Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1870-04-06

MAJOR GENERAL oronok II. THOMAS,
UNITED STATES ARMY.

IL IL with sincere regret that VIC an.
ahounce the death, from 0poplcxy, IN
San Francisco, At eight O'Clock on
Monday evening. the 2Slh of March,
of the distinguished soldier whose
name heads this article. George IL
Thomas was born on the 3lst Of July,
1916, in the county of Southampton,
Virginia, his parents belonging to Il
family OF responsibility and wealth
As a schoolboy young Thomas pur.
sued his elementary studies in his ma
tive county. As he grew oldcr he ac.
ccptcd n position subordinate TO his
uncle. who was clerk Of the county,
and Mt the same time commenced the
study oflaw. In the spring Of 1896 the
friends of the family secured for the
young man anomniation fora cadctship
ut the United States Military Acadc-
my at West Point In the same year
he entered tho institution, and after
| four years of crcditablc scholarship
graduated June 80, 1910, class rank
twelve, in an aggregate of forty-two.
On July !, 1910, Cadet Thomas was
promoted to full second lieutenant in
the Third United States artillery
In the fall of the same year he Joined
his regiment in Florida, and upon the
outbreak of the war in that State be-
tween the United States and the In.
dians, Lieutenant Thomas commenced
his career of active duty. On No
vcmber 6, lS4l, he was brevetted first
lieutenant "for gallantry and good
conduct in the war against Florida
Indians" In January, 1912, he &C.
companied his regiment to New Or
leans, and in June Of the same year
to Fort Moultrie, Charleston harbor,
South Carolina. In December, lS43,
he was transferred to Fort Mcienry,
Maryland, with Company G of his
regiment. April 30 1874, he was
promoted to first lieutenant and Join.
ed Company Il Of his regiment at
Fort Moultric. In July, lS45, war
with Mexico being imminent, Lieu.
tenant Thomas was ordered with his
company TO report TO General Zachary
Taylor, and arrived at Corpus Christi
in the same month His company and
the Third and Fourth regiments Uni.
ted States infantry were the first
troops to land upon the soil of Texas.
With Taylor's army Of occupation he
marched 10 the Rio Grand eand form.
cd part Of the garrison of Fort Brown
while Taylor was establishing a base
of supplies at Point Isabel. In the
bombardmont of Fort Brown by the
Mcxicans from the "a to the 9Th of
May Lieutenant Thomas behaved
with great gallantry. In June he
was detached with a section Of his
battery end assigned to duty with the
advance guard, and was stationed at
Reynosa until July, when he accom-
panied the advance TO Camargo. In
September he rejoi red his company,
and marched on Monterey, Mexico =
In the series of engagements at that
place he was brevetted captain, to date
from September %, 1916, "fur gallant
conduct in the several conflicts at
Monterey, Mexico, on the 2lst, 22d
and 23d of September, 1916" In No.
vcmber he became senior lieutenant
commanding Company +, Third Uni
ted States artillery, vice Bragg, pro.
NOTED. He retained this position un-
ill February lilh, 1917. In Deccm.
Der, 1916, be ngain figured in the ad.
vance, and entered Victoria January,
lS47, with Quilman's brigade. Feb.
ruary %. 1877. he was brevetted ma.
jor "ior gallant and mcritorious con.
duct 10 the battle of Buena Vista,
Mexico"
On the return of peace Lieutenant
Thomas was assigned TO duty in
Texas, aud subsequently TO Lower
California and Missouri. In 1856. be.
ing then n major of the Second caval.
ry, he returned to Texas with his
regiment. In August, 1889, he escort.
ed the Texas reserve indians TO their
new home in the Indian Territory
lie next examined the country on the
head waters of the Canadian and Red
rivers In the summer of 1860 he
commanded another expedition to tho
headquarters of Conchas On August
20, 1860 during a skirmish with the
Indians of that region, he was slight
ly wounded IN the face. In Novem.
Der, 1860, General Twiggs surrender.
cd the United States forces in Texas
to the State troops, and the Sixth
cavalry was dismountcd and ordered
to the loyal States. Major Thomas
was directed to take command of il at
Carlisle barracks, where it was re.
mounted and ordered TO the field. II
was at this time that began the bril-
liant military career which placed
him among the ablest generals Of the
Continent.
For his important service at Nash
vile the deceased hero was promoted
to the rank of Major General in the
regular army. After the close of the
war he was assigned TO department
duty in Tennessee and Kentucky, and
latterly in California 1t is stated in
the telegraphic dispatch referred TO
that during the past few week she bad
enjoyed unusually good health, and
that Monday afternoon, at halfpasl
five o'clock, while attending to bust.
ness in his Office, he was seized with
the fit Of apoplcxy which carried him
of less than three hours later. Gen.
erals Ord and Whipple being absent
in Arizona the command of the dc.
partment temporarily falls upon Col
onel Hough, Assistant Adjutant Ger.
cral
In all respects the death OF General
Thomas is great national calamity.
His place can hardly be filed. Asa
soldier he was as gallant and heroic
man as ever lived as an officer be
was skilful and energetic; as patriot
he was devoted and enthusiastic. In
tho walks Of private life General
Thomas was distinguished for the pos.
session Of all those gentle traits of
character which arc ever to be found
IN the true gentleman.