The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-26


bly, never be known to historical stu
dents until the secrets OF all hearts
arc revealed. for beyond the highly
exciting statement that the writer
was stationed at Fort Mason. when
Colonel Lee received the order to re-
port to General Scott" (Thomas be-
Ing on leave stilD. there is absolute
~ nothing in his narrative that sub
Stimulates the Majors absurdly in
accurate statements touching the pro-
motions and personnel of the End Cav
airy. Indeed. after reading what Ma
tor White writes following the cI-
,ation>. l very seriously doubt wheth-
er he ever saw in all his life an on
cial roster of that famous regiment
What is right in the half column he
writes about the regiment has been
known to even the general reader"
since the infancy OF Noah. He starts
OFF with a grave blunder and ends
with nonsensical Illustration that
Will amuse West Pointers But his
air OF authority" as II one had in
quired OF an oracle of God. and his
easy familiarity with his betters. are
delicious. The senior major" he says.
wv. ]. Hardee. had been recently pro-
NOTED to the Observation-Disclosures of
the 4th formerly the LIST Cavalry,
thus elevating Thomas to the position
of senior major" Not one word of this
is true. Hardee had not been recently
promoted" at the time he mentioned
but as for back as IS June. 1860.
(seven months before Lee left for
Washington. he was promoted into
the LIST Cavalry, which did not become
the 4th until more than a year after
he entered It. and. finally. his pro-
motion did not elevate Thomas to the
position of senior major" in the cav
airy service. There We're still two ma
tors senior to Thomas. w. II. Emory
and John Sedgwick. Emory thus be-
came Northumberland of the First
when Hardee resigned. and John SedG-
wick became Northumberland of
Thomass regiment (2d). when Lee
was promoted colonel of the First
G6 March, 1861. Thomas still remain
ing major. This is surely a fine array
of plumbers for an omcer TO begin
with. who ends up his second hand
knowledge with the famboyant boast.
These are the official records to be
known to (sic) all men" Alack. fear
the true "ofticial records" will never
be known to" the Major.
Events We're now moving fast CLee
did not reach Washington until l
March), and Thomas yonder In New
York. whilom rampant Secession
list" at the mess table in Texas, began
changed his strong inclination.
amounting to purpose, 10 follow his
State" All of his biographies lay
stress on his cauuouss, foresight cool
Judgment untouched of sentiment, and
his native shrewdness. Southern off,
GERS vera everywhere resigning. and
he had but to 'sit tight" to attain the
coveted promotion thus practically Of
fered him. Lee had but to resign and
CaI nd
Thomas Geutenant-Colonel. Emory
had but to resign and Thomas would
become Colonel. In such a mere hand
full of cavalry field officers, each man
knew the other and had almost certain
knowledge of what action each officer.
would take. With Albert, Sidney john
ston and Leo and Emory out of the
way. Thomas would necessarily become
Colonel. All Ahree did resign.
though Emory's resignation Che was
then marching homeward from the
Plains). which he had left with rel
alive in Baltimore In case Maryland
seeded. and which had been sent in
prematurely. WAS recalled and ex-
plaiped. and he was reinstated in
the army. But the Secretary of
War was angered by his resig-
War Department May and accepted
May. on which date letters of pro-
motion" were issued to Thomas. pro-
noting him to be Lieutenant Colonel
to date from % April and Colonel to
date from May respe ctively. All
this is new to the Major, because it
is not in any of the books he has read.
but is in the records. Emory was re-
instated on Il May, but only as Lieu
tenant Colonel. Thomas had been 'se-
lected" in his place. 1t is an inter-
esting story. but too long to set down
here.
The Majors nonsensical illustra-
ton" to prove that Thomas had some
what hard measure meted out to him
is that "he (Thomas) was not pro-
noted in the permanent establishment
until the latter part of 1861" (observe
the exclamation-point to mark the
hardship. Why. Sherman, a far more
distinguished officer than Thomas in
every way. did not get his promotion
on "the permanent establishment" until
1853. and the same is true of score
Of other officers OF high Volunteer rank.
fear the Major has but a superficial
acquaintance with his "Cullum's Reg
ister."
Then tho Major comes out strong"
as to the personnel of the End Cav
airy, in order further to prove Thomas's
"stalwart and answering loyalty" in