Guest Book – George H. Thomas

Bill Thomas from Maine wrote on March 26, 2020 at 10:41 am

Fri, March 11, 2011
jwthomas@usm.maine.edu

So what are people's thoughts on why Thomas stayed loyal to the Union instead of Virginia?

Admin Reply by: admin

here is a link to my thoughts on the subject:
http://generalthomas.com/why_thomas_stayed.htm

Bill Snyder from Cookeville, TN wrote on March 26, 2020 at 10:39 am

Mon, March 14, 2011
billsnyder2000@yahoo.com

Truly a great man!

John D. Bunn from Newsoms Va. wrote on March 26, 2020 at 10:31 am

Sat, March 19, 2011
jbunn@herc.com

I live a mile from his homeplace.

Mary Thomas Alltop from Chicago, IL wrote on March 26, 2020 at 10:29 am

Tue, April 5, 2011
malltop7883@yahoo.com

Thanks for this great site dedicated to my relative, Gen. Thomas. My interest in him, and in the Civil War, was renewed with the rebroadcast of Ken Burn's "Civil War" on public television this week.

Admin Reply by: admin

Thanks for your message.

Barb Luker from Maineville, OH wrote on March 26, 2020 at 10:25 am

Tue, April 5, 2011
b925366@yahoo.com

I grew up in a small town in Northern KY named for General Thomas: Fort Thomas. The fort was built (and not named) to protect the city of Cincinnati, OH (just to the north across the Ohio River) from possible attack by the CSA. Unfortunately, the fort was not as successful as General Thomas: Cincinnati was raided by Confederate General John Hunt Morgan and his cavalry during the war. Morgan frightened everyone in the area, but did not do much dammage and retreated back to KY. The fort and the town that grew up around it was named for Thomas after the war. There are two other forts (& towns) in No. Ky buit for the same reason and also named for Union Generals: Ft. Mitchell and Ft. Wright.

Admin Reply by: admin

Thanks for the information on Fort Thomas.

James LaLone from Lincoln Park Mi wrote on March 26, 2020 at 10:22 am

Fri, April 29, 2011

General George Henry Thomas is my great great cousin on my moms side of the family I cant learn enough about him thanks for the website.

Admin Reply by: admin

Thanks for visiting the site.

Mike from NJ wrote on March 26, 2020 at 10:16 am

Sat, May 28, 2011
sfleis2@aol.com

Thanks for the website. I hope to make it to his grave someday.

Admin Reply by: admin

Thanks for the note. I hope to make it to the Oakwood Cemetery one day also. I know a lady who visits the place when she can, and reminds the staff if anything is amiss.

Colleen Campanelli from Rochester, NY wrote on March 26, 2020 at 8:48 am

Tue, May 31, 2011 19:41

Collection Rochester Public Library Local History Division picture file
Summary A view of George H. Thomas School No. 49, built in 1913. It was originally part of the Brighton school district, but was annexed by the city January, 1923. In 1926 it was renamed in honor of the Civil War general. In 1937 a new building was built.

Notes Picture caption: George H. Thomas School No. 49. Source: A history of the public schools of Rochester, New York, 1813-1935. Rochester (N.Y.) Board of Education, 1935. Click for image http://photo.libraryweb.org/rochimag/rochpublib/rpf/rpf01/rpf01382.jpg

Admin Reply by: admin

Thank you so much for this photo.

Imoukhuede Oise from Nigeria wrote on March 26, 2020 at 8:43 am

Mon, June 6, 2011 08:54
moukman@yahoo.com

Its a real pleasure to sign your guest book. i live in Lagos, and have always been interested in the american civil war because it so closely parallels our own civil war, most of players in your civil war were brothers in arms in Mexico, and most of the men who served in ours on both sides, were comrades in the Congo war.

That said, I regard Thomas as the outstanding general of the war, CSA or Union. He deserves better treatment from historians 🙂

Admin Reply by: admin

Thank you for your message.

Michael K. Smith from North Mankato, MN wrote on March 26, 2020 at 8:40 am

Sun, June 19, 2011 06:37

Thanks for this website. I am a descendant of General Thomas on my mother's side and am just recently learning more about this amazing leader. Keep up the good work.

Admin Reply by: admin

Thanks you for your message.

Bernard Price from Gosport Hampshire, UK wrote on March 26, 2020 at 8:33 am

Sun, July 3, 2011 08:44
pricegspt@ntlworld.com

I have been visiting this site on and off for the past eleven years. Has anyone ever compared the casualty lists for Missionary Ridge and Cold Harbour to see who was the more careful with the lives of the soldiers under their respective commands.
I would sooner have as a commander someone not given to making rash decisions and took the calculated risk rather than the commander who 'shoots from the hip' regardless of the cost in the hope of achieveing glory.

Admin Reply by: admin

Your points are well made. Thank you for your insightful comments.

