---
title: George H. Thomas: The Underrated Hero of the Union
author: Joshua J. Mark
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/George_H._Thomas/
format: machine-readable-alternate
license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/)
updated: 2026-09-10
---

# George H. Thomas: The Underrated Hero of the Union

_Authored by [Joshua J. Mark](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/JPryst/)_

George H. Thomas (1816 to 1870) was a Union general in the [American Civil War](https://www.worldhistory.org/American_Civil_War/) who first came to national attention after his victory at the [Battle](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/battle/) of Mill Springs (19 January 1862) in Kentucky, the first Union victory in the Western Theater of the [war](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/War/). After Mill Springs, Thomas’ winning streak continued throughout the conflict as he played a pivotal role in many of the most decisive battles of the Western Theater.

Even so, his name is not as widely known as those of Ulysses S. Grant or William Tecumseh Sherman, in part because, after fighting in the [First Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas)](https://www.worldhistory.org/First_Battle_of_Bull_Run_(First_Manassas)/), he was transferred west, and the Western Theater of the Civil War never received the same level of attention as the Eastern Theater, even when the war was in progress.

He has also been overlooked, however, because, unlike other Civil War generals, he never publicly promoted himself, often refused military promotions, never wrote a post-war memoir, and had his wife burn all his personal papers and correspondence after his [death](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Death/). Further, he was a Virginian who chose to remain loyal to the Union, causing his family to disown him and burn all his correspondence.

Thomas was well-known for his modesty, the care he showed for his men, his calm demeanor during battles, and his deliberate, careful planning of engagements – this last earning him the reputation of being a “slow” general – an aspect of his character that especially infuriated Grant.

Still, he earned even Grant’s grudging respect as the “Rock of Chickamauga” after he saved the Union army from a total rout at the Battle of Chickamauga in 1863 and, since his death, has been recognized through place names and monuments in his honor – notably Thomas Circle in Washington, D.C. – and is regularly praised by Civil War scholars as one of the best generals in the war, North or South, ranked favorably alongside Grant and Sherman.

[ ![Confederate Troops Advancing at Chickamauga](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/750x750/20816.jpg?v=1755506025-1755506066) Confederate Troops Advancing at Chickamauga Alfred R. Waud (Public Domain) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/20816/confederate-troops-advancing-at-chickamauga/ "Confederate Troops Advancing at Chickamauga")### Early Life & West Point

When Thomas’ papers and correspondence were burned, many details of his life went up in smoke and so historians have far less to work with than they do with other Civil War generals whose lives are much better documented. Even so, there is sufficient evidence to reconstruct his life, as demonstrated by his biographies and through the historical novel, *This Army Does Not Retreat: The Memoirs of General George H. Thomas* by Jack M. Zackin.

George Henry Thomas was born at Newsom’s Depot, Southampton County, Virginia on 31 July 1816, the son of John Thomas and Elizabeth Rochelle Thomas; he had three sisters and two brothers. The family were upper-class and owned a large plantation which, in 1829, was worked by 15 slaves.

On 20 April 1829, when Thomas was twelve years old, his father died in a farming accident and the family suffered serious financial setbacks. Between 21-23 August 1831, Nat Turner’s Rebellion (also known as the Southampton Insurrection) broke out and the Thomas family had to flee their home, making their way through the woods to the county seat at [Jerusalem](https://www.worldhistory.org/jerusalem/).

[ ![Nat Turner's Rebellion](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/500x600/20138.jpeg?v=1787219113-1741333545) Nat Turner's Rebellion Unknown Artist (Public Domain) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/20138/nat-turners-rebellion/ "Nat Turner's Rebellion")This event is thought to have seriously impacted the young Thomas as it dispelled the myth of the “contented slave” and reshaped his views on slavery. Thomas had been raised with the common Southern understanding that Africans who had been kidnapped and sold into slavery benefited from this arrangement. Turner’s rebellion clearly showed that claim was untenable.

Thomas received the common education of upper-class Virginian boys of his time and then studied [law](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/law/) while working for his uncle’s practice. The work did not interest him and, in 1836, his family contacted Congressman John Y. Mason who secured Thomas an appointment to West Point Military Academy.

Thomas was roommates with William Tecumseh Sherman and Stewart Van Vliet, took his studies seriously, and graduated 12th in his class of 42 cadets in 1840. He was given the rank of second lieutenant in Company D, 3rd US Artillery, and deployed to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to serve in the Second Seminole War.

