George H. Thomas
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George Henry Thomas (1816-1870) - Born 31 Jul 1816, Southampton County, Virginia. Died 28 Mar 1870, San Francisco, California.
Early Years
Graduated from West Point ranked 12th of 42 in the class of 1840. Commissioned Second Lieutenant in the 3rd U.S. Artillery by President Van Buren. His roommate during his plebe year at West Point was William Tecumseh Sherman
Assigned to duty on the day of graduation as 2nd Lt. in the 3rd U.S. Artillery, he served in the regular army for twenty years, during which time he served in the Second Seminole War from 1840 to 1842; in command of various forts and barracks from 1842 to 1845; in the military occupation of Texas in 1845-46; in the Mexican War from 1846 to 1848 participating in early all its leading battles in the 3rd Seminole war in 1849-50; as instructor in artillery and cavalry at West Point from 1851 to 1854 where he taught cavalry tactics to Phil Sheridan and J.E.B. Stuart. On the other hand, he taught artillery tactics to John B. Hood. He was on frontier duty at various posts in the interior of California and Texas, leading several expeditions against the Indians from 1855 to the autumn of 1860. During these twenty years he was repeatedly brevetted for gallant and meritorious services, rising through all the grades to a captain of artillery, and in 1855 was made a major of the 2nd cavalry, which regiment he commanded for three years. He was wounded in a skirmish with the Indians at the headwaters of the Brazos river in Aug 1860, and the following November went east on a leave of absence. During the winter of 1860-61 he watched with anxiety the buildup to the U.S. Civil War.
U.S. Civil War
Father: John C. Thomas (-1829) Died 20 Apr 1829.
Mother: Elizabeth Rochelle (-)
Marriage:
- Frances Lucretia Kellogg (-1889) Married 7 Nov 1852.
Children:
Assignments:
- (1836-1840) Cadet, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York
- (1840-1840) 2nd Lt. (1 Jul 1840), 3rd U.S. Artillery, Fort Columbus, New York
- (1840-1842) Bvt. 1st Lt. (6 Nov 1841), 3rd U.S. Artillery, Seminole War, Florida
- (1842-1842) Bvt. 1st Lt., 3rd U.S. Artillery, New Orleans, Louisiana
- (1842-1843) Bvt. 1st Lt., 3rd U.S. Artillery, Fort Moultrie, South Carolina
- (1843-1845) 1st Lt. (30 Apr 1844), 3rd U.S. Artillery, Fort McHenry, Maryland
- (1845-1847) Bvt. Maj., 1st Lt., (23 Feb 1847), 3rd U.S. Artillery, Mexican War
- (1847-1849) Bvt. Maj., 1st Lt., 3rd U.S. Artillery, in charge of commissary depot at Brazos Santiago
- (1849-1849) Bvt. Maj., 1st Lt., 3rd U.S. Artillery, Fort Adams, Rhode Island
- (1849-1850) Bvt. Maj., 1st Lt., 3rd U.S. Artillery, Seminole War, Florida
- (1850-1851) Bvt. Maj., 1st Lt., 3rd U.S. Artillery, Fort Independence, Boston Harbor, Massachuttes
- (1851-1853) Bvt. Maj., 1st Lt., 3rd U.S. Artillery, Instructor of artillery and cavalry, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York
- (1853-1855) Capt. (24 Dec 1853), 3rd U.S. Artillery, Fort Yuma, California
- (1855-1856) Maj. (12 May 1855), 2nd U.S. Cavalry, Jefferson Barracks, Missouri
- (1856-1860) Maj., 2nd U.S. Cavalry, Fort Mason, San Antonio, Fort Belknap and Camp Cooper
- (1860-1861) Maj., 2nd U.S. Cavalry, 1 year leave of absence
- (1861-1861) Lt. Col. (25 Apr 1861), 2nd U.S. Cavalry
- (1861-1861) Col. (3 May 1861), 2nd U.S. Cavalry
- (1861-????) Brig. Gen. ( 17 Aug 1861)
- (1863-????) Maj. Gen. (3 Aug 1861)
Personal Description:
- Height: 6'
- Build: Large proportions and symmetrical
- Hair Color: Light brown, slightly tinged with red
- Eye Color: Blue
Links: