The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-04-02
FULTON COUNTY NEWS.
GEN. GEO. u. THOMAS.


commanders which the War of
the Rebellion made prominent,
none shines brighter than "Pap
Thomas" the hero of the Army
of the Cumberland.
From a boy he had desire to
be a soldier and at the age of
twenty entered West Point.
He was an apt student aud
graduated with high honors in
1910, when he was commissioned
Second Lieutenant of Artillery
and saw his first service in the
Seminole war in Florida.
After serving for eighteen
months in Florida, he was order
ed to New Orleans, and shortly
after to Charleston Harbor, where
he became FIRST Lieutenant. In
1915 he was at Ft. Brown, Texas,
when the Mexicans besieged the
place.
He also fought at Monterey,
and for gallantry in this battle
was promoted TO Captain.
AT Buena Vista, it was Thomas
who carried Gen. Taylor's fam
Gus order to Captain Bragg to
"Give them a little more grape,
Captain !" and for this he was
promoted to Major.
After the Mexican war he was
on duty at different points, and
in 1855 he was assigned to the
Second U. S. Calvary, whose Of
ticers were: Colonel Albert Sid
ney Johnston; 1t Colonel, Robert
Il. Lee; Associate Major, William
j. Hardee, three of the highest
rebel chieftains during the war.
Iu 1861 all of the above named
officers resigned and joined the
Confederacy, Thomas alone of
the regimental officers remaining
loyal.
On the 5th of May of the same
year, he was appointed Colonel
of the 9th U. S. Calvary and com.
manded a brigade under Gen.
Patterson, and afterward under
Gen, Banks.
On August 18th he was made a
Brigadier General and placed in
command of Camp Dick Robin
son in Kentucky.
He fought the battle of Mill
Spring, Jan. 18th, 1862, gaining
ii decided victory, after which he
was sent to Nashville, Tenn,
where his division formed the re-
serve of the Cumberland.
On April 25th, 1862, he was
commissioned Major General of
Volunteers and subsequently
came into command of the Army
Of the Cum berland.
He exhibited great firmness at
Stone River and Chickamauga,
rolling back the tide Of battle and
saving the army.
In all the engagements of the
army, General Thomas showed
great generalship, and at Nash
vile in December, 1864, nearly
apnihilated Hood army.
He had a magnificent soldierly
appearance and complete mas
terry of his profession in all of its
details. 1t is said of him that he
never lost battle, or met the en-
emy without giving him cause to
grieve over the encounter.
BY some he was thought to be
little slow, but, like Napoleon,
prepared his plans carefully, and
suffered no surprises. He was
always ready for an attack by
the enemy and always made the
enemy pay dearly for any at
tempt to outgeneral him. Then
again he always had the entire
confidence of both officers and
men under him and never claim
ed any distinction or honor for
himself at the expense of others,
and consequently no one disputes
his military genius or his well
earned fame
AT the close of the war Gen.
Thomas was given command of
the military division of Tennes-
see, including Tennessee, Ken.
lucky, Georgia, and Alabama,
with headquarters at Nashville;
but his health failing, at his own
request, he was assigned to the