The region was not conducive to the use of artillery and so Thomas served as an infantryman. In 1845, he was deployed to Texas as tensions were rising that would lead to the [Mexican-American War](https://www.worldhistory.org/Mexican-American_War/).

[ ![Map of the US-Mexican War of 1846-1848](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/750x750/20645.png?v=1777188260-1767935343) Map of the US-Mexican War of 1846-1848 Simeon Netchev (CC BY-NC-ND) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/20645/map-of-the-us-mexican-war-of-1846-1848/ "Map of the US-Mexican War of 1846-1848")### Mexican-American War & Life Before Civil War

Thomas, now a first lieutenant, commanded an artillery unit under General [Zachary Taylor](https://www.worldhistory.org/Zachary_Taylor/), serving in battles that included Resaca de la Palma, Monterrey, and Buena Vista. Thomas received glowing praise from his commanding officers for his calm deliberation and precision in combat. During the war, he became close friends with [Braxton Bragg](https://www.worldhistory.org/Braxton_Bragg/), later one of the opposing generals in the Civil War.

In 1851, Thomas returned to West Point as a cavalry and artillery instructor, and owed his appointment, in part, to Bragg’s recommendation. Among his students was another future Confederate general, J.E.B. Stuart, and Thomas became friends with the academy’s superintendent, [Robert E. Lee](https://www.worldhistory.org/Robert_E._Lee/).

On 17 November 1852, Thomas married Frances Lucretia Kellogg of [Troy](https://www.worldhistory.org/troy/), New York. The wedding ceremony was held in Troy, and the gathering hosted by the bride’s family. The new couple remained at West Point, living in the married officers’ quarters with Robert E. Lee and his family, until 1854 when he was promoted to captain and transferred to California.

In California, he commanded a cavalry regiment and, during a skirmish with Comanche raiders in 1860, was wounded by an arrow that went through his chin and pinned it to his chest. Thomas removed the arrow, had the surgeon dress the wound, and continued leading his men. This was the only combat wound Thomas would receive throughout his career in the military.

[ ![Woodcut of George H. Thomas by Thomas Nast](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/500x600/22106.jpeg?v=1788948918-1788788672-eyb7ekkt) Woodcut of George H. Thomas by Thomas Nast Thomas Nast (Public Domain) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/22106/woodcut-of-george-h-thomas-by-thomas-nast/ "Woodcut of George H. Thomas by Thomas Nast")Thomas incurred a far more severe injury in November 1860. He had taken a leave of absence and was traveling by train to visit his family in Virginia. At the station in Lynchburg, Thomas stepped off the train to stretch his legs, slipped, and fell down an embankment, wrenching his spine. This event left him with chronic back pain that plagued him the rest of his life, causing him to move slowly, and “would later become a metaphor by which hostile rivals would critique his battle plans” (Bobrick, 56).

After the [US Presidential Election of 1860](https://www.worldhistory.org/US_Presidential_Election_of_1860/), when [Abraham Lincoln](https://www.worldhistory.org/Abraham_Lincoln/) was elected, South Carolina seceded from the Union in December – and other Southern States soon followed. Between South Carolina’s secession and the aftermath of the [Battle of Fort Sumter](https://www.worldhistory.org/Battle_of_Fort_Sumter/) (12-13 April 1861), Southern-born officers resigned their commissions, choosing to side with their states against the federal government.

As a Virginian, Thomas was expected, by both sides, to follow suit. Although he found the decision difficult, he chose to remain loyal to the Union. His family denounced him as a traitor and disowned him. His sisters are said to have turned his picture to the [wall](https://www.worldhistory.org/wall/) and considered him dead. Former admirers, including J.E.B. Stuart, wanted him dead, hoping he would be taken prisoner after a battle and could be hanged for treason against his home state.

He was not especially warmly received by the Union army’s general staff either. As a Southerner, his loyalty to their cause was suspect and he would have to prove himself – which he did, from his first battle command to his last.

### American Civil War

After [Albert Sidney Johnston](https://www.worldhistory.org/Albert_Sidney_Johnston/) and Robert E. Lee resigned their commissions as colonel and lieutenant colonel, respectively, Thomas was promoted to replace them. He served under Major General Robert Patterson in the Shenandoah Valley at the First Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas) on 21 July 1861, was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers that August, and was sent west to serve under Major General Robert Anderson, hero of Fort Sumter, in Kentucky.

Thomas was assigned the task of training the men at Camp Dick Robinson and arrived to find the site in disarray and the new recruits disorderly. He immediately issued orders to correct the situation, instituting the high-quality discipline and training that would turn these recruits into the professional fighting force that would eventually make up the Army of the Cumberland.

