The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-06-28
Gen. Phileu,,sn Thomas.
The Sturdy Patriot who Gave the Florida
Parishes to the Union.

A bill is pending in the House
which has for it's object an appropri-
alton of few hundred dollars by the
state to place memorial tablet in
the Capitol in honor of Gen. Phile-
mon Thomas. Such tablet former
ly existed 10 the State House, having
cost over $1,000, but it was destroyed
when the edi6ce was burned.
It is proposed to place the new
memorial 10 the wall to the right OF
the Lieut.. Governors rostrum in the
Senate chamber. 10 the left hangs
portrait in oil of Gen. Thomas,
which represents him seated, holding
book in one hand, stout, ford
man, with gray hair, high forehead,
blue eyes, prominent pose, and al
expression of much decision and firm
ness about the mouth and chin.
Following is the inscription which
it is proposed to engrave on the tab
let. and which embraces q short bio
graphical sketch Of Gen. Thomas:
81 ITO THE MEMORY OF &c
GENERAL HILEMON THOMAS
who was born in
Orange Co., Virginia, Feb'y 9, 1853,
and died in Baton Rouge, La,
Nov. 18th, 1847.
He was soldier of 1776 at IA, and q
member Of the convention that framed
the constitution of Kentucky, and q MEM
Der Of the L egislature.E He removed to
Louisiana in 1906 Commanded the
forces which captured the Spanish Fort
at Baton Rouge In 1910, served many
years in the Legislature of La, and was
twice elected to the Congress of the
United States Throughout his career he
was called q patriot and good citizen.
We knew him to be kind father and q
firm Christian" ~
Gen. Munday, of East Felicia ma.
is the introducer OF the bill His
early life was spent in Baton Rouge,
aud be knew Gen. Thomas. Gen.
Munday remembers having seen, in
bis youth. the remains OF the Spanish
Fort, which was captured by Gen
Thomas in 1910 1t occupied the
ground upon which the U. .. Bar
racks were afterwards erected, and
was simply q sstockade, with a para.
pet and ditch. He has often heard
al account of the expedition from
East Felicianans Among those who
participated in it was Squire Flynn,
a type of the athletic men of those
days. who. fully armed and equipped,
was accustomed to leap from the
ground upon his horse.
In 1910, although that portion OF
Louisiana west OF the Mississippi
river bad become the territory Of the
United States. that part of it east of
the river, embracing what are now
known as the parishes of East and
West Feliciana, st. Helena, East Ba-
ton Rouge, ST. Tammany. Livingston.
Tangipaboa and Washington, still
remained under the dominion OF the
Spaniards, who had garrisons at
Baton Ronge, Biloxi and Mobile.
The United States government, in
passive, weak way, made claim to
this territory, but took no action to-
ward asserting or vindicating the
claim. At the same time, the coun-
try in question peopled to q consid-
cradle extent by Americans. who had
come thither from various sections
OF the Union. and they resolved
when favorable opportunity should
be afforded to acquire their own in
dependence. g =
This opportunisy was presented in
the summer 81 1910, when the gar
rison 1t Baton Rouge had been re-
duced 70 = mere handful and there