Mississippi River to the Atlanta campaign . To maintain communications, it

88-399: A brigade ; however, over the course of the 19th and 20th centuries, the responsibilities of the rank expanded significantly. During the period from March 16, 1802, to January 11, 1812, the rank of major general was abolished and brigadier general became the highest rank in the U.S. Army. Foreseeing the need for an expanded general staff in case of war, which seemed imminent, Congress restored

132-651: A colonel and below a major general . The pay grade of brigadier general is O-7. It is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral (lower half) in the other United States uniformed services which use naval ranks . It is abbreviated as BG in the Army, BGen in the Marine Corps, and Brig Gen in the Air Force and Space Force. The Civil Air Patrol also uses this grade for its National Vice Commander and some past National commanders. The rank of brigadier general has existed in

176-566: A trestle table . Each supporting frame is a bent . A trestle differs from a viaduct in that viaducts have towers that support much longer spans and typically have a higher elevation. Timber and iron trestles (i.e. bridges) were extensively used in the 19th century, the former making up from 1 to 3 percent of the total length of the average railroad. In the 21st century, steel and sometimes concrete trestles are commonly used to bridge particularly deep valleys, while timber trestles remain common in certain areas. Many timber trestles were built in

220-556: A dead-end track, rather than a bridge. One of the longest trestle spans created was for railroad traffic crossing the Great Salt Lake on the Lucin Cutoff in Utah . It was replaced by a fill causeway in the 1960s, and is now being salvaged for its timber. Many wooden roller coasters are built using designs similar to trestle bridges because such a structure can be strong and support

264-454: A high track path while using a relatively small amount of material. Since loads are well distributed through large portions of the structure it is also resilient to the stresses imposed. The structure also naturally leads to a certain redundancy (provided that economic considerations are not overly dominant). Such wooden coasters, while limited in their path (not supporting loops), possess a certain ride character (owing to structural response) that

308-415: A one-star billet is two to four years. Other than voluntary retirement, statute sets a number of mandates for retirement. All brigadier generals must retire after five years in grade or 30 years of service, whichever is later, unless selected or appointed for promotion, or reappointed to grade to serve longer. Otherwise, all general and flag officers must retire the month after their 64th birthday. However,

352-478: A rear attack, leaving Meridian and its surrounding territory to the mercy of the enemy. While evacuating, Polk and his army began removing some railroad rolling stock to McDowell's Bluff. Smith never reached Meridian; he and his troops met Confederate resistance led by Maj. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest at West Point, Mississippi . Forrest and his army forced Smith to begin to retreat to Tennessee. When Forrest saw Smith's army retreating, he ordered his troops to chase

396-531: Is a modern structure with a long expected lifetime compared to a wooden trestle. Being less susceptible to fire damage in this brushy location is also an advantage. The approaches to the Kate Shelley High Bridge near Boone, Iowa, are steel trestles. New Orleans utilizes steel trestles to support parts of I-10 , the Pontchartrain Expressway , and Tulane Avenue . Also, trestles support

440-515: Is appreciated by fans of the type. The Camas Prairie Railroad in northern Idaho utilized many timber trestles across the rolling Camas Prairie and in the major grade, Lapwai Canyon. The 1,490-foot (450 m) viaduct across Lawyers Canyon was the exception, constructed of steel and 287 feet (87 m) in height. The floodway of the Bonnet Carré Spillway in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana,

484-748: Is crossed by three wooden trestles each over 1.5 miles (2.4 km) in length. The trestles are owned by the Canadian National Railway (two trestles) and the Kansas City Southern Railroad. The trestles were completed in 1936, after construction of the Spillway. The trestles may be the longest wooden railroad trestles remaining in regular use in North America. A coal trestle is a rigid-frame trestle supporting train tracks above chutes, used to deliver fuel to boats or trains beneath it. At

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528-465: The 187th Infantry Brigade ). While separate brigades (e.g. the 187th, commanded by then-BG William Westmoreland in Korea) were traditionally commanded by brigadier generals, this practice has ceased in recent history. Today, an Army or Marine Corps "BG" or "BGen," respectively, typically serves as deputy commander to the commanding general of a division or division-sized units and assists in overseeing

