The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1903-12-24

Many incidents in the life and
career of General Thomas might be
cited, showing the manner of man he
was. The hero Of the battles in
which the immortal Eighth was en-
gagged was foreshadowed in the part
he played in civil life at the begin
ming of the gigantic War of the Rebel
lion.
At the meeting of the Legislature
at the called session in April 1861
Stephen Thomas, the member from
West Fairlee, moved that the oath of
allegiance to the United States be sd-
ministered to the members, in addition
to the regular oath which then con
tanned no reference to the general gov
eminent. Thomas was Douglas
Democrat. AT meeting of the
Democratic members, several were in
favor of resist ng all war measures,
but Paul Dillingham;, State senator,
cold his fellow Democrats that this
would never do. Thomas was the
leader of the Democrats in the House.
He and Dillingham;, sterling patriots,
were In full accord. If the Repub-
licans propose to raise five regiments, )"
said Dillingham; to Thomas. do you
go for ten; if they want half a mill.
ion fol- troops, do you move to make
it a million" and with this policy
Thomas was in hearty sympathy.
When the committee had proposed to
the House to raise half million dol
lars, and the others had spoken,
Thomas arose, and in an impa ssioned
speech, with characteristic emphasis,
urged that the bill be amended to read
ONE MILLION DOLLARS, adding
Until this rebellion shall have been
put down l have no friends to reward
and no enemies to punish, and
trust that the whole strength and
power OF Vermont, both of men and
money, will be put into the field to
sustain the government, and the
amendment was carried in the stall
wart spirit the member from West
Fairlee had infused into the Repre-
sentatives. The spirit manifested in
this legislative episode often reap.
peared on the battle field, or in the
presence Of great danger, or in emer.
gencies requiring grit and resolution.
VOL OFT RI al Sc
brigade in Louisiana At Bisland, in
particularly ugly situation, under
the fire of the rebel batteries, Colonel
Thomas rode slowly along the line,
encouraging the men by word and ex-
ample. saying: Steady, men Stand
firm! Old Vermont is looking at you
today -
In perilous emergency in the bat
tie Of Opequau, he led the Eighth
Vermont and the Twelfth Connecti-
cut in bayonet charge, prefacing
his order with this characteristic
speech Boys, if any Of you are in
the habit of praying-and l hope you
all are-pray now, and pray quick
and pray hard. Remember Ethan AL
len and Old Vermont, aud we will
drive those fellows to hell. where
they belong" The bayonet charge
that followed was reckoned one of the
best achievements on that brilliant
field and was an important factor in
that decisive engagement After it's
baptism Of fire among the bsyous OF
Louisiana, and Its heroic service at
Port Hudson, the Eighth was trans
ferred to the North and placed under
Sheridan in the Shenandoah valley.
The general and his boys" were sol.
diers after Little Pills" own heart.
At Opequan, Fishers Hill and Cedar
Greek they performed prodigies of
valor. Thomas and the Vermonters
were an influential factor in the brill
liant victory in the latter battle, the
last in which the Eighth took an i'm
portant part.
Thomas was field officer of the Nine
teenth corps at Cedar Greek, and it
was not through the picket line in his
charge, or that of the Sixth corps,
also in charge of Vermont officer,
that the entrance of the Oonfederates