The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1870-04-13
4 Renegade Dead.

Late telegraphic dispatches. says the
New Orleans Picayune, brought intelli
gGnce of the death, at San Francisco, of
Major General George II. Thomas, of
the army of the United States. He
was native of Virginia, and it is pref
ty well known, owned his appointment
as cadet in the West Point Military
Academy to the courage which he had
displayed in Southampton county, Va,
on the occasion of a servile insurrec-
ton which suddenly broke out in that
and the adjacent counties of Green
vile, Isle of Wight, and a portion of
Brunswick, in the year 1882, and the1
brief course of which was marked by
deeds of peculiar atrocity on the part
of the negroes and mulatoes one of
! the chief and most savage actors be-
ing mulatto named Nat Turner, who
was actually forced to join the move
ment, but once in it, displayed feroc-
! ity and cruelty unparalleled, save by
the worst spirits in St. Domingo
generation before. At West Point,
| Thomas stood well i'll his classes, and
graduated so high as to be assigned to
the artillery. In the Mexican war he
was distinguished for bravery, and for
| his conduct was rewarded by the gift
of a splendid sword from the St;rte Of
| Virginia. On the formation of two
regiments of cavalry, under an act of
Congress passed during the admins
tration of General Pierce, Mr.. Jeffer-
son Davis being then Secretary of War
having resolved to select the officers
for them from the elite of the service,
recommended Thomas as Major OF the
second cavalry, of which a. Sidney
Johnston was made colonel, and Il. L.
Lee lieutenant colonel This regi-
nient was assigned to duty in Texas
and as the sectional issues in Con-
gress thenceforward became rapidly
more prominent in their nature and
bearing, they soon became also the
themes for discussion at the mess ta-
bies of the army officers. between ma
tives OF the North and South. On all
such occasions, George IL. Thomas dis
tinguished himself by his bold advo-
cacy of the rights of the South when
ever they were called in question, TAX
ing the very extreme of Southern
rights theories, and of adherence TO
the doctrines of the Calhoun party as
to constitutional limitations on the
powers of the Federal Government
with respect to the institutions of the
various States. He was so open in his
views and advocacy on this question
that he was called by some persons the
apostle of secession in the army.
! When the crisis came, at last, he
manifested great Impotence to leave
the Federal army and join that ofthc
South; and it is known to many off
GERS on the ground, that no less per-
son than Robert L. Lee advised him to
greater moderation, and the propriety
OF waiting events before final action
But he promptly resigned his commits,
sion, and proceeded to. Richmond to
offer his services to Virginia aud the
Confederacy. Whether he did this di.
reetly and unmistakeable terms is
somewhat uncertain but during the
) war the Richmond Examiner repeated
ly asserted that the letter was extan
in which he had done SO. We have
heard, however. that when informed o
: this fact, after the WIZ closed, by ii
old army associate, who espoUsed The
, Confederate side, he denied its truth
Be this as it may. Thomas left Rich
mond on his way North as lie alleged
e to bring his wife, who was a Ney
r York lady, within the Confederat
lines, but he never returned, eXcep
as foe. The resignation of Johnston
and Lee had made him full colone
of cavalry; and yielding either to til
!. influences of his Northern wife, or t
- considerations of material interest, h
! went over to theenemies of his section
e repudiated all his former political dc
rs clarations, and thenceforth, SO long 4
the struggle continued, showed hin
10 self one of the most bitter, unfelent
e ing and ungenerous foes of his nativ
d State and her sisters known in its liz
# tory. His career in the Union arm
afforded full evidence of the truth
. the old English saying, chat one rel
az egade is worse than ten Turks" as II
~ world has ever known. APPARENT
If he took particular delight in destro,
- ing Southern property, outraglnS IL
'' rights and feelings of Southerners, al
/ inficting upon them tie full meash
at of the horrors and incouveniences
war. Never during the contest,
since it closed, did he fail to misrepr
sent. or to SANDER the adherents OF Il
q ConieNcIaCS, .iidl lICuiHiiy tiioSS
nj Kentucky aud Tennessee, where mo
~ of his services was performed. Stat
ne ed, however, as he was, by the infan
OF ofrenegadism, he was not without co
nd spicuous qualities. He was a BRAY
mo- fearless soldier, and good disciple
:. arian, and won the admiration and ;
III lection of his troops. Stern as his pc
cd verified nature was, he was not the &C
CHI butcher that Grant, Sherman a
20 Sheridan showed themselves to be.
never descended to the level of Butl
~ Dow and some other Federal office
ng by stealing private property from
of inhabitants of the country which he {
cupied, for his own use. Henever d
graced himself by bullying defencel'
men, or insulting refined and delic;
re- women. That is about all which
Ia think even most liberal Southern jo'
,.+ nal can say in his behalf, and we
' l it checlfully as his rightful due.
NV >, To Virginians, the shameless {
ne lection Of Thomas to the Southt
,nt cause, was peculiarly hnmiliating,
ort his career in Mexico had enlisted
;no pride and admiration of that noble Il
M generous people. His name, joiI
ecu with that of Winfield Scott, whom
My resembed not . little in personal
al pearance, will go down to posterl
I