Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-11-22
A GREAT SOLDIER.
snort SIX. .ch of Gen. Thorn as.
1N' aOHa VI ="
Pniladelnhia Press of 18Th inst,

Philadelphia Press of 18Th inst.
Another statue is to be unveiled al
the National Capital TO day. 1t will
perpetuafe the form and features IF a
kingly soldier, who will rank
in history with the great commanders
Of modern times. General George e.
Thomas was known 10 his country
men mainly through his iliustrious
deeds He served mainly with the
Western armies during the war, al
though lie was among the fist of the
soldiers Of the regular army of high
rank who took com mand in PenDsyl-
vanis. He was Msjor in the 81 Reg
iment United STATES CAValFy. which
Ew6s stationed in Texas at the breaking
out of the war, aud was surrendered
TO the Confederate authorities by Gen
eral Twiggs. Albert sidney Johnson
was &c o1el of this regiment aud
Robert f Lee was its Lieutenabt
Colonel. Msjnr Van d Jrn was in COM
mand at the time of the surrender.
The soldiers were disarmed aud sent
North. The se.ttered fragments Of
tue regiment were brought together
q! Carlisle Barracks, where they were
equipped and sent to the front
under Col. Thomas. He remained
loyal to the old flag, while Albert Sid
ney Jobn sop, Robert E. Lee. Earl Van
Dorm, VIM. j. HaIdee, John B Hood
Kirby Smith and Fig Hugh Lee. all
of the Pad Cavalry, went over to the
South. When the Pennsylvania and
Ohio troops, under General Pat erson,
moved into Maryland by way of the
Cumberland Valley, Gen. Thomas
rode at The head OF the column. His
command consisted of the 2ud United
States Cavalry sni the City Troop Of
Philadelphia With this small cav
airy corps he crossed the Potomac and
invaded his native S ate.
At the close of the three months
cam paign on the Potomac, General
Thomas was made Brig adler General
Of volunteers and WIS transferred to
tbs Army of the Cumberland. From
that time to the end of the war his
reputat ion as comm ander steadily
rose and in the opinion OF his snbordi-
nate Cffic GERS he ranked second tn'y to
Grant aud Sherman. He WAS patient,
even tempered aud courageous, shrunk
from no responsibility. however
weighty, and made no parade of his
achievements. He fought the battle
of Mill Springs an won Wet Dry at a
rebels auf the inactiOn of the Uui( n
commander~iD.c chief had made the
Nation dependent. Ia all the great
battles in Tennessee during The
campo 'gns of 1862 and 1863 be
disp aged the highest strategic skill,
as we'll as the most indomitabe vaIor.
At Murfreesboro and Chickamauga his
corps stood firm while others wavered.
In the frat mentioned engagement be
woD a great victory when defeat was
imminent, and in the second he saved
the Army of the Cumberland rom an
overwhelming disaster. He alway 9
rose to the necessities of the occasion,
AMI won his greatest victories wi II
the opposing forces were massed 10
crush him.. 1t wa his fortune to al
minister the death blow 10 the R b4l-
hon in the West, and to destroy the
last organized army that remained to
| the Confederacy ia Tennessee, Ala
bsma and Georgia, three months be-
fore the Fl 1ai surrender in the East.
Congress promptly recognized his
| splendid services TO his country and
| rendered him the thanks of the Nation.
| He was made Maj General in the
regular army, aud remained in COM
mand of the military department in
which he had won his splendid vic
tories until the summer of 1869, wht n
he was transferred to the Depart men t
of the Pacific. He died at San Fran
cisco on the 18th Of March, 1870. His
fellow soldiers of the Army of the
Cumberland have set up a statue TO
perpetuate the outlines Of his heroic
form; but the record of his PATRIOTS ~
and valor is written upon q tablet more
enduring than bronze or marblA. He
will GO down in history as one of the
bravest, true4t and noblest OF the de
enders OF his country.