The New York herald., 1863-10-02
THE HERO or CHATTANOOGA.
Sketch of The Life aud Seryirrs Of Major Gene
raj George II. Thomas.

Major General Georgo Henry Thomas the hero Of the
recent Chcamausa creek, and who by MS
gaantry the Army OF the Cuml erl"nd from ue
siruction was ia southampton county, Va on Tue
91s of July. lsl6 lie is therefore little over o''y
seven years Of age lie educated in his native state
and during the year 1886 admitted as cadet i'ou
Virginia into the Military Ac d my at West Point
nE aRAnc Arss--ls wGsl CLASSMATES
He began his studies IL the Military Academy win
vigor that bound 10 conquer aid oos'inaleY con-
his way the varcs grades that he nad 10 pass
before entering the army tie graduated on the So'h OF
June, lS40, standing twelfth in class OF iorty-two mem
bers Among his caysmsIes Mayor General William
recumseh Sherman. commander Of the Fifteenth army
CORPS (who ranked sixlh); Brigadcr General stewart
Van vlel recently Chie Qlartermoser the staff OF
General McClelan thin General John i. McCown. Of
the rebel army (enlh); Lieutenant General Richard s.
Ewe of Lees rebel army Qhircen,h); Major General
George W. GETTY. recently commander Of the seventh
army crps (Gfleenth); brgadier General William Hays,
of the Union army tcighteenih); &c. erl Bushrod X.
Johnson Brage's rebel army (twen,y third) Briga
dier Cc sa James \. Caldwell, Of the Army OF the 10
tomac (wen,y fth) Colonel Oliver L. shepherd Of the
Fifteenth regular iuanty and Brevet Brgader General
(hrty.t third) several other officers engaged IN
this horrible civil
ARhY--FLoRDA wAR-bnEvEf
On the lst Day of Jay 1870, re entered the regular
army OF the United States full second lieutenant oil
the Third regiment or artillery without ing to 90
through the usual preparatory grade OF brcvet He was
at once ordered with his battery to join his regiment
In Florida his caantfy and gcGera good conduct
with tho Forida indians he was, during March,
Is43 awarded brevet of hrs lieutenant. to date Irom
the 9th day Of November, l54l.
FIRST 1IEuTrs ,Nr-MExicAS wAR-gRgyErs.
He was promoted to TIE rank OF FIRST euenart on the
:Oth day OF April, rd when the Mexlc IN war
brcke out stationed at Fort Brown He served at
that tort under Jacon Br wn, when it was lombard
cd by the Mexicsns. lie was engaged in the
several bcody conflicts at Monterey, on the 2lst 22d
and 2Sd days September, is4s. and was, during
May lS47 brevst e 10 the phk OF captain In the United
States Army the d,y OF those battles tor gallant
conduct in the field. He also took part in the sanguinary
struggle Buona Vista tcbruary 23 ls47 and was, In
May Is4s trevet,ed major of United States Army,
from the date Of tho contest
UIs nEcIvENTiL COMPANIONS
Among the officers Of the third artillery engaged in the
Mexican fnd the following who have been
noted during present struggles Colonel Burke,
recently c"mmupd Of Fort L syette (then capain);
General Robert Andersen, OF Fort Sumter ,rme (then
capain); General Thomas ". Sherman. recently badly
wounded at Port Hudson (then csptanj General Drax-
Bragg Of the rebel army and the principal pponent
Of the subject Of sketch durng the recent battles
hen cap,nr) Major Genera, Edward o. Ord. recently
command o. the Thirteenth cop, at Vicksburg
and Jacks Mss. tnn FIRST lieutenant) Major General
William Tecr,seh Sherman. III command OF tho Fifteenth
army corps cssburg. and OF the expedition sent 70
attack Johnsons rebel army at Jackson, Miss. Chen
FIRST leutrna,t) Briga6 u.r Stewart Van vliet, Of
the Quariermaslers p (then first lieutenant Of
artillery: MAJOR Gcns''l j I'm +. Reynolds, recently
killed n, Gettysburg while commanding the First army
corps (:hen first euon nt) Brigsder General Richard
W Johnston command division nder General
Thomas in tie recent ra,s (then first cutenant Bri-
gader Gete al rerpe An rows recently in charge OF
the Co,s and Ct III cir,ured Of the rebel post
at p rt Hutscn then FIRST eutenan Major Go'crai Am
brosc T.. rui psde recently in command Of the Fstern
Tennessee expedition all tha portion OF the State
Of Kuoxyi tihcn second cu,cnant), and others
RETURNS TO yLoRn INSTRUCTOR POINT
The Mexican over, Lieutenant Thomas returned to
Flo ida, in ls.9. :, sne Indians. That war
also ended he North and IN 1850 appointed TO
the pert position of instructor OF artillery and ca
vary les the Military Aoaaemy OF West Point with
local rank Of lieutenant colcpe lie retained tins position
until 1854. but IN tho meantime promoted In the line
csrrA.y oF AR1Il IERy--MAJoR CAVALRY.
