American military history is favorable to old generals.  Washington was in his forty-fourth year when he assumed command of the Revolutionary armies, and in his fiftieth when he took Yorktown.  Wayne and Greene were the only two of our young generals of the Revolution who showed decided fitness for great commands.  Had Hamilton served altogether in the field, his would have been the highest military name of the war.  The absurd jealousies that deprived Schuyler of command, in 1777, alone prevented him from standing next to Washington.  He was close upon forty-four when, he gave way to Gates, who was forty-nine.  The military reputation of both Schuyler and Hamilton has been most nobly maintained by their living descendants.  Washington was called to the command of the American forces at sixty-six, when it was supposed that the French would attempt to invade the United States, which shows that the Government of that day had no prejudice against old generals.  General Jackson’s great Louisiana campaign was conducted when he was nearly forty-eight, and he was, from almost unintermitted illness, older in constitution than in years.  Had General Scott had means at his disposal, we should have been able to point to a young American general equal to any who is mentioned in history; but our poverty forbade him an opportunity in war worthy of his genius.  It “froze the genial current of his soul.”  As a veteran leader, he was most brilliantly distinguished.  He was in his sixty-first year when he set out on his memorable Mexican campaign, which was an unbroken series of grand operations and splendid victories, such as are seldom to be found in the history of war.  The weight of years had no effect on that magnificent mind.  Of him, as it was of Carnot, it can be said that he organized victory, and made it permanent.  His deeds were all the greater because of the feeble support he received from his Government.  Like Wellington, in some of his campaigns, he had to find within himself the resources which were denied him by bad ministers.  General Taylor was in his sixty-second year when the Mexican War began, and in less than a year he won the Battles of Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, Monterey, and Buena Vista.  He, too, was badly supported.  The Secession War has been conducted by elderly or middle-aged men.  General Lee, whom the world holds to have displayed the most ability in it, is about fifty-six.  General Rosecrans is forty-four, and General Grant forty-two.  Stonewall Jackson died at thirty-seven.  General Banks is forty-eight, General Hooker forty-five, General Beauregard forty-six, General Bragg forty-nine, General Burnside forty, General Gillmore thirty-nine, General Franklin forty-one, General Magruder fifty-three, General Meade forty-eight, General Schuyler Hamilton forty-two, General Charles S. Hamilton forty, and General Foster forty.  General Lander, a man of great promise, died in his fortieth year.  General Kearney was killed at forty-seven, and General Stevens at forty-five.