Thomas, George Henry

Thomas, George Henry

(1816–70) soldier; born in Southampton County, Va. A West Point graduate (1840), he fought in the Seminole War, on the western frontier, and in the Mexican War. After teaching at West Point (1851–55) he joined a new cavalry division. Although a Virginian, he stayed with the Union and commanded units at several major campaigns and battles. His greatest moment came at Chickamauga (1863), where his stubborn defense earned him the sobriquet "Rock of Chickamauga." Forces under Thomas's command stormed Missionary Ridge at Chattanooga (1863), and his Army of the Cumberland decisively defeated a Confederate army under Hood at Franklin and Nashville, Tenn. (Nov.–Dec. 1864), for which he was one of 15 officers voted "Thanks of Congress." He stayed in the army after the war and died in San Francisco while in command of the Military Division of the Pacific.

The Cambridge Dictionary of American Biography, by John S. Bowman. Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995. Reproduced with permission.