572-466: The 1st Mississippi Cavalry Regiment (African Descent) and the expedition continued upriver to reach Greenwood, Mississippi , on February 14. Descending the Yazoo River, the expedition returned to Yazoo City on February 28 after seizing over 1,700 bales of cotton. On March 5, Coates' force repulsed an attack by two brigades of Confederate cavalry under Lawrence Sullivan Ross and Robert V. Richardson in

616-712: The Battle of Yazoo City . Following orders, Coates abandoned Yazoo City on March 6 and returned to Vicksburg. A summary of skirmishes and battles: The 16th Army Corps was under the command of Major General Stephen A. Hurlbut . The First Division was under the command of Brigadier General James M. Tuttle . It was composed of the First Brigade under Col. William L. McMillen , Second Brigade under Brigadier General Joseph A. Mower , Third Brigade under Col. James L. Geddes , and Artillery under Captain Nelson T. Spoor . The Third Division

660-569: The Great Lakes ports of Buffalo (on Lake Erie ), Sodus Point and Oswego, New York (both on Lake Ontario ). In the United Kingdom, timber trestles were relatively short-lived as a structural type, one of their major uses being to cross the many deep valleys in Cornwall on the spinal rail route through the county. These were all replaced by masonry viaducts. Few timber trestles survived into

704-567: The Mobile and Ohio Railroad to meet the rest of the Union force at Meridian. To counter the threat, Confederate President Jefferson Davis ordered troops to the area from other localities. The Confederate commander in the area, Lt. Gen. Leonidas Polk , consolidated a number of commands in and around Morton, Mississippi , but lost his nerve and retreated rapidly eastward. On the journey towards Meridian, Sherman ordered several feints into other regions of

748-527: The Yazoo River to divert his attention. Cavalry units commanded by Maj. Gen. Stephen D. Lee periodically skirmished with Sherman's force. As Sherman approached Meridian, he met stiffer resistance from the combined forces but steadily moved on. Polk finally realized that he could not stop Sherman and was convinced he was headed not for Meridian but for Mobile, so he decided to evacuate Meridian on February 14, fall back to Demopolis, Alabama , and prepare to launch

792-442: The delusion of an attack on Mobile by land, whereas I promised him to be back to Vicksburg by the 1st of March . . . ." On January 31, 1864, Coates and 947 men from the 11th Illinois Infantry Regiment and 8th Louisiana Infantry Regiment (African Descent) left Vicksburg aboard six river transports and five gunboats. The expedition steamed up the Yazoo River to occupy Yazoo City on February 9. They were joined there by 250 men from

836-404: The 19th and early 20th centuries with the expectation that they would be temporary. Timber trestles were used to get the railroad to its destination. Once the railroad was running, it was used to transport the material to replace trestles with more permanent works, transporting and dumping fill around some trestles and transporting stone or steel to replace others with more permanent bridges. In

880-507: The 20th century. Two that did, and which are still in daily use, cross the Afon Mawddach on the coast of Wales only a few miles apart, at Barmouth and Penmaenpool . The former, built in 1867, carries trains on the heavy rail Cambrian Coast Line travelling from England via Shrewsbury to the various small towns on Cardigan Bay . It also carries a toll-path for pedestrians. Road traffic at this location has to travel many miles around

924-578: The First Brigade under Col. George E. Waring, Jr. , Second Brigade under Lieutenant Col. William P. Hepburn , Third Brigade under Col. Lafayette McCrillis , and the 4th United States under Captain Charles S. Bowman. The 16th Army Corps First Division aggregate 5,558 men, Third Division 6,854 men, and Fourth Division 3,735 men. 17th Army Corps Headquarters aggregate 99 men, First Division 2,329 men, Third Division 8,640 men, Fourth Division 7,641 men, Cavalry 4,215 men. The total aggregate of men present and absent on

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968-657: The Meridian expedition was 38,071 men. The total casualties during the Meridian expedition was 150 during the Okolona battle. The total campaign casualty figures are unknown. Brigadier general (United States) In the United States Armed Forces , a brigadier general is a one-star general officer in the United States Army , Marine Corps , Air Force , and Space Force . A brigadier general ranks above

1012-489: The President nominates an officer for appointment to fill that position. For all five uniformed services, because the grade of brigadier general is a permanent rank, the nominee may still be screened by an in-service promotion board. The rank does not expire when the officer vacates a one-star position. Tour length varies depending on the position, by statute, or when the officer receives a new assignment. The average tour length of

