On February 18, 1937, a stamp featuring the 3 Union generals of the American Civil War, Sherman, Grant and Sheridan, was issued as part of the "American Military Heroes" stamp series. This was met with criticism in America's southern states, especially the tribute to Sherman, whose 1864 "March to the Sea" through Georgia left a "scorched earth". Both Georgia and South Carolina intervened and demanded that the stamp not be issued, the former with a demand first to compensate Georgia and then also to print a list of Sherman's misdeeds on the stamp. The Post Office Department countered the criticism by saying that a stamp featuring Confederate generals would also be issued.

The stamp was issued on March 24, 1937, with Generals Lee and Jackson being shown. But this stamp also drew criticism, as Lee was shown as a 2 star general, although he was a 3 star general, and could therefore be interpreted as “demoted". Both stamps were nevertheless valid for postal use and were also sold normally.