The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-11-10
HON. He and II9 Other Spar
tanS Charged an Army
and Turned an Impend-
ing Rout Into Victory,
Saving for England
the Great Do
main of North
ern India.

aShlngIOnS cosmopolitan population
includes many persons whose lives have
been crowded with events of importance;
but it is probable that very few. even IN
this city. can sit I'm the evening of life
and, with the eyes OF memory. review a
roe eventful or exciting career than
that which .ias been the portion OF
Thomas Bradley ThOrnett, late captain In
the United States army and some time a
soldier IL every geographical division
save South America and Australia
Capt. Thornett will be lightweight years
old on February p next-as he puts It,
the day before George WashinEton's
10th birthday" And until a few weeks
ago, when a severe fall down flight of
stone steps injured him, he was as erect
as In the days when. as a young dragon
IN India, he helped to capture the great
kohinoor diamond, which Is now the
chief gem in the diadem Of England's
king and Of the Emperor Of India, and
when, with 119 others. he cut his way
through an army and helped TO win an
empire for his mother country Indeed.
save Tor slight stOop and a barely per-
ceptible difficulty in walking, he might
answer a call TO arms b-morrow and
SIT MS horse as martial a figure as any
other man.
India. the Crimea, the west coast of
Africa. Canada, and the United States
have In turn been the scenes of his mill
taIy service He has served at various
tunes In every branch OF the military
service. and he's been In command Of as
many as $4,000 men at one time. He has
peen thrice decorated by England's late
queen Tor distinguished gaHantrv under
Ire holds medal for the best swords
manship Of his day in the ROYAL Cana
Dian Rifles. awarded him by Sir William
hEre q. Z. B.; was designated by Gen
S'oneman during the civil war as The
P'i%e man OF the Harris Light Cavalru
lot drlil' craftsmanship and riding and
prizes a, number OF highly Iaudatorv +as-
umonials from high officers in both the
English and American armies as - ~.
api'ty and distinction as soidiar
-iine 'lese are recommendations from
Col David Campbell Gen. Chauncev Nc
Newer and Col Puleson for signal gal
ahtry on several occasions. Only severe
wounds received in the service % The
'hion during the early years Of the civil
war terminated his military career.
Comes of Military stock.
capt Ihornett comes Of a family which
mas mad a part In the military history OF
TWO centuries and half dozen cor,ntrto,
porn at Nlshytown. twelve miles fro,,
Glasgow, Scotland. he was con 80
THOMAS Thornett and Elizabeth Rrad,o,.
MS VIE. His father was an officer in the
n'iush heet at the battle of New Or
leans when Andrew Jackson won ona 81
me most decisive battles of the war Of
ISi-' His mother was one Of the guests
AT the ball given by the Duchess of Rich
mond at Brussels the night before the
battle Of Waterloo. and the guns which
sounded the first deep note OF the great
Napoleon's doom awoke her from the
deep sleep following the fatigue Of that
historic social affair. Noble German blood
nows in the captains veins. for his moth
er mother was born in the castle of Mes
slngham, on the Rhine. Incidentally. this
noble lady would have delighted the
feart of President Roosevelt and other
foes OF race suicide. for the CAPTAINS
mother was one Of her thirty-tbrea chill
dren.
Capt ThOrnett's career seeme m ha,,o
been predestined from his earliest wears
Tor when he was but two years Old he
was found astride "A gun on a British
man-of-war. a vessel Of Admiral Cocb-
rams fleet had been wrecked on the coast
near Plymouth. and as the future can
tain's father was an officer on board the
nagship. his mother took him to the dock
70 await the arrival of intelligence as TO
the safety OF the husband and father
While fhat-
anxious relatives Of the officers and men
of the feet the flagship came into the
harbor and locked and the admiral came
ashore 10 reassure the waiting throng
While he was assuring Mrs. Thornett
that her husband was safe. the two-yaar-
old boy toddled of, and wandered nroh-
ably with the help Of some friendly
jackie" aboard the ship After his wor-
ried mother had searched everywhere
else she sought him on the vessel. and
found him astride one Of the big smooth
bore guns. surrounded by a group Of ad-
miring tars. and Oblivious 10 everything
else but his pleasant and appreciative
audience. Thus did he get his first ex-
perience Of n military life
WAS student Mt Oxford.
The elder Thornett and his family had
removed from their Scottish home 10
London when the boy was but few
months old. and when he had completed
his earlier studies he was sent to the
ancient university town Of Oxford 10
complete his education There he formed
one Of those friendships which are. per-
haps. the chief delight OF college life. and
he and Lord Dudley Ward became
'chums." Having completed his educa-
ton. young Thornett went into the world
20 make his fortune. and as a railroad
superintendent in Ireland and in mercan-
tile life in England. he was in a fair way
20 make 1t, when financial reverses and a
difference with his young wife. 10 whom
he had been married when but twenty
three years old, caused him to form the
sudden resolution to enter the army for
service IN India where the English soy-
eminent was just then having serious
trouble in the Punjab. the northernnost
portion OF that vast empire, with the
warlike Sikhs, who have since become
the chief ally Of their cOnqueror and
were her salvation during the Sepoy re-
bellon.
Thornett. the self-exiled. was enrolled
as "A private and assigned 10 the Third
light Dragons. the famous King
own" Arriving IN Calcutta. Thornett
and his feIlOw-recruits marched LIS
miles 10 join their regiment, and then be-
gan their part in the great Punjab cam
paign. They joined at Umballah shortly
before the battle OF Ramnugger. in which
the intrepid Havelock was killed within
sight OF ThOrnett while pressing a dar-
ing cavalry charge beyond the point OF
safety.
Battle Of ChiIIianwnI1a.
srbo1 cap,o C,bsfff,pu.ofo A., ,.-btoL q "a.