|
|
|
ML_gthomas_bkp.htm
 | |
Maj. Gen. George H. Thomas, hero of Chicamauga. (U.S. Military History Institute).
|
|
|
SOUND OFF! | |
Join our discussion here.
|
|
|
Have a suggestion for a Military Legend? Write to militarylegends@military.com.
|
Maj. Gen. George H. Thomas
Southerner Was One Of Union's Most Capable Civil War Generals
By Bethanne Kelly Patrick
Military.com Columnist
Despite his victories at Chickamauga on Sept. 20, 1863, and at Nashville on Dec. 16, 1864, few history books mention George H. Thomas alongside Union generals like Sheridan and Chamberlain. This is due, in part, to professional differences that Thomas had with some of his colleagues. It may also have been due to his colleagues’ inability to understand Thomas’ sympathy for the plight of the South. Although Thomas, who graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1840, remained loyal to the Union, he had been born in Virginia and retained many of his Southern sensibilities.
Thomas had also always been something of a maverick. As a youth, he taught reading and Bible classes to his family’s slaves. During his Mexican and Indian war service, he remained open to other cultures -- for example, when stationed near Ft. Yuma, Ariz., he compiled a dictionary of local Indian language that was praised by etymologists.
Unlike many of his fellow commanders from both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line, Thomas also remained committed to training African-American soldiers. Under his command, these men held the Confederate right at Nashville, allowing Thomas to maneuver troops to crush the enemy from the left.
Thomas considered all of his men worthy of respect. Whenever possible, he had his staff ride to the side so that marching troops could have the road. Unlike some commanders, who dealt with deserters through execution, Thomas preferred to lead by good example: “We are all cowards in the presence of immediate death," he said. "We can overcome that fear in war through familiarity.”
His respect for his soldiers extended to tactical and logistical matters. The economy-of-force technique Thomas employed at Chickamauga is still a basic tenet of today’s Marine assault doctrine. He introduced the use of combined forces, developed excellent telegraph and intelligence services, and disdained parade drills in favor of battle simulations. His XIV Army had the Civil War’s most efficient mess and hospital (Thomas hired Dr. Mary Walker, who would become the only female recipient of the Medal of Honor). At Chattanooga, he established the first national military cemetery.
At war’s end, now-Maj. Gen. Thomas was made military governor of the Southern states. Operating from Nashville headquarters, he negotiated this tricky position so skillfully that the state of Tennessee granted him honorary citizenship. Thus, when he died in 1870 while commanding the Department of the Pacific in San Francisco, Thomas remained both a son of the South and an honored military leader of his unified nation. |
|
|
|
|
