Who were the oldest Generals?
The oldest General in the US Army was not Winfield Scott, who was only aged 75 when he retired in October 1861. That honour goes to John Ellis Wool (aged 79 when he retired in August 1863) and then came Joseph Gilbert Totten (aged 76 when he died in April 1864). The oldest General in the Confederate Army was David Emanuel Twiggs, who was aged 71 or 72 when he died in July 1862. The next oldest were William “Extra Billy” Smith (aged 67 at the end of the War) and Samuel Cooper (aged 66 at the end of the War).
