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Purchasing Rank In the days of the Revolution English officers could purchase their rank as well as purchase promotions at any time. There was no age limit, so it was quite possible to become a general at age 10. But all this was reformed in 1796 by the Duke of York. Now there was a minimum age of 16 to purchase a Lieutenant's commission. Purchasing promotions required you to stay in your rank for 50.5 months (4.2 years). Thus you could not become a Captain before age 20. Beyond that when a position became vacant; it had to be offered to the senior officer of the next rank down first. As a result senior British officers had about 20 plus years of experience on their American counterparts. Why keep the purchasing system at all? That money was used to pay your retirement wages . . . so you got it back.
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