The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-04-15
GEN. GEORGE H. THOMAS.
Sketch OF His Life and Services.

(From the Missouri Democracy
George II. Thomas was born in South
ampton county, Virginia, j uly 3lst, 1916,
and has died in his fifty-fOurth year.
His father, John Thomas, was of Eng
lish parentage, and his mother, whose
maiden name was Elizabeth Rochelle,
was of Huguenot descent. AS boy he
received n fair education, and entered
active life deputy for his uncle, James
Rochelle, in the Office of county clerk.
In the Office young George began to
study law, but in the spring of his TWEEN
tieth year, received an appointment of
cadet at West Point, and entered the
Academy. He steadily pursued the pre-
scribed studies, and graduated in 1910,
ranking the twelfth in a class of forty
five members. From his graduation to
the close of his life his career has been
one of laborious and effective discharge
of official duty-with the exception of a
brief period of rest enforced by q wound
and his history a consistent series of
distinguished services and brilliant pro-
motions.
On graduating, he was promoted to
Second Lieutenant Third Artillery, and
next year was breveted First Lieutenant,
for gallantry and good conduct in the
Florida war. Successfully serving in
garrison at New Orleans Barracks, Fort
Moultrie, Fort Henry, and Fort Moul-
trie again, he was made First Lieutenant
Third Artillery in 1874. He shared con-
spicuously in the military occupation of
Texas and the ensuing Mexican war,
'45-'4S, being engaged in the six days
defense of Fort Brown, in the several
conflicts in Monterey, at Buena Vista,
and at the mouth of the Rio Grande-
during this period becoming Brevet Cap
tain and then Brevet Major. Suisse
unantlu ha did carUipa m
Texas, then in the Florida hostilities
against the Seminoles, next at Fort In
dependence, Mass, and in April 81, was
appointed Instructor in Artillery atWest
| Point.
December, '53, found him full Captain
Third Artillery, and next year on the
march to Benecia, California, command
ing a battalion. He was at Fort Yuma,
California, in '54-'55; at Jefferson Bar
racks, Missouri, and Major Second Cav
airy in '55. Frontier duty at Fort Ma
SON, San Antonio, and other points in
Texas, employed him till SO, military
| expedition to the Red river country in
| so and go, and an expedition among the
Kiowas in the latter year. In a Skin
mish with the kiowas near the head of
Clear Fork of the Brazos river, he was
wounded, and consequently received
leave of absence.
But in the next year, the breaking out
of the rebellion, he was actively re-or-
ganizing and equipping his regiment at
Carlisle Barracks, Pa. He was, in April,
Lieutenant Colonel Second Cavalry, and
in May, Colonel. During June, July
and August he was engaged in the OPP
erations in the Shenandoah valley; in
July commanding q brigade in the &C.
ton of Falling Waters, engaged in the
skirmishes at Martinsburg and Bunker
Hill, and in August made BrigadieI
General of Volunteers. The next month
we find him commanding the Depart
ment of the Cumberland, organizing
Kentucky and Tennessee volunteers, anC
in October and November engaged il
the advance on Crab Orchard and Leba
non, Kentucky. Then he commands 6
division of the Army of Ohio, moves OIL
Somerset, Lebanon and Louisville, fig
ures conspicuously in the Tennessee anC
Mississippi campaign, and leads in thu
march to Pittsburg Landing with his di
! vision as the reserve of the Army o
the Ohio. He conducts the right wins
: of the Army of the Tennessee in the ad
vance upon and siege of Corinth share
: in BuelPs operations, with the Army o
: the Ohio. in North Carolina, Tennessee
and Kentucky, up to November, 1868
in that time is at Tuscumbia, guarding
: the Memphis and Charleston railroad
: is successfully at Dechard, McMinnvill
: and Nashville; pursues the enemy iron
: Prewett's Knob to Louisville is secon'
in command of the Army of the Obi
on the advance into Kentucky, com
, mands the right wing in the battle O
Perryville and the pursuit of the enem
: to Barboursville. He is next in Rose
Grams Tennessee campaign commandin
the Fourteenth Army Corps, does fate
full service at Stone River, is in the ad
: vance on Tullahoma, the action at Hoo
ver's Gap, the passages of the Elk an
= Tennessee, and saves the Army of til
:, Cumberland at Chicamauga, checkin
4 the elated enemy's advance aud openin
the communications by the Tennessee
river and Lookout Valley. He was noV
G Brigadier General, U. S. A. His vel
: won laurels are soon again thrice wO
at Missionary Ridge, in the pursuit {
= the enemy, and in the combat at Rims
gold, Georgia He closes 1868 and OpeI
a. 1854 in reOrganizing, and then pros,
I'd fcntes the invasion of Georgia, Ia con
= mand of the Army of the Cumberland
: The brilliant nemorieh OF Daltol
-.