George Henry Thomas was an American general in the Union Army during the Civil War and one of the principal commanders in the Western Theater.
He was born in Southampton County, Virginia, and graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1840.
Thomas served in the Mexican–American War and later chose to remain with the U.S. Army for the Civil War as a Southern Unionist, despite his heritage as a Virginian (whose home state would join the Confederate States of America).
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He won one of the first Union victories in the war at Mill Springs in Kentucky and served in important subordinate commands at Perryville and Stones River.
Thomas's most famous battle was the Battle of Chickamauga in September 1863. The Union army was defeated, but Thomas's stand on the left flank earned him the nickname "the Rock of Chickamauga."
He later led the Army of the Cumberland to victory at the Battle of Nashville in December 1864, which effectively ended the war in the Western Theater.
After the war, Thomas commanded the Department of the Cumberland in Kentucky and Tennessee, and at times also West Virginia and parts of Georgia, Mississippi, and Alabama, through 1869.
During the Reconstruction period, Thomas acted to protect freedmen from white abuses. He set up military commissions to enforce labor contracts since the local courts had either ceased to operate or were biased against blacks.
Thomas also used troops to protect places threatened by violence from the Ku Klux Klan.
Thomas died in San Francisco in 1870. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Thomas was a highly respected general who was known for his calm demeanor and his ability to make sound decisions under pressure. He was also a skilled tactician and strategist.
Thomas's contributions to the Union's victory in the Civil War were significant, and he is considered one of the greatest generals of the war but also the most forgotten general.
Read Article: Famous Civil War Generals
Family Overview
George Henry Thomas did what Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, James Longstreet, and many other Southern officers could not do...he fought for the Union despite being a Southerner.
When he made that choice, his siblings disowned him, and due to that, there is a significant gap in the information that is available to his siblings. Many lived long lives, but there are no records of children.
At the time of the Civil War, his parents had already passed. George lost his dad when he was 13 years old and his mom when he was around 28.
He and his wife did not have any children, so, unfortunately, this honorable man did not have anyone to carry on his legacy.
Family Tree Chart
Parents:
John Thomas (1779 - 1829) - He was born during the Revolutionary War to a family with a Quaker background. He and his wife had nine children.
Elizabeth Rochelle (1784 - 1844) - She married her husband and had nine children. There is not much known about her parents.
Spouse:
Frances Lucretia Kellogg (1821 - 1889) - She met her husband in New York. the two seemed to have a happy marriage, but his early death left her a widow for the last 19 years.
Children: None
Siblings:
Elizabeth Thomas (unknown) - She likely died prior to 1848. There is little known of her at this time.
Anne Thomas (1808 - Unknown) - It is unknown if she married, had children, and how long she lived.
John William Thomas (1810 - unknown) - Similar to Anne, there is nothing known about his life except for the birth date.
Judith Elvira Thomas (1811 - 1903) - She lived to old age. However, there is little known of her life during those years. It is unclear if she married and had any children.
Juliette Thomas (1811 - unknown) - Most likely the twin of Judith. There is nothing known about her life after her birth.
Benjamin Thomas (1814 - 1876) - There is little known about his life. He is buried in Vicksburg, Mississippi.
Francis G Thomas (1820 - 1902) - He lived until he was 82, but there is nothing known about his life at this time.
Lucy R. Thomas (1820 - unknown) - Possible twin to Francis. She married into the Briggs family. It is not known if she had any children.