A Thomas question

MikeyB

Sergeant
Joined
Sep 13, 2018
I was reading on Wikipedia (admittedly not the best source for historical information, but I digress) that Thomas was particularly close with Braxton Bragg and Robert E. Lee in the antebellum period. Are there any quotes or mentions by Bragg or Lee showing their thoughts on Thomas either during or after the war? Thomas, the man who ruined Bragg at Chickamauga, and for Lee, a treacherous fellow Virginian who turned his sword on her.
 
I don't know what Lee or Bragg thought about him but J.E.B Stuart wrote “I would like to hang, hang him as a traitor to his native state.”, pretty clear what his thoughts were.
Regards
David
 
I was reading on Wikipedia (admittedly not the best source for historical information, but I digress) that Thomas was particularly close with Braxton Bragg and Robert E. Lee in the antebellum period. Are there any quotes or mentions by Bragg or Lee showing their thoughts on Thomas either during or after the war? Thomas, the man who ruined Bragg at Chickamauga, and for Lee, a treacherous fellow Virginian who turned his sword on her.
I have read two biographies on Thomas and they didn't mention Thomas being close to Bragg. Einholf's biography George Thomas Virginian for the Union" mentions that Thomas and his wife dined with Commandant of West Point Colonel Lee and his wife when Thomas was an instructor at West Point. Einholf's biography sated Thomas met Thomas Jackson when they were both cadets from Virginia. Thomas spoke to Jackson briefly but Thomas did not form a friendship with Jackson.
Leftyhunter
 
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I have read two biographies on Thomas and they didn't mention Thomas being close to Bragg. Einholf's biography George Thomas Virginian for the Union" mentions that Thomas and his wife dined with Commandant of West Point Colonel Lee and his wife when Thomas was an instructor at West Point. Einholf's biography sated Thomas met Thomas Jackson when they were both cadets from Virginia. Thomas spoke to Jackson briefly but Thomas did not firm a friendship with Jackson.
Leftyhunter

What I was reading suggested that Bragg was responsible for a lot of Thomas' antebellum postings and supported his advancement, so I might have erroneously concluded that they had been close. Of the bios you read, do you have a recommendation? I was about to hit buy on Bobrick's Master of War until I read a review suggesting too much bias in favor of Thomas.
 
What I was reading suggested that Bragg was responsible for a lot of Thomas' antebellum postings and supported his advancement, so I might have erroneously concluded that they had been close. Of the bios you read, do you have a recommendation? I was about to hit buy on Bobrick's Master of War until I read a review suggesting too much bias in favor of Thomas.
That maybe true but I don't recall that.
I own Bobric but unfortunately it's to much hero worship.
For sure " George Thomas Virginian for the Union" Einholf I don't have the publisher but I can get the information latter.
Leftyhunter
 
What I was reading suggested that Bragg was responsible for a lot of Thomas' antebellum postings and supported his advancement, so I might have erroneously concluded that they had been close. Of the bios you read, do you have a recommendation? I was about to hit buy on Bobrick's Master of War until I read a review suggesting too much bias in favor of Thomas.

That's correct. In Martin's biography of Bragg he writes: "Bragg set sail from New York on the Zenobia, bound for Savannah, Georgia, on 23 November 1840. Joining him on this voyage was a recent graduate from West Point and a future adversary in the Civil War, Second Lieutenant George H. Thomas. The two became close friends during this trip."
 
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