President Zachary Taylor Was the First US Military Officer to Receive a Brevet Rank

While reading a biography of Zachary Taylor by John S.D. Eisenhower (yes, the son of Dwight Eisenhower), I came across this interesting fact: Taylor was the first officer in the US armed forces to receive a brevet promotion.

A brevet rank is a temporary promotion given in honor of meritorious service. It is temporary until confirmed through regular procedure.

Zachary Taylor was President of the United States from 1849 through 1850. Prior to that, he was a long-service officer in the United States Army who achieved fame during the Mexican War.

Earlier in his career, during the War of 1812, he held a fort in the wilderness of Indiana against a Native American attack. With only 20 effectives, he was outnumbered 30 to 1, but nonetheless prevailed. President Madison awarded Captain Taylor the brevet rank of major--the first in American military history.