New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-07
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL
GEORGE H THOMAS'S LOYALTY.

Society Papers" for the year 1901 f"oO
following: ,.o.,...o 20 draw
MD General George II. Thomas hestale 10 ur""
,,s sword AGAINST his native State, Virginia =, .n.
We have collected the most conclusive proofs t,ld
General Thomas had at hiS NJ, OVEN neoplc and we
ov,v Avail some additional proofs mat nav p ~
nromtsed us before publishing a iu s'aeinc' VI '"0
facts. ,. ,acus
I'll, ,rdouhted purpose however, Is 10 create inc
hoef that General Thomas fully intended TO leave lho
I.nted states Army and enter the rebel service ror
.o,orc than five years the friends OF Thomas haVc
waited for the conclusive proof thus PROMISE" III
the columns Of a magazine avowcdy deVo'ou =" '"0
s,ss.r,rotion Of historical truth. The fact tha' uur
ing that long interval no attempt has been mace ~
hll6l the promise affords strong srouiu io' ~
AS 10 the conclusivencss of the prof..
Soon after General ThOmas's death' Ill io'O' "
somcwhat similar assertion made by fltzhngl
90 On letter unfinished in a Richmond newspaper
General Garfield, in his eulogy on the General al
Cleveland Ohio November "a. 1o'o' CoihP'c'oi'
refuted Lees assertion. The letter winch Lee pun
lishcd in his vindication. purpor'ms 10 W "i',''
BY Thomas, then a major OF cavalry '"'""'H -.
1861, contained in II nothing that couiu c>e" ~
implcation be tortured into oohhrlhauoii vi ~"
original statement that "ThOmaS IN lool eAPreSSo"
his intention to resign, and sent Ie''er 10
Hatcher. Offering his services 10 Virginia oh uie
divdual and made no allusion to inc "oN.I"'' VI
M reference TO offering his services to virginia
From that time TIL the publication above quo''"
from The southern Historical society Papers hoV"7
moro uas heard of the attempt TO prove 6enefai
Thomass disloyalty. During the hVe years sl"oc
that publication the Wanted evidence has been VIII
hold and the unsupported assertion concerning most
conclusive proof has been left to work such doubt
and mischief as it could Within the last two months
xrbilo he
Gcaton Of Robert F. Lee were going on in Richmond
the old SANDER has been revived As proof" there
has heen published a single sentence. purportng 10
be an extract from letter. alleged 10 be IN the o'a'e
archives of Virginia written March II. l7ol' oy
Major Thomas 10 Governor Letcher. The Governor
had offered 10 Major Thomas the Office of Chief Of
Ordnance Of Virginia. with the rank and cmoluments
of colonel. This offer was declined According 10
the Richmond papers the letter of deCnat!on con
tains the following sentence at is not my wish to
leave the service of the United states so long as it is
honorable for me to remain in it. and therefore so
long as nv native state (Virginia) remains in the
Union il is my purpose remain in the Army. unless
requested to perform duties alike repulsive 10 honor
and humanity
II is not a violent assumption to consider this
sentence as the conclusive proof" which the Editor
of "The Southern Historical Society Papers had in
mind At any rate it is the only thing bearing on
Of its publication show that it Is the strongest evidence
that can be adduccd in support Of the monstrous
assertion. How utterly and absurdly lacking it is I'm
every element Of proof Of the original assertion
should be patent TO the dullest comprehension.
But the circumstances under which the renewed at
tack upon the good name of General Thomas is made
justify If they do not demand a review Of all the
known facts about him during the closing days of 1850
ard the early days Of 1861. The simple story will ut
ct, gf hi=
loyalty.
Major George ii. Thomas was on duty as commandment
II Camp Cooper, near the head waters of the Brazos
River in Northern Texas. and in the field. from Fcbru
AIRY o. 1859, November IL, 1860 In an expedition
up the Concho and Colorado rivers undertaken chiefly
for the purpose Of exploration he fell in with band Of
predatory Indians. and in skirmish with them on the
Goth Of August, 1860, was severely wounded by an ar
row. which passed through his chin into his breast
On returning TO his post the 25th of August SIX
months leave of absence granted him. The situa-
ton Of affairs was such, however, that he could not
leave the Department until the 10Th OF November Dur
ing the interval between the granting and the taking OF
this leave the Presidential election took place Thus his
coming North at that time had no more relation 10
The disturbed political conditions than if he had come
in August In his journey he met with a railroad ac-
sident that for time threatened serious consequences
From its effects he fully recovered He was de
tanned by his injuries six weeks at Norfolk. Va.
Then he came Washington, where his name IS 70
corded in the register kept by the AdutentCeneral
under date Of January 10, 1861. From there he went
to NewYork for medical advice and treatment on
the 18th of January, fearing that his injuries might
unfit him for further service in the Army and seeing
advertisement for commandant Of cadets and in
trrctor of tactics in the Virginia Military Institute lie
wrote to the superintendent eX army ofcer-askng
what salary and allowances pertain 10 the situation
he feared that il might be necessary for him 70
be looking up some means Of support. II was this
letter that Ftzhugh Lee published in $50 evidence
That in l56l Thomas had expressed his intention to
'egn for the purpose Of entering the rebel service.
II does not require second reading 10 the absurdity
Of the thing.
While in WashinctOn-a week before the writing Of
this etter-Major Thomas warned General Scott that
in his opinion TwiGgs, who in command in Texas,
meditated treachery Was that the act Of man him
self contemplating treachery1 The result in Texas
showed the correctness Of his suspicious.
South Carolina seeded the 2Oth OF December, fol
lowed after interval Of nearly three weeks by Mis-
sissippi January o: Florida. January TO- Alabama,
January IL. The news concerning these latter states
came while Major Thomas was in Washington The
Administration was still dominated by the con
spators in and out Of Buchanan's Cabinet. Georgia
seeded January 10, Louisiana the Goth and Texas
February !.
During February and March no other state seeded
governor Letcher succeeded IN having convention
called in Virginia, which met in Richmond February
10. II was largely for the Union. On April the
convention refused by vote Of 50 10 4jsmost two TO
one-to adopt an ordinance submitting the question Of
secession TO the people
Up To this time sixty five officers of the Army had
resigned and entered the Confederate service. OF
these seven were Nirginians, including Lay, OF Ger
eal SCOTS saf, A. =. Hill and EchOs. More Officers
from Northern states than from Virginia had up 10
That time Joined the rebellion.
For nearly six weeks succeeding the inauguration
Of President Lincoln the iHsurcent cause made no
Roadway. A Confederate Government OF seven
States had been set up at Montgomery, but II
gained no new adhcrcGtS. Only the cotton states
had Joined the temporary league. All this While
Major Thomas in Ncw-l DIRK city, recruiting his
health and watching with mspeakablc anxiety the
course Of events While thus situated, the post %
Chief Of Ordnance OF the state Of Virginia offered
him, with the rank aud cmolumcnts of colonel. II
promotion had been his only object he would quickly
have accepted the offer. The step from major