**Battle of Mill Springs**

In January 1862, Confederate Major General George B. Crittenden was guarding the vital access point between neutral Kentucky and pro-Union East Tennessee, the Cumberland Gap, and Thomas received orders to break his lines and drive him from that position.

Confederate Brigadier General Felix Zollicoffer, under Crittenden, had earlier advanced from the Gap to Somerset, Kentucky, to attack Thomas. Crittenden had ordered Zollicoffer to encamp south of the Cumberland River at Mill Springs, but Zollicoffer chose to encamp north of the river, believing it was more defensible.

[ ![Battle of Mill Springs, January 1862](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/750x750/22107.jpeg?v=1788948914-1788789209) Battle of Mill Springs, January 1862 Harper's Weekly (Public Domain) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/22107/battle-of-mill-springs-january-1862/ "Battle of Mill Springs, January 1862")Zollicoffer also believed, incorrectly, that Thomas was commanding a small force that could be easily defeated, unaware that Thomas had arrived with two brigades and had also received reinforcements from Brigadier General Albin F. Schoepf. Crittenden was under this same impression and ordered Zollicoffer to advance to Logan’s Crossroads and attack Thomas.

Thomas, with his clear deliberation and careful planning, defeated the Confederates, driving them from the field in a rout. Because Zollicoffer had encamped north of the Cumberland River, the fleeing army – which now needed to cross the river quickly to the south side - abandoned supplies, horses, and ordnance. Zollicoffer was killed in the battle (the first Confederate general to die in the war) and Thomas’ victory sparked celebrations in the North and made him famous. Scholar Stuart W. Sanders writes:

> For the Federals, the battle strengthened the reputation of \[a man\] whose loyalty had been questioned. The Virginia-born Union commander George H. Thomas attained great fame. Extensive newspaper coverage of the fight – which proved to be the Union’s first significant victory – propelled Thomas… (124)

**Siege of [Corinth](https://www.worldhistory.org/corinth/) to Chattanooga**

Thomas was reassigned to the command of Major General Don Carlos Buell and, after Grant’s performance at the Battle of Shiloh (7 April 1862) was heavily criticized, Major General Henry W. Halleck replaced Grant with Thomas, who again proved his worth at the Siege of Corinth (29 April – 30 May 1862) against Confederate General [P.G.T. Beauregard](https://www.worldhistory.org/P._G._T._Beauregard/).

[ ![Battle of Stones River](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/750x750/20915.jpg?v=1756446584-1756457870) Battle of Stones River Kurz & Allison (Public Domain) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/20915/battle-of-stones-river/ "Battle of Stones River")Thomas served under Buell at the Battle of Perryville (8 October 1862), which halted the invasion of Kentucky by Braxton Bragg, but was then passed over for promotion when Buell was replaced by Major General William Rosecrans. Although this command should have gone to Thomas, he accepted the decision and served under Rosecrans, an able strategist but inferior to Thomas as a field commander.

At the Battle of Stones River (31 December 1862-2 January 1863), also known as the Second Battle of Murfreesboro), after the first day of fighting, which had seen heavy Union losses, Rosecrans called a council of war at which many of his officers strongly urged retreat.

Rosecrans did not agree and was supported by Thomas who said his now famous line, “This army does not retreat.” Thomas and Brigadier General Philip Sheridan then held the center for the rest of the battle, cleared their fronts, and Braxton Bragg was again defeated. Scholar Benson Bobrick comments:

> Afterward, men said of Thomas: “Fighting under him was like having a stone wall in front of you or a battery to cover you.” The very fact of his presence, quietly and coolly giving orders under the hottest fire, steadied his men against the storm. (153)

Bragg met Rosecrans’ forces again at the Battle of Chickamauga (18-20 September 1863), the engagement Thomas became most famous for prior to Nashville. On the morning of 20 September, Rosecrans received faulty intelligence that there was a gap in his line and so he shifted one of his units to fill it. In doing so, he created a gap which was instantly exploited by Confederate Lieutenant General James Longstreet.

[ ![Map of the American Civil War, 1861-1865](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/750x750/21119.png?v=1783225337-1759291607) Map of the American Civil War, 1861-1865 Simeon Netchev (CC BY-NC-ND) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/21119/map-of-the-american-civil-war-1861-1865/ "Map of the American Civil War, 1861-1865")Longstreet’s attack broke the Union lines and drove at least a third of the army from the field, including Rosecrans. Thomas took command of the remnant of the army still on the field and held his position at the center on Horseshoe Ridge (also known as Snodgrass Hill).

