The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-07-10
GENERAL THoMAs's LOYALTY.
An Incident Disproving the Charge that II
Sympathized with Secession.


GENERAL THoMAs'S LOYALTY.
An Incident Disproving the Charge that He
sympathized with Secession.
Thomas NJ. Anderson, in Army and Navy journal.
In General Sherman's letter to General
Garfield. published in tho March number of
the North American, reference IL made to
Gartield's wish to ascertain how far Gen.
George ii. Thomas syInpathized with the
South at the outbreak of the rebellion.
l was one of the officers of the Fifth Cav
airy who reported to General Thomas at
ceived a letter from General Garfield in
1870, asking what | could state Is to Fitz
Hugh Lees assertion that Thomas leaned
toward the South at tho time referred to.
mote posts in Texas. and before l could an
swer the address" for which he was col
lecting data, had been delivered.
General Sherman's letter may well revive
an interest In u question as TO the sympa-
thies of a number of officers OF Southern
birth who remained in the army and navy
during the rebellion. For be it remem-
bered that we had Scott. Farragut. Thomas.
Ord, Anderson. Philip ST. George Cooke,
Pope. Candy, Robert Williams. Meigs. K.
III. johnson, Newton !2. Alexander, Laid
ley, Benet, Wood, Graham, Emory, Critten-
den. Royal. French. Tidball. William
Hayes, Wallsn, Otis Dodge; Morrow;
AS @NoS 0H o0S ~
upquesIioned fidelity.
1t goes without saying that il all these
distinguished officers had left our service
the loss to US would have been serious.
To show the pressure General Thomas was
under at Carlisle, it Is only necessary to
consider this statement: His regiment was
organized in 1855 by Jefferson Davis, Secre-
taIv of War. Out of thirty-six officers
originally appointed. twenty-seven were
SOutherners and only nine from the North
ern States. AS far as practicable. the regi-
rnent was recruited in the South. Albert
Sidney Johnston was the colonel, Robert h.
Lee the Northumberland, Hardee was
senior and Thomas JUNIOR MAJOR. and Earl
Van Dorm the senior captain: Hood was the
senior second and Fitz Hugh Lee the sub.
Out of this array OF chivalry all went
South. with five exceptions, when the war
Hood April 80. and Fitz Hugh Lee not until
May 81. a few days before / Joined.
One of the Northern officers was such q
Southern sympathizer that Stanton subse-
quently dismissed HIM; unjustly, asI think.
for he tonight faithfully. If his utterances
were imprudent.
Another Northern officer said. when we
got the news Of Ben Buffers defeat at Big
Bethel that he was !, glad glad the ds oil old Aboli;
ficers ret0rted that he was evidently fight
ing on the wrong side. A challenge was
promptly given and accepted. The new of
ticer went to Samuel j. Randall, then of
tDc Il ullIuc1puld u tIOOU,d u dShtu I'LL
to be his second. Randall said, do you
wish to fightw Yes" Accept" The let
ter accepting the challenge was handed to
him. He replied. "Fn see you through
and the challenged party LETT. Soon after
summoned to General Thomas's tent A
brief account of this conference will show
cOnclusively the character OF the mans
loyalty.
lie began by asking the old officer why
he had challenged the new officer. The old
officer gave an exact statement of the facts,
and added that he would not let any
mustang las the new men were called1 in
suit him with impunity. A stern and
threatening look came upon the face of the
old veteran as he said: 1t is you. sir. who
have given the insult, not to your Junior. but
to the whole regiment. III L could believe
that you meant what you said, l would also
say you are fighting on the wrong side.
There must be no doubt now" he added.
.'of any mans position, or OF any mans
loyalty. The time for doubt 10 passed, the
time Tor decision was when you were con-
sidering Lees letter."
The egiment had been serving In Texas,
and coming to New York city about the
middle OF April, 1861, was met there by
General Thomas. Lee was then in Wash
ington. but wrote q letter to one of the Off
GERS coming up from Texas to the effect
that he felt constrained to resign and 90
with his State, but that he could blame no
one who decided to remain faithful to the
old nag" never saw this letter, and
Thomas's allusion to it was the first intima-
ton l had that such a letter had been
written 1t is needless TO say that the
duel was not fought. and 1T is but fair to
add that the old officer remained in the
service and made an excellent record.
About the middle OF August | was called
to Washington city at the request of my
uncle. Cen Robert Anderson. of Sumter
fame. l found him at Wizards and
in his room. met at the
and Congressman Mckee, of Kentucky.
authorized to take out four officers as brig
adiers 10 Kentucky. He showed me his
list-Wm. L. Sherman, Don Carlos Buell..
Geo. III. Thomas and Simon Bolivar Buck
ner. He then stated that he knew all about
Thomas's ability as q soldier. as he had
served with him in Mexico. but that he
wished to know how much zeal he had in
the service. l simply told the story / have
gwen above about the challenge. All pres
ent said that that was enough. Then l
veDtured TO remark that L could give equal
proof of Buckner's hopeless disioyaity,
which | did. so his name was dropped
from the list and Orinsby NJ. Mitchelrs put
down.
A few days after l returned to the camp
of the Fifth Cavalry and had the satisfac-
ton of handing General Thomas O. COPY Of
the order appointing him IA brigadler-gen-
eraL.
have general remarks TO make in con-
clusion. In 1861 many officers who had no
sympathy with the South felt il to be their
constant and conscientious duty to cuss the
Abolitionists