1056-478: The Secretary of Defense can defer a general or flag officer's retirement until the officer's 66th birthday and the President can defer it until the officer's 68th birthday. Because there are a finite number of General officer positions, one officer must retire before another can be promoted. As a result, General and flag officers typically retire well in advance of the statutory age and service limits, so as not to impede

1100-597: The U.S. military since the inception of the Continental Army in June 1775. To prevent mistakes in recognizing officers, a general order was issued on July 14, 1775, establishing that brigadier generals would wear a ribbon, worn across the breast, between coat and waistcoat, pink in color. Later, on June 18, 1780, it was prescribed that brigadier generals would instead wear a single silver star on each epaulette . At first, brigadier generals were infantry officers who commanded

1144-544: The advice of the Secretary of Defense, the service secretary, and if applicable, the service's chief of staff or commandant. The President may nominate any eligible officer who is not on the recommended list if it serves in the interest of the nation, but this is uncommon. The Senate must then confirm the nominee before the officer can be promoted. Once the nominee is confirmed, they are promoted to that rank once they assume or hold an office that requires or allows an officer of that rank. For positions of office reserved by statute,

1188-590: The army down. Forrest caught Smith and his troops in Okolona, Mississippi , and forced them to retreat more rapidly after a defeat in the Battle of Okolona on February 22, 1864, which ultimately resulted in General Sherman's entire left flank being eliminated during the campaign. Sherman's army reached Meridian on February 14, 1864. Still unaware of Smith's defeat at West Point and the one to come at Okolona, Sherman decided to continue waiting for Smith in Meridian until

1232-651: The estuary to cross at either (for light traffic) the second trestle bridge, at Penmaenpool, which is a toll bridge; or (for heavy traffic) at Dolgellau even further up the estuary. Trestles in cast- or wrought-iron were used during the 19th century on the developing railway network in the United Kingdom. These generally carried decking consisting of some form of trussed girder, as at Crumlin Viaduct, Belah and Meldon ; though two rare examples, at Dowery Dell (demolished in 1962), and Bennerley had lattice girder decks. The steel trestle at Martinez, California, shown below,

1276-548: The headquarters for a number of state offices. Sherman planned to take Meridian and, if the situation was favorable, push on to Selma, Alabama . He also wished to threaten Mobile enough to force the Confederates to reinforce their defenses. While Sherman set out on February 3, 1864, with the main force of 20,000 men from Vicksburg, he ordered Brig. Gen. William Sooy Smith to lead a cavalry force of 7,000 men from Memphis, Tennessee , south through Okolona, Mississippi , along

1320-414: The later 20th century, tools such as the earthmover made it cheaper to construct a high fill directly instead of first constructing a trestle from which to dump the fill. Timber trestles remain common in some applications, most notably for bridge approaches crossing floodways , where earth fill would dangerously obstruct floodwater. For the purposes of discharging material below, a coal trestle carried

1364-434: The morning of February 20, when he gave up and returned to Vicksburg. While he and his army were waiting, Sherman ordered his troops "to wipe the appointed meeting place off the map" by destroying the railroads and burning much of the area to the ground. Sherman's troops destroyed 115 mi (185 km) of railroad, 61 bridges, 6,075 ft (1,852 m) of trestle work, 20 locomotives, 28 cars, and 3 steam sawmills. After

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1408-659: The permanent grade of brigadier general, eligible officers are screened by a promotion board consisting of general officers from their branch of service. This promotion board then generates a list of officers it recommends for promotion to general rank. This list is then sent to the service secretary and the Joint Chiefs for review before it can be sent to the President , through the Secretary of Defense , for consideration. The President nominates officers to be promoted from this list with

1452-499: The planning and coordination of a mission. A Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB), as the medium capability (and sized) scalable Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) with up to 20,000 Marines, is normally commanded by a Marine BGen. An Air Force brigadier general typically commands a large wing or serves as the deputy commander for a NAF . Additionally, one-star officers of all services may serve as high-level staff officers in large military organizations. U.S. law explicitly limits