Reinforced by others, Thomas continued to hold until night fell, when he orchestrated an orderly retreat from the field. Chickamauga was a Confederate victory, but Thomas had saved Rosecrans’ army from a complete rout, earning him the nickname, the “Rock of Chickamauga.”

During the Chattanooga Campaign (21 September-25 November 1863), Grant replaced Rosecrans with Thomas (on 19 October) and, at the Battle of Missionary Ridge (25 November 1863, also known as the Battle of Chattanooga), Thomas’ men famously charged uphill – without orders – seemingly because they knew that is what he would expect from them - driving the confederate forces from what had been considered an impregnable position.

**[Franklin-Nashville Campaign](https://www.worldhistory.org/Franklin-Nashville_Campaign/) & War’s End**

Thomas again distinguished himself during the Franklin-Nashville Campaign (18 September – 27 December 1864), the last major engagement of the Western Theater of the Civil War. Thomas protected the Union rear of Sherman’s March to the Sea (15 November – 21 December 1864) and destroyed the Confederate Army of Tennessee under Lieutenant General [John Bell Hood](https://www.worldhistory.org/John_Bell_Hood/) at the [Battle of Nashville](https://www.worldhistory.org/article/2816/battle-of-nashville/) (15-16 December 1864), earning him another nickname, “The Sledge of Nashville.”

[ ![Battle of Nashville](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/750x750/21167.jpg?v=1779666607-1760316531) Battle of Nashville Kurz & Allison (Public Domain) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/21167/battle-of-nashville/ "Battle of Nashville")The Battle of Nashville exemplifies Thomas’ careful preparation and execution of an engagement. Ulysses S. Grant impatiently and repeatedly ordered Thomas to attack Hood – but Thomas refused to advance until his cavalry was fully equipped and the weather had cleared.

Grant had reached the point of replacing Thomas, and then of going to take command of the action himself, when Thomas launched his successful advance. After Thomas’ victory, Hood resigned his commission and his Army of Tennessee no longer existed as a coherent fighting force.

Between Sherman’s March to the Sea and Thomas’ actions in the Franklin-Nashville Campaign, the South was broken. Grant then launched the Appomattox Campaign (29 March – 9 April 1865), leading to Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Court House on 9 April 1865 and the end of the American Civil War.

### Conclusion

After the war, Thomas commanded the Department of the Cumberland, responsible for various Southern territories. He enacted policies to protect former slaves (known as freedmen) and deployed his troops to protect Blacks from abuses and persecution by the Ku Klux Klan.

[ ![Bronze Equestrian Statue of General George H. Thomas](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/750x750/22105.png?v=1788948910-1788789360) Bronze Equestrian Statue of General George H. Thomas David Reynolds (CC BY-SA) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/22105/bronze-equestrian-statue-of-general-george-h-thoma/ "Bronze Equestrian Statue of General George H. Thomas")In 1869, he requested reassignment to California. On 28 March 1870, while [writing](https://www.worldhistory.org/writing/) a response to an article by his rival John Schofield criticizing his handling of the Battle of Nashville, Thomas suffered a massive stroke and died. His wife blamed Schofield’s article and Grant’s poor use of her husband for his death (Bobrick, 332). Thomas’ family refused to attend his funeral service.

George H. Thomas was in full command of only two battles – Mill Springs and Nashville – but his presence at all the other engagements proved decisive. Bobrick cites the famous Civil War historian Bruce Catton’s estimation:

> Bruce Catton said of Thomas, “What a general could do, Thomas did; no more dependable soldier for a moment of crisis existed on the North American continent, or ever did exist.” (336)

Civil War scholars and historians, including Bobrick, generally agree that Thomas has been undervalued and overlooked, and the reasons for this have been given above. A more telling reason, however, is that this seems to have been what Thomas himself would have wanted.

He asked his wife to burn his letters so that, after his death, no one would have access to the story of his life. He refused to write a memoir, refused to engage with critics – save for his heated response to the Schofield article on the day of his death – and, when passed over for promotions, refused to contest the decision.

In all of this, he rejected the kind of drama many other Civil War generals encouraged, during and after the war. Thomas chose to serve the interests of the Union over his home state, understood that as a responsibility he owed his country, a job that needed to be done, and he quietly and unpretentiously went about doing that job very well.

#### Editorial Review

This human-authored definition has been reviewed by our editorial team before publication to ensure accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards in accordance with our [editorial policy](https://www.worldhistory.org/static/editorial-policy/).

