Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-07-13

| Shortly after the death of Gen. Georg
Fl. Thomas, a letter was published b.
Gen. Fitzhugh Lee, in which he statet
that the sympathies of Gen: Thomas wer,
with the South at the beginning of thu
late war. This was vehemently denieC
by number of Northern papers, anC
also by certain Captain and Breyet Col
A L, Hough, who was formerly an aid
de-camp of Gen. Thomas, who published
conversations with Gen. Thomas, which
seemed TO show that Gen. Lee had mis-.
apprehended Thomas position. These
publications have drawn forth a reply
from Gen. Lee, in which he publishes the
following conclusive letters upon the dis
puted question: % 81 go
LEXINGTON, Va, June 20, $780,
General: have duly received your let
ter of June 10, and have no hesitation in
replying to your inquiries. 1t is due to
you and to the country that the facts
should be known. -
Between the LIST of December, 1860,
and the LIST of March, 1861, Col.
William Gillian, then a professor in the
Virginia Military Institute, and who had
been associated with Gen. George II.
Thomas at West Point, received letter
from him dated New York, enclosing one
to Gen. Smith, the Superintendent of the
Virginia Military Institute Ga. copy of
which is herewith appended, Col. Gillian
presented this letter to Gen. Smith, who
was then confined to his bed by sickness.
He directed Col. Gillian to write to Gen.
Thomas and say to him that there was no
vacancy at that time in the Faculty of
the Institute, but that if he desired po-
sition in Virginia the office of Chief of
Ordnance (then recently organized with
the rank and pay of colonel of cavalry,
was vacant, and that his claims were
such that no doubt existed that l, as Gov
ernor of Virginia, would confer the ap-
gpointment upon him if he desired it. To
this letter Col. Gillian received a reply
substantially as follows: He ''asked
whether the appointment was de-
pendent upon the mutations of
political parties in Virginia; and
if not, but was permanent, he would
be glad to receive it." As soon as the
contents of this letter were communicated
by Col. Gillian to the Superintendent, the
latter addressed letter to DR.. Thomas s.
Urquhart, Senator in the Legislature,
from the county of Southampton
Thomas native county,, making known
to him what he had done, and suggesting
to Dr. Urquhart to sustain the letter to
me by his own personal and official in
fluence. The correspondence between
Gillian and Thomas left no doubt upon
the mind of Gillian, or of the Superin-
tendent, OF myself, that the sympathies
of Thomas were with the South in the
then approaching struggle. The appoint
ment was made out for Thomas, and he
was notified of the fact.
Col. Gillian resides in Richmond, and
can verify these facts; DR.. Urquhart is
also living, in Southampton county, Va,
and can be referred to. l am truly,
JOHN LETCHER.
Gen. Fftzhugh Lee, Richland Mill Post
office, Stafford county, Va.
The following is the letter of Gen.
Thomas referred to by Gov. Letcher:
NEW YORK HOTEL, New York City,
Jan. Is, 186I.-Col. Francis III. Smith,
Superintendent Virginia Military Institute,
Lexington, Va.-Dear Sir: In looking
over the files of the National IateILi-
1encer this mording l met with your adj
vertisement for Commandant of Cadets
and Instructor Of Tactics at the Institute.
If not already filed, | will be under obi
cations if you will inform me what salary
and allowances pertain to the situation,
as from present appearances | tear it will
soon be necessary for me to be looking up
some means of support.
Veryrespectfully, your Obedient servant.
GEORGE II. THOMAS,
Maj. United States Army.
Richard L. Maury appends certificate,
dated Lexington, June 20, 1870, that the
above is correct copy of letter from
the late Gen. Thomas, now in the posses
sion of Gen. Smith, of the Virginia Mill
tary Institute, where reference can be hat
to the same.