The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-03-30
GrN. GEORGE II. rnLomAs.

ciic. The announcement will produce a
profound impression upon the country,
which had come to recognize Gen. THoM-
As MS one Of the fnt Generals Of the war
and one OF the foremost men OF the times.
GEoRo. H. THOMAS was native Of
Virginia. He was born in Southampton
county, July 81, 1916. He was OF English
and HuguenOt descent and his parents
were among the first EaniIiea" GEORGE
began the study Of law but at the age Of
90 received an appointment to West
Point cadetship. He graduated In four
years, the twelfth in a class Of iorty.two.
He was made second lieutenant in the Sd
Artillery and joined his regiment in Flori'
da, where he was brGvetted second lieu
tenant for gallant conduct
Lieut. THOMAS went through the AIexi.
can war. acquitting himself well, and In
the decisive battle OF Buena Vista exhibit.
ed distinguished gallantry, which earned
him the warm cncOmlums Of his superior
officers, and the brcvet Of major.
When the rebellion broke out, Maj.
THOMAS was one Of the few Southern
army officers who did not turn traitor 70
the f1A1. He was ordered 70 Carlisle Bar
racks 10 command and refit his regiment,
which the previous November, Ind been
lismounted and ordered out Of Texas by
the traitor TwIG0s. In April, 1861,
TuoxAs was made Lieut.. Colonel, and in
May Colonel Of the End Cavalry. In Au'
gust he was tranlcrrcd 10 the 9th Cavalry,
and was assigned 10 a command IN FAT
TRIs0N's army Of Northern Virginia. In
the same month he was made Brgadier
General Of volunteers, and was ordered to
Kentucky. From that time forward he
took conspicuous part In the military
movements Of the West. He defeated the
rebels ut Mil Spring, in January, 1851.
In April, 1852, lie was confirmed Major
General Of volunteers. His command was
enlarged from time tOtine till At the great
battle Of Stone River, lasting from Dec
81. 1852, u Jan. 4, 1868. lie commanded
the centre of the "Army Of the Cumber'
land" consisting 0ftive divisions. In this
engagement, which resulted in the flight
Of BRAGG's rebel army from MurircesbOrO,
THOMAS held the advance, with spirit
TINT elected from Gen. ROsECRAHs, in his
official report, the prise Ofbeing true and
prudent, distinguished in council, and on
many battlc.hGlds celebrated for his cour-
age"
In the strategic movements through
Middle Tennessee, which compelled the
rebels first to seek refuge in Chattanooga
and then abandon II, THOMAS and his 14th
army corps bore conspicuous and ll0nora'
bic part. lie bore also the brnnt OF the
terrible onset made by BRAGG ut Chica'
manga Sept. 90, 1863 in his desperate at
tack 10 win buck this stronghold. When
each flank Of the Union army was swept
back and 50 completely routed that ROsE'
GRAMS himself gave up the day MS lost,
THOMAS, resting his TANKS on thc sides Of
the mountain gap, repulsed with terrible
slaughter, every attempt Of the rebel hosts
10 force him from his position. II Is not
too much to say that had 1t not been for
the undaunted courage and extraordinary
military ability Of Gen. THOMAS on that
cyentEUl day OF shifting, persistent and
artluOus conflict, Chattanooga, the results
Of the previous years labor Of the army
of the Cumberland, and even the existence
of that army, would have been IrremedIa'
bly, lost
In October 1868, Gen. THOMAS succeed.
ed RosECRASs in the chief command OF
the Army Of the Cumberland, md was
made Brigndier- General in the regular
army for gallantry ut Chicamaugu. Upon
the appOintmentOf GRANT TO command Of
the armies Of the United States, SHERMAN
was placed in command Of the Military
Division Of the Mississippi, and THOMAS
was subordinaIed 10 one VIII" was his
Junior In years, experience and commits
SION, and only two years before his subOr.
dinate. THOMAS army formed the centre
Of SHERIAS's ARMY, which set out on the
''March To the Sea- in MHy, 1854. THOMAS
participated in n number Of engagements,
and after the capture Of Atlanta followed
HOOP 10 prevent him from cutting
SHERSIAE's communications SHERMAN
placedall the troops he could spare In
THOMAs' Charge, with instruction TO lure
Hoop westward and fight lin, II he
would fight, near Nashville. The bait
took and Hoop, deceived by THOMAS
feIrned retreat, moved confidently In pur.
suit. He received II decided check ut
Franklin, where, after twelve hours des-
perate fighting, the rebels abandoned the
field, having lost in killed, wounded and
prisoners over six thousand men, and
thirteen general officers. THOMAS army,
heavily reinforced, then occupied NHsh.
vile, which HOOP, unable to assault, sat
down 10 bcscigc, expecting to starvC ont
the Union forces. Ailer several attempts
10 provoke Hoop into on attack, THOMAS
assumed tho offensive Nashville lies In
the bend Of the Cumberland river, and
THOMAS line being stretched along the
bend, his right and centre were guarded
by the gun6oats. His plan for handling
Hoop presupposCd two days work. The
first day, by bold demonstration on his
own lcN (HooD's right, he hoped to at
tract HOOPS attention and force 10 that
wing; then with the aid Of the gunbOats
roll back his len wing upon the centre,
and having reached around the flank and
rearto crush the centre also. On the sec.
0nd day he proposed to attack the rebel
right until II gave way, and then crush u.
This plan WIS executed almost TO the
letter. The close OfthG first day found the
Union army In possession Of IIOOD's most
advanced position, sixteen pieces Of III.
tillCry, some 1900 prisoners, large quaint.
ties Of small arms and about 40 Wagons.
That night Hoop abandoned his no longer
tenable Qualifications and planted himself
with shortened lines, across Grumpy White
and Franklin tuFnplkes; and towards him
early tho, following morning pressed
THOMAS army. 1t was not, however, till
4P.M that TMOMAs delivered the fatal
blow. Then the Union cavalry swept
around tho rebel flank and the Union
bayonets carried tho entire front Of his
lines with the force Of n whirlwind. A
half hour Of desperate lland.tO.hand fight.
Ing and HooD's troops fed wildly and
hopclesSly from the field, not pausing till
they had put tho Tennessee between them.
nnI,,na and rniirsmnra Hmm Lost 10 0nn