Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-05-09
GEN. GEO. H. THOMAS.
Some Incidents In the Life Of q Patriotic
81 Soldier.


Soldier.
Gen. r. w. Johnson's life of Gen..
Thomas is interesting throughout, and
the following passage is particularly not
able:
At the close of the war the graves OF
our dead billowed every battlefield from
the Ohio to the ocean, and it was Thomas
who conceived the idea of gathering
them into national cemeteries. His sug-
gestions were adopted, and the work
commenced and continued until all were
collected and assigned places in national
burylng- grounds.
The close of the war imposed upon our
commanders civil duties connected
with the re-establishment of law and
order, and the building up of the waste
places which had known no law save
military law for so many years
"Peace has its victories no less re-
nowned than war"
1t now became necessary for Thomas to
lay aside IN part his warlike garb to enter
upon civil military duty. Civil govern
ment had to be established in all of the
Southern States, and to him were assign
ed the States of Kentucky, Tennessee,
Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. In
the aforementioned State the civil author
ity had never been overthrown, but in
the mountains and gorges of the State
were number of lawless per-
sons, whose objects were to make forays
upon the densely settled counties, there
to set all law at defiance by murder, rob-
berry, and other violations of good order.
These men claimed to be returned con-
federates, which was not strictly true.
They were men who avoided service in
either army, preferring to lively robbing
those upon whom they could depredate
with impunity Justice to the returned
confederates demands that it should be
stated that they were, as general rule
law-abiding. They had risked all and
lost, and their early efforts, after the
war, were directed towards providing for
themselves and families by some honest
industry True, some were not dispo sed
to accept the result of war, but this op
position seemed to come from those who
did little fighting to speak OF when fight
ing was the order of the day.
Each State under Thomas constituted
separate military department, and the
five apartments made up the Military
Division of the Tennessee" with head
quarters at Nashville. In the exercise of
this command his patience and Endurance
was thoroughly tested. Questions OF
civil and military character came up for
decision requiring time and labor sufflci
emit for dozen men, but he proved him.
self on this, as on all other occasions,
equal to the task before him. In Nash
vile he rented house for his own oc-
cupancy and sent for his wife, who soon
Joined him. His residence was in
block, and on every pleasant evening he
and the other occupants of the same
building were in the habit of sitting on
the front stoop or porch to enjoy the cool
pleasant breezes. On one side of him
rebel, but who did not have courage to
fight for the principals which he pretend
ed to hold so dear, and, in order to show
his dlsloyal and unfriendly disposition,
was every evening to be seen on his YER
anda, within handshaking distance OF
Thomas of whose presence he affected not
to be conscious. This was lost on Thomas
who did not care to be bored' at that
hour of the day when he preferred COM
munion with himself or the members of
his family One evening, after the lapse
of six months or more, this high-born
Southern gentleman advanced very pat
ronizingly to shake hands, when the gene
raj waved him back with the remark,
" Too late, too late, sir; you have sinned
away your day of grace" The poor
fellow withdrew, mortified beyond mea-
sure, and was never seen thereafter sit
ting on his porch or within view OF
General Thomas.
Slowly the civil law was re-established,
and as rapidly as possible all the volun-
teers were mustered out When peace
was fairly restored, Thomas applied for
leave Of absence to enable him to
visit his friends in the North, and after
wards to take trip through Canada.
Before leaving, he asked that his head
quarters might be transferred to Louis
vile, Kentucky. His request was grant
ed, and General w. D. Whipple, chief
of staff, superintended the transfer of all
theS different branches of the service con-
nected with the Military Division of the
Tennessee, including the voluminous re-
cords appertaining to his own office. Suit
able Accommodations were secured and
everything gotten in good running order
before the generals return.
About this time his friends and admir-
ers in Cincinnati determined on raising
a large sum Of money as present to him
in recognition of his valuable services
during the war AS soon as he heard of
it he wrote to some one prominent in the
movement that he could not think for one
moment of accepting present of that or
any other character, that the government
had richly rewarded him for all that he
had done, and that, in fact, he had already
received more than he deserved. He re-
quested that all funds raised on his ac-
count, or that might be raised, be turned
over in such manner as the liberal, gene
rous donors might see proper, to the
widows and orphans made such by the
war.
On his return to Louisville he found
everything in order, and he was much
pleased with the change.
About the time of his return he was
greatly annoyed by the receipt of letters
from politicians all over the North asking
if he would consent to be candidate for
the Presidency of the United States, and
to all of which he replied that under no
circumstances would he consent to such
a use of his name The State of Tennes-
see, through her State convention, de-
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