## Bibliography

- [Bobrick, B. *Master of War: The Life of General George H. Thomas.* Simon & Schuster, 2010.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0743290267/)
- [Dugard, M. *The Training Ground: Grant, Lee, Sherman, and Davis in the Mexican War, 1846-1848.* Bison Books, 2009.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0803228120/)
- [McPherson, J. M. *Battle Cry of Freedom.* Oxford University Press, 2003.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/019516895X/)
- [Sanders, S. W. *The Battle of Mill Springs, Kentucky.* The History Press, 2013.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/1609498291/)
- [Taylor, A. *American Civil Wars: A Continental History, 1850-1873.* W. W. Norton & Company, 2025.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/132411049X/)
- [Zackin, J. M. *This Army Does Not Retreat: The Memoirs of General George H. Thomas.* CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2016.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/1537187228/)

## About the Author

Joshua J. Mark is World History Encyclopedia's co-founder and Content Director. He was previously a professor at Marist College (NY) where he taught history, philosophy, literature, and writing. He has traveled extensively and lived in Greece and Germany.
- [Linkedin Profile](https://www.linkedin.com/pub/joshua-j-mark/38/614/339)

## Timeline

- **1816 CE - 1870 CE**: Life of General George H. Thomas.
- **1831 CE**: George H. Thomas and his family are affected by [Nat Turner's Rebellion](https://www.worldhistory.org/Nat_Turner's_Rebellion/) in Southampton County, Virginia.
- **1836 CE - 1840 CE**: George H. Thomas attends West Point Military Academy.
- **1846 CE - 1848 CE**: George H. Thomas serves in the [Mexican-American War](https://www.worldhistory.org/Mexican-American_War/).
- **1861 CE - 1865 CE**: George H. Thomas serves as a Union officer in the [American Civil War](https://www.worldhistory.org/American_Civil_War/).
- **1862 CE - 1865 CE**: George H. Thomas serves as a Union general in the Western Theater of the [American Civil War](https://www.worldhistory.org/American_Civil_War/).
- **19 Jan 1862 CE**: Union General George H. Thomas commands victory at the [Battle](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/battle/) of Mill Springs in the [American Civil War](https://www.worldhistory.org/American_Civil_War/).
- **15 Dec 1864 CE - 16 Dec 1864 CE**: Union General Thomas H. Thomas commands victory at the [Battle of Nashville](https://www.worldhistory.org/article/2816/battle-of-nashville/) in the [American Civil War](https://www.worldhistory.org/American_Civil_War/).
- **1870 CE**: General George H. Thomas dies of a stroke in California.

## Questions & Answers

### Who was General George H. Thomas?
George H. Thomas was a Union general in the American Civil War. Although not as well known as Grant and Sherman, Thomas is regarded as one of the best Civil War generals, on either side, in the war. 

### Why is George H. Thomas considered such a great general?
George H. Thomas is considered one of the best generals of the American Civil War because of his battle record. He won both battles in which he held full command and contributed to significant victories or actions in every other when under another general's command. 

### Why isn't George H. Thomas more famous?
George H. Thomas was a private man who had his wife burn all his personal letters after his death, refused to write a memoir after the war, avoided attention, refused promotions, and essentially rejected the kind of drama that made other Civil War generals more famous. 

### How did George H. Thomas die?
George H. Thomas died of a stroke on 28 March 1870 in California.


## External Links

- [US National Park Service/George Thomas](https://www.nps.gov/people/george-thomas.htm)
- [American Battlefield Trust/George H. Thomas](https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/george-thomas)

## Cite This Work

### APA
Mark, J. J. (2026, September 10). George H. Thomas: The Underrated Hero of the Union. *World History Encyclopedia*. [https://www.worldhistory.org/George\_H.\_Thomas/](https://www.worldhistory.org/George_H._Thomas/)
### Chicago
Mark, Joshua J.. "George H. Thomas: The Underrated Hero of the Union." *World History Encyclopedia*, September 10, 2026. [https://www.worldhistory.org/George\_H.\_Thomas/](https://www.worldhistory.org/George_H._Thomas/).
### MLA
Mark, Joshua J.. "George H. Thomas: The Underrated Hero of the Union." *World History Encyclopedia*, 10 Sep 2026, [https://www.worldhistory.org/George\_H.\_Thomas/](https://www.worldhistory.org/George_H._Thomas/).

## License & Copyright

Submitted by [Joshua J. Mark](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/JPryst/ "User Page: Joshua J. Mark"), published on 10 September 2026. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en). This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.