Yes a Louie is lower ranking than a major. As for why the Generals ranks are weird? I'd have to ask my father. Unfortunatly he passed away in 1987 after spending 38 years in the Army and retired as a Major General. I still miss him and his strict ways. I'd ask my two youngest sons but they're flying CHOPPERS around the GULF someplace "BLOWING UP S**T" (their words not mine)
I'm going to my VFW Post tonite to play a little poker with the boys, maybe one of them can answer the question.