The United States Congress passes legislation authorizing the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_rank" id="mw7w" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Military rank">rank</a> of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_of_the_Army_(United_States)" id="mw8A" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="General of the Army (United States)">General of the Army</a>. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant_general_(United_States)" id="mw8Q" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Lieutenant general (United States)">Lieutenant General</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulysses_S._Grant" id="mw8g" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Ulysses S. Grant">Ulysses S. Grant</a> becomes the first to be promoted to this rank.