Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-04-08
Major General George II. Thomas.

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Major General George II. Thomas.
THE brief, but sad intelligence, tele.
graphed from San Francisco, that Major
General George Henry Thomas died in
that city on the 27th inst, of apoplexy,
will create profound feeling of grief, not
alone among the surviving actors Of the
war of the rebellion and among his own
soldiers in the Army of the Cumberland,
who loved him most because they knew
him best, but throughout the country and
the civilized world, which have learned to
regard him as one of the greatest Gen
erals and purest hearts of whom history
makes mention.
General Thomas was born in Southamp-
ton county, Va. (the scene of Nat Turner'S
insurrection), July 81, 1916. His father
was of English and his mother of Hugue-
not extraction. He received good edu-
cation, and in his early life accepted the
position of deputy to his uncle, then
County Clerk, and soon after began the
study of the law. This was of short
duration, however, for, in 1886, at the age
of20, he received an appointment as cadet,
and entered the Military Academy at West
Point, from which he graduated twelfth
in classof forty five, June 20, 1910, and
on the LIST of July received his first ap.
pointment as brevet Second Lieutenant in
the Third Artillery, and Joined his regi-
ment in Florida November 6, 1S4t. He
was brevetted First Lieutenant for gallant
conduct init war against the Seminole
Indians. His regiment was ordered from
Florida in January, 1912, and Lieutenant
Thomas, with his company, to New Or
leans Barracks, and thence to Fort Moul.
trie, IN Charleston harbor, where he re.
mained until December, 1912, when he
was ordered to duty with Company @,
Third Light Artillery, at Fort McHenry,
Maryland. On the 18th of May, 1843, he
was promoted First Lieutenant of Artil
lery, and in the spring of 1874 joined
Company Il, Third Artillery, at Fort
Mothtrie.
When wee withiMexico became unavoid-
able, Lieutenant Thomas was ordered
with his cofapaHy to Texas in July, 1S45,
50 report to General Taylor. During the
Mexican war he distinguished himself at
Fort Brown, Resaca de Ia Palma, Mon
terey (for.gallant conduct at which he was
brevetted' Captain, September 90, 1S46),
and at Buena Vista, which secured him a
brevet Majorship February %, 1847). He
remained in Mexico on duty until August
20, 1S48, when he recrossed into Texas,
and thence went to Fort Adams, Rhode
Island. He was ordered to Florida again
in 1849, upon the renewal of the war with
the Indians, and served there until Decem-
Der, 1850, when he was ordered to Fort
Independence. He remained there until
March %, 1851, when he was assigned to
duty as Instructor of Artillery and Caval-
ry at West Point. He retained this posi-
ton until May 81, 1854, having been pro-
NOTED meanwhile, December "a, 1858, to
Captaincy in the Third Artillery. In
1854, Captain Thomas was assigned to
Fort Yuma, California, where he received
the appointment of Junior Major of the
Second Cavalry From May /, 1855, TO
November l, 1860, lie was on duty in
Texas.
In April, 1861, Major Thomas was Or
dered to Carlisle Barracks, Pa, TO re-.
mount the Second Cavalry, which had
been dismounted by General Twiggs, and
on the LIST of May, 1861, he reported to the
commander of the Department of Penn
sylvania for duty. April 25, 1861, he was
promoted Lieutenant Colonel, and, on
May Sd, Colonel. From May until July
he commanded the First Brigade of Major
General Patterson's army in Northern
Virginia, and subsequently, under Gen
eral Banks until August Goth. On the
18th of August he was appointed a Briga-
der General of volunteers, and on the
26th took command of Camp Dick Rob-
iusUn in Kentucky, where, on the 26th of
october, at the battle of Wild Cat, the
febel General Zollicoffer was completely
routed, and his troops driven back to
Cumberland Gap. General Thomas then
advanced to Lebanon, and organized the
First Division of the Army Of the Cum
berland, and Immediately upon his
arrival he found himself confronted
by Zollicoffer, who had taken up a strong
position at Mill Spring. Zollicoffer made
The attack, but was completely routed, and
him'elf killed; and the enemy abandoned
their provisions, ammunition, arms, and
camp equipage of every description, fee
ing in wild dismay over the mountains,
and leaving General Thomas the hero of
the first decisive victory of the war. For
gallant conduct in the battle he was ap-
pointed and confirmed Major General of
Volunteered April 25, 1862 His division
was then ordered to Nashville; but, as it
was in the reserves, he did not participate
1, 1862, his division was transferred to the
Army of the Tennessee, and he continued
in command OF the right wing until June
10, when he was transferred to-the Army
of Ihe Ohio under General Buell. When
the command was assumed by General
RoSccrans, the name of the army was
changed again to that of the Army of the
Cumberland, and General Thomas took
command of the centre,-the Fourteenth
Corps. Under the command of General
Rosecrans he served with distinguished
ability and valor in that terrible series of
battles on Stone River.
From that time to this his record is fresh
in the memory of the public, and we need
only to mention Chicamauga, Chatta.
nooga, Lookout Mountain, Missionary
Ridge, Resaca, Dallas, Kenesaw, Peach
Tree Greek, 'Chattahoochee, and, greatest
of all, Nashville, to recall all the brilliant
service which he rendered in these closing
scenes of the rebellion. He saved the
army at Chicamauga, and he crushed
every vestige of rebellion in the West at
Nashville, leaving Sherman free to march
onward unmolested. About year ago
he was assigned to the Department of
California, which ends our record of the
prominent events of his life. ~
In General Thomas there seemed to be
a unionof all the qualities which make
up the great and successful soldier. He
brought no peculiar trait of character
into stronger relief than any other,
but blended them all in perfect
harmony. Although a Virginian by
birth, he was a staunch, uncompromising
Unionist in feeling. AS soldier, he
united skillful strategy with cool valor and
tremendous power. When he fought he
hurled all his forces upon the en-
emy and crushed him. He was as dis
in council as he was terrible in
battle. As gentleman, he was ire
proachable, both in conta It with his men
and with the world, and none ever loved
more dearly this lion heart with the affec-
tions of woman than his own soldiers
who served under him and knew the warm
feelings under the stern exterior. AS a
man, he was manly in all things Not a
spot of meenness or jealously stain his
long and useful career. In his personal
he was dignifled and com
in his bearing, gentle and cour-