Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-04-02
GENERAL THOMAS.
The Official Order AnT Suncing His
Death.
HEADQUARTERS OF THE Army, !
ADJUTAST GENERALS OFFICE,
WASHINGTON, March 20, 1870.

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
ADJUTAST GENERALS OFFICE,
WASHINGTON, March %, lS1O.)
1t has become the painful duty of the
| General to announce to the army the
death of one of our most able Generals,
George H. Thomas, who expired last
evening at halfpast seven clock, in
San Francisco, California. There is no
need to turn to the archives to search for
his history, for it is recorded on almost
every page during the past ten years;
but his classmate and comrade owes him
personal tribute, in which he knows
every member of the army shares. Gen.
Thomas entered the Military Academy
in the class of 1886, graduated in l84O
and was commissioned Second Lieu
tenant in the Third Artillery and sent to
Florida. He served with his regiment
continuously until December "a, 1858,
when he became Captain, having been
particularly distinguished at Monterey
and Buena Vista, Mexico. .....,
On the 18th of May, 1855, he was ap-
pointed to the Second Cavalry as Major,
and served with that regiment continu-
ously until he became its Colonel, on the
Sd of May, 1861. The great civil war
found him at his post, true and firm
amidst the terrible pressure he encoun-
tered by reason of his birthplace, Vir-
ginia, and President Lincoln commits
stoned him as Brigadier General of vol
unteers, and sent him to Kentucky
There too, his services were constant
and eminent in the highest degree. He
won the first battle in the West, at Mill
Cx.,.o, II, oaI f,nr, Hrct tn los with
out day or an hours intermission, he
was at his post of duty, rising steadily
and irresistably through all the grades
to the one he held as Major General of
the regular army at the time of his death.
At Shiloh, Corinth, Perryville, Stone
river, Chattanooga, Atlanta and Nash
vile, he fulfilled the proudest hopes Of
his ardent friends, and at the close of
the war General Geo. III. Thomas stood
in the very front rank of our war Gen
erals. The General has known General
Thomas intimately since they sat as
boys on the same bench and the quality
in him which he holds up for the admira-
ton and example of the young is his
complete and entire devotion to duty.
Though sent to Florida, to Mexico, to
Texas and Arizona when duty there was
absolute punishment, he went cheerfully
and never asked a personal favor, ex-
emption or leave of absence In battle
he never wavered; firm and full of faith
in his cause he knew right would prevail,
and he never sought advancement of
rank or honor at the expense of any one;
whatever he earned of these were his own,
and no one disputes his fame. The very
impersonation of honesty, integrity and
honor, he will stand to us as the beau
ideal of the soldier and gentleman.
Though he leaves no child to bear his
name, the old Army Of the Cumberland,
numbered by tens of thousands, called
him father and will weep for him in tears
of manly grief His wife, who cheered
him with messages of love in the darkest
hours of war, will mourn him now in sad
ness, chastened by the sympathy of
whole country The last sad rites due
him as man and soldier will be paid at
Troy, New York, on the arrival of his
remains and of his family, and his old
comrades who can be present are invited
to share in the obsequies At all mill
tary posts and stations the flag will be
placed at half-mast, and ffteen-minute
guns fred on the day after the receipt Of
this order, and the usual badges Of
mourning will be worn for thirty days.
By command of General Sherman.