During the month O: ,ccemre- 1858. he was promoted
The rark captain o c, mpanv B Third United States
artillery bat when the United States Army reorgan
lied and enlarged under the act Of Congress bearing
date March 8 1855. he MRS transferred to the Second
cavalry-a regimen, then organize of " hch rcgi-
men, he was made ma or On the 10Th Of May, 1855
cALIsohNr,--T sNAs--caRIIsLE BARGiCKS
He was next red to California where, In 1855 he
held comm nd uf tho post at Fort YUM. During the
yeas 1858 Ia 1860 he duiy Texas, and was IN
of his during the greater part OF that
time their operation against the Indians During 1888
he had charge Of Fort ,Anap that State and during
the ext year was commandment Camp Cooper. also
In Abou ihe latter end OF 1880 lie placed In
command & Carlisle Barracks, Pcnnsyvanil, whero he
remained at the breaking cut of the rebellion.
rrr1rvASr NoSEI--coroSft os CAVALRY.
At the nen, og the rebellion tue Geld officers
OF the Second cavalry which the subject Of our sketch
bciorrce, Abor, sydney Johnston. colonel Robert
Lee icul,uant colonel and Earl Van Dorm ard ihcmas
the two majors. The troasouabio resignation OF three
the above ole a. promotion o! others made drs
the lieutenant cooHccy vacant which lac lcd and rcxt
tho oounocy, 70 whith ho promoted ON the Sd OF
May 1861 rs tts mc .hc designation Of the regiment
had been ohnngei to ihs Finh regular United states
cavalry. snd Known under thu, uanr and number.
iWGlpT CoyNASrsR.
When the Unn forces hrc- mrnths voluutecrs) began
their u, ich towards thr Virginia eide OF the Potomac
column rsi tag oi New 'or nnd reunsy lvaua volun
tecrs v.eei under Tor the purpose
OF erai,sg aong hc Upcr utnnac and In the sheaan
doah valley n adjiiou these forces small body o'
reg lar rnois addcl 70 Tie command The cavalry
force bcln~c 10 cuotc Thomas rc,imeot, aud az he
was sc or c1one IN ilo ervicc oftho Uulcd states
also = I'D chscs r, 10 brigade n which his cavalry had
been iae. 1hcfs. &c d,ru: iuc 4td July. 1851 Cola
nel 1hamas va Of the FIRST brigade OF Gene
raj cnAa aatc-s FIST division D; General la tcrsons
Amy OF thr per 10
sfrti -r ms ufiS!oS ~ THOMAS
An iucrica oocurrr.. shru this time that svory into
resting - rcis' D. neral IA mas carscy. gentle
man of saIdre IN VA hius was demonstrating with
General u as so - prrIt riy nf a'wiu General Fat
tcrson to have tho chef comm ui o &c Upper Potomac,
asserting or lis rcm1ns rance thd he had
doub;s Of he hi nj SO argc 4 force. Gene
raj seuit led. tiat s jh,tc we're many Pennsyva
mia militia trosls 10 that column, aud General latter.
sou was major rcrcrt OF the rcnnsyivania
militia hc could not do otherwise than allow
him The comm md "but said the veteran Gene
raj, 60 have ntnEcd him by two good army officers
(ihomss as Aborcrou biel, and have out diilc fsar
TN he ..n ru rnrx lar Mrnnr " nf nonr.A An-nr.l