The title Major, then, has no military significance in this connection.
When his report to Congress was published, Major Powell, perhaps for the sake of dramatic unity, concluded to omit mention of the personnel of the second expedition, awarding credit, for all that was accomplished, to the men of his first wonderful voyage of 1869.

And these men surely deserved all that could be bestowed on them.

They had, under the Major's clear-sighted guidance and cool judgment, performed one of the distinguished feats of history.

They had faced unknown dangers.

They had determined that the forbidding torrent could be mastered.