The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-09-30
GEN. GEORGE b. THOMAS.
BY REV. I. yuLARs.


send you pleasan< recollection of
General George H. Thomas. During
the years of war, an 6ged member of
the Illinois Conferences was stationed at
Paris, III. His wife was fast passing
away with censumptien. This pastor
had sent three sons to-the army. All
his children remaining at home were
two little girls, Rachie and Lizzie. One
of the boys had been absent from home
two years, and q day was coming when
all the boys were to be at home. But
this long absent one, how was he to
come? Gen. Thomas, that stern, but
good soldier, had much TO do; would
he give him a furloughf No. no, said
the father of the boy. Bat Rachie, the
elder of the two girls, aged ten or twelve
years, thought different. s'Pa, I'll write
to Gen. Thomas and ask him to give
Bobby furlough.' The father laugh
ed at the idea of his little girl writing
to Gen. Thomas for a furiough for her
brother, but said he'd put the letter in
the Office. So the child wrote, just such
letter as child would. to the "Dear
General" as she. called him, stating how
long Bobby" had been away; what
good soldier he had been, how her
mother, lingering in sickness, longed to
see her son, how they would have a tur-
key, and how she wished "you dear
General could come an help eat it.
Something fike this the little, believing,
trusting girl wrote. The father took
the letter to the Office. After a few
days, the father came into the room all
excitement, exclaiming, Daughter,
where do you think your letter is ? Here
it is in the paper (holding up a daily,)
and Bobby's coming home" General
Thomas had turned aside for moment,
from the great military movements of
the day, from the smoke of battle and
din of war, to read that little girls let.
ter. His great heart was touched, and
when the contents of the chiId-like epis-
tie had been noted, he seated himself
and wrote upon the back of the little
girls letter Bobby's furlough. Perhaps
this will refresh your memory of an oft
published article during the war, of
"Hop Bobby got a F'urlough."
If l am not mistaken. in Chicago,
among the relics OF. the Historical Soci-
ETY., may be seen this child's letter, and
the granted furlough on the same sheet
and in the same frame. Gen. Thomas
wrote most affectionate letter, that the
daughter still retains; and now that he
is gone, oh, how precious is his memory
to her. Soon the mother died, and again
this same one poured her grief into the
ear OF the great chleftaln, and again
brought from him words of tenderest
sympathy. Such was the great and good
Gen. Geo. III. Thomas. Who qcaS the
little girl? The daughter of Rev. Rich
ard Holding and that sainted mother,
who both lie sleeping in an humble spot
in the cemetery near Grandville, Ill.
Their children are all poor, as the chill
dren OF too many preachers are. Rachie
Is now grown. A gentleman (no mat
ter who, but one who knows what it is
to be an itinerant preacher, and son of
a preacher,) has adopted this fatherless
and motherless child, and she is now
one of the students of the Jacksonville
Illinois Female College, with the pros
pect, that in due time she will be enabl-
ed to do for herself, and younger sister,
what it was not in the power of earthly
parents to do.