1496-536: The rank of major general in January 1812. The insignia for a brigadier general is one silver star worn on the shoulder or collar, and has not changed since the creation of the rank two centuries ago. Since the Mexican–American War , however, the lower rank of colonel has been the normal rank appointed to command a brigade that is organic to a division ( e.g. , the 1st Brigade of the 94th Infantry Division , vice

1540-548: The state to keep Polk guessing about Sherman's true point of attack. Sherman also asked Maj. Gen. Nathaniel Banks , Union commander of the Department of the Gulf at New Orleans, Louisiana , to have boats maneuvering as if they were preparing to attack Mobile. Doing this forced the Confederates to keep troops from leaving Mobile to aid Meridian in case of an attack on the gulf. To further confuse Polk, Sherman sent gunboats and infantry up

1584-411: The top of the trestle, rolling stock (typically hopper cars ) open doors on their undersides or on their sides to discharge cargo. Coal trestles were also used to transfer coal from mining railroads to rail cars. They were prominent when coal was an important fuel for rail locomotion and steamships , before they were replaced with mechanical coal loaders during the 20th century. Coal trestles were used in

1628-481: The total number of general officers who may be on active duty. The total number of active duty general officers is capped at 218 for the Army, 62 for the Marine Corps, 170 for the Air Force, and 21 for the Space Force. The President or Secretary of Defense may increase the number of slots for one branch, so long as they subtract an equal number from another. Some of these slots are reserved by statute. For promotion to

1672-471: The troops departed, inhabitants of the city were without food for some days, but the soldiers had not directly inflicted any personal injuries during the attack. After the destruction of the economic and military infrastructure of Meridian, Sherman is reported to have said, "Meridian with its depots, store-houses, arsenal , hospitals, offices, hotels, and cantonments no longer exists." When Sherman left Meridian, heading west by way of Canton, Mississippi , he

1716-403: The upward career mobility of their juniors. Trestle bridge A trestle bridge is a bridge composed of a number of short spans supported by closely spaced frames. A trestle (sometimes tressel) is a rigid frame used as a support, historically a tripod used to support a stool or a pair of isosceles triangles joined at their apices by a plank or beam such as the support structure for

1760-530: Was still unaware of Smith's defeats, so he began looking for Smith and his force. He did not discover what happened to Smith until he arrived back at Vicksburg. Sherman had destroyed some important Confederate transportation facilities but was unable to continue into Alabama. In his Memoirs (1885) Sherman denies any intention of going to Mobile : "in the following letter to General Banks, of January 31st, written from Vicksburg before starting for Meridian, it will be seen clearly that I indicated my intention to keep up

1804-463: Was to protect the Mobile and Ohio Railroad . Coates' expedition moved up the Yazoo River and for a while occupied Yazoo City, Mississippi . After the Chattanooga campaign Union forces under Sherman returned to Vicksburg and headed eastward toward Meridian. Meridian was an important railroad center and was home to a Confederate arsenal, military hospital, and prisoner-of-war stockade, as well as

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1848-455: Was under Brigadier General Marcellus M. Crocker . It was composed of the First Brigade under Brigadier General Thomas Kilby Smith , Second Brigade under Col. Cyrus Hall , Third Brigade under Brigadier General Walter Q. Gresham , Artillery under Captain John W. Powell , Cavalry under Col. Edward F. Winslow . Smith’s Column was commanded by Brigadier General William Sooy Smith . It was composed of

1892-561: Was under the command of Brigadier General Andrew J. Smith . It was composed of the First Brigade under Col. David Moore , Second Brigade under Col. William T. Shaw , Third Brigade under Col. Edward H. Wolfe and Col. Risdon M. Moore , and Artillery was under Captain James M. Cockefair . The Fourth Division was under the command of Brigadier General James C. Veatch . It was composed of the First Brigade under Col. Milton Montgomery and Second Brigade under Col. James H. Howe . The 17th Army Corps

1936-580: Was under the command of General James B. McPherson . The First Division was composed of the Third Brigade under Brigadier General Alexander Chambers . Third Division was under Brigadier General Mortimer D. Leggett . It was composed of the First Brigade under Brigadier General Manning F. Force , Second Brigade under Col. Benjamin F. Potts , Third Brigade under Brigadier General Jasper A. Maltby and Artillery under Captain William S. Williams . The Fourth Division

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