Richard Guida from Camden, NJ wrote on March 26, 2020 at 8:24 am

Thu, July 7, 2011 23:13

There is a Civil War tour at Oakwood Cemetery, Troy, NY. Saturday morning, July 16th. Surely the Thomas grave should head the list of sites. Anyone EVER going that way should consider a stop at Grant's Tomb on Riverside Drive, Upper Manhatten where a bust of Thomas (and four other Major Generals) surround the sarcophagi (ala Napoleon's tomb) along with a mural of he and Grant, Missionary Ridge representing one of four iconic moments. While east, the Thomas statue in D.C.(cast from 88 condemned CSA cannons) centers Thomas Circle, and northeast, the cottage where Grant died (with even the funereal flowers still in place! )is less than an hour from Oakwood.

Admin Reply by: admin

Thank you for posting your interesting comments.

Richard William Thomas from United States wrote on March 26, 2020 at 8:23 am

Tue, July 19, 2011 23:41
richardwthomas@att.net

Admin Reply by: admin

George Thomas' paternal forbears were Welsh and English, and his maternal ancestors were French Huguenot. His father's family, if originally Welsh, had lived in England for several generations before coming to America. Many members of the family died intestate, providing no clues in tracing their ancestral lineage.

Dorothy Woosley wrote on March 26, 2020 at 8:19 am

Mon, September 5, 2011 16:12
mzbriz@yahoo.com

Has anyone ever seen a picture of General Thomas' wife? We've seen lots of pictures of him and I would like to see what she looked like.

Admin Reply by: admin

No, I have never found a photo or painting of Mrs. Thomas.

Jonathon Small from Middletown, RI USA wrote on March 26, 2020 at 8:17 am

Mon, October 3, 2011 13:12
jonsmall(at)cox(dot)net

Hi,
I came across your web site dedicated to General Thomas while researching engravings done by my great great grandfather Stephen A. Schoff. You might like to know that the portrait on the 1879 invitation to the unveiling of the equestrian state was engraved by him. The invitation was printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. The same engraved portrait was also issued on a 10 Gallon Tax Paid Stamp of 1871 and a $10,000 4 1/2% Regular Bond, date unknown to me.

Admin Reply by: admin

Thanks so much for this new information.

teschuetz wrote on March 26, 2020 at 8:16 am

Thurs, October 13, 2011 20:13
teschuetz(at)comcast(dot)net

Just wanted to say "great job" on your Thomas site!

I had ancestors who fought under him (well, until Sherman stole their regiments for his Atlanta and "Sea March" campaigns...)

Not to whine, but Lincoln's quote kills me... since he initially played a rather large role in keeping Thomas down!

But that's how it always goes in history.... the best guys occasionally getting F'd!

Cheers!

Admin Reply by: admin

Thanks so much for the note. It took Lincoln way too long to realize Thomas was one of his best generals. Halleck and Grant were expert at army politics.

James Jones from Thomas County, Nebraska wrote on March 26, 2020 at 8:15 am

Thurs, October 17, 2011 11:22
jayjones911(at)sbcglobal(dot)net

Nice tribute to General Thomas. I am doing some research for my county's Quasquicentennial (125 years in 2012) and the county is named for General Thomas. (Thomas County, Nebraska) I have located 5 veterans in our local cemetery and am currently researching their rolls to see if they fought under Thomas and if they were influential in getting the county named for him. The county was established by the Nebraska Legislature on March 31, 1887.

Admin Reply by: admin

Thanks so much for the note. I did not know about a county in Nebraska being named after General Thomas. Please let me know what you find out.

Jason Fish from USA wrote on March 26, 2020 at 8:13 am

Sat, October 29, 2011 19:30
jasonfishmd(at)gamil(dot)com
Well done-

Honor is timeless,

And it's never too late to tell the truth.

Thank you for the effort and time spent in reminding the public of both.

Admin Reply by: admin

Thanks so much for leaving a note.

Greg Alexander from USA wrote on March 26, 2020 at 8:11 am

Sun, January 1, 2012 21:00

Hi - If you weren't already aware, I thought you might be interested to know that Gen. Thomas appears U.S. paper money -- the 1890 and 1891 issues of $5 Treasury Notes. I'll attach a scan of the note. These are both quite rare.

His portrait also appears on federal taxpaid revenue stamps for brandy in 1871, beer tax stamps for 1/3 barrel in 1878 and 1898, and a $10,000 Treasury bond from the 1870s.

Unfortunately I don't have photos of these, but I've been able to collect information from various catalogs and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.

Happy New Year!

Admin Reply by: admin

Thanks so much for the information. I do have one of the $5 notes. According to Jonathon Small in the guestbook entry of Oct 3, 2011, the image of Thomas on the revenue stamps and Treasury Bond is the same the engraving on the Thomas Statue Invitation as shown at http://generalthomas.com/Thomas_statue.htm

James Fish from USA wrote on March 26, 2020 at 8:09 am

Mon, January 2, 2012 14:23
James.Fish(at)gvltec(dot)edu

James Fish descendant of one of his body guard in American Civil War , Company L 1st Ohio CAV

Admin Reply by: admin

from Dave:
Thanks so much for leaving a note. Are you familiar with Capt. John D. Barker, commander of General Thomas' cavalry escort? Thomas mentioned him in dispatches several times for gallant duty.

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