Maj. Gen. George Henry Thomas
Born: July 31, 1816
Newsom's Depot, Virginia
Died: March 28, 1870
San Francisco, California
1840: West Point Graduate
1840: 2nd Lieutenant
Nov. 6, 1841: Brevet 1st Lieutenant
December 24, 1853: Captain
May 12, 1855: Major
April 25, 1861: Lieutenant Colonel
August 17, 1862: Brigadier General of Volunteers
April 25, 1862: Major General
Maj. Gen. George Henry Thomas
1840: Graduated West Point - 12th out of 40 - Appointed 2nd Lieutenant in Company D, 3rd U.S. Artillery - Assigned to Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Seminole Wars: His troops performed infantry duty
November 6, 1841: Brevet 1st Lieutenant
1842-1845: Served in posts at New Orleans, Fort Moultrie in Charleston Harbor, and Fort McHenry in Baltimore
1845: Regiment ordered to Texas due to Mexican/American War
May 3-7, 1846: Siege of Fort Texas
May 9, 1846: Battle of Resaca de la Palma
September 21-23, 1846: Battle of Monterry
February 22/23, 1847: Battle of Buena Vista
Reassigned to Florida in 1849-1850
1851: Returned to West Point as a cavalry and artillery instructor. Developed a professional and personal relationship with the superintendent, Lieut. Col. Robert E. Lee
December 24, 1853: Promoted to Captain
Spring 1854: Thomas's artillery regiment was transferred to California and led two companies through the Isthmus of Panama to San Francisco
May 12, 1855: Promoted to Major of the 2nd U.S. Cavalry by Jefferson Davis
August 26, 1860: Wounded by an arrow passing through the flesh near his chin and sticking into his chest at Clear Fort, Brazos River, Texas. Thomas pulled the arrow out, the surgeon dressed his wound and he continued to lead the expedition. This was his only combat wound.
November 1860: Requested a one year leave of absence. In Lynchburg, Virginia, fell from the train platform and injured his back. The pain effective him for the rest of his life.
At the outbreak of the war, 19 out of 36 officers in the 2nd U.S. Cavalry resigned including three of Thomas's superiors, Albert Sidney Johnston, Robert E. Lee and William J. Hardee.
Although from Virginia , Thomas selected to stay with the Union
Although considered a traitor by his fellow Virginia officers, he won the affection of the Union soldiers who affectionately called him "Pap Thomas"
April 25, 1861: Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel
August 17, 1861: Promoted to Brigadier General
Bull Run Campaign - August 1861: Commanded a brigade under Maj. Gen. Robert Patterson in the Shenandoah Valley
January 19, 1862: Battle of Mills Springs - defeated Brig. Gens. Crittenden and Zollicoffer gaining the first important Union victory in the war breaking Confederate strength in Eastern Kentucky
December 2, 1862: Assigned to 1st Division of Maj. Gen. Buell's Army of the Ohio
April 7, 1862: 2nd Day of Shiloh, but arrived to after the fighting ceased
April 25, 1862: Promoted to Major General and given command of the Right Wing which consisted of 4 division of Grant's army
October 8, 1862: Battle of Perryville
31 December 1862 - 2 January 1863: Battle of Stone's River
June 22 - July 3, 1863 Tullahoma Campaign
September 19, 1863: Battle of Chickamauga
November 23-25, 1863: Succeeded Rosecrans in the Army of the Cumberland shortly before the Battle of Chattanooga. This was a stunning victory for the Union which was highlighted by Thomas's troops storming the Confederates on Missionary Ridge
Spring 1864: Thomas staff did the logistics and engineering for Sherman's entire army group
July 20, 1864: Severely damaged Lieut. Gen. John B. Hoods army in its first attempt to break the siege of Atlanta
Autumn 1864: After menacing Sherman's long lines of communication, Hood was hoping Sherman would follow him, Sherman embarked for the sea
Thomas followed Hood into Tennessee
18 September 1864 - 10 January 1865: Franklin-Nashville Campaign
November 30, 1864: Battle of Franklin: A large part of Thomas's command under Maj. Gen. John M. Schofield defeated Hood long to cover the concentration of forces in Nashville
December 15, 1864: Battle of Nashville - effectively destroying Hood's command in two days of fighting
After the Civil War, Thomas commanded the Department of the Cumberland in Kentucky and Tennessee. At times, it included West Virginia, and parts of Georgia, Mississippi and Alabama
Pres. Andrew Johnson offered Thomas the rank of Lieut. Gen., but he requested the Senate to withdraw his nomination
1869: Requested assignment to command Military Division of the Pacific with headquarters at the Presidio of San Fransisco
March 28, 1870: Passed away due to a stroke
Boatner, Mark M. III. The Civil War Dictionary. New York: McKay Co., 1967 p 336
George Henry Thomas. 22 October 2020. web. 13 November 2020.
Warner, Ezra J. Commanders in Blue Lives of the Union Commanders. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State, 1964. p 500-502