General Thomas shook that hand, if any fellow ever tries to take it I'll knock him down.

SWMODave

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A future U.S. President tells a story about Chickamauga

Immediately after the battle of Chickamauga, General Garfield passed through Baltimore on his way to Washington as a member-elect of Congress. The Hon. Henry Winter Davis gave him a dinner, to which General Schenck and staff were invited. In eloquent utterances , and with earnest manner, Garfield told that dinner -party the story of the battle.

“It was not a defeat,” he said, “but a great victory, only we at headquarters did not know it.

It was about three in the afternoon , when riding with General Rosecrans toward Chattanooga , that the continuous roar of a battle on the centre and left, struck us as indicating an obstinate defence and I suggested the propriety of my riding back and ascertaining the exact condition of affairs on Thomas' front. Receiving assent to this, I turned and made my way, as best I could, in the direction of the conflict. It was no easy matter; the road was crowded with fugitives, men, ambulances, and wagons, all bent each on getting ahead of the other out of the way of the yelling rebels. No one inexperienced in such a rout can conceive of the disorganization and wild dismay of such a mass.

I succeeded at last, and I shall never forget my amazement and admiration when I beheld that grand officer holding his own with utter defeat on each side and such wild disorder in his rear. He had the moment before repulsed a terrific assault , and his unmoved line of bronzed veterans stood by their guns as grim and silent as a line of rock. Thomas' greeting to me was as quiet as if on parade, and, on my asking him as to the situation, he replied: “We have repulsed every attack so far, and can hold our ground if the enemy can be kept from our rear.'

“He had scarcely uttered these words when the head of a column appeared on our left as we faced to the rear. It camerapidly, the men yelling and firing as they marched; and for a few painful moments we were in doubt whether they were friends or foes.

The doubt was dispelled by the appearance of men on the right who seemed to rise from the ground. They came at double time, and we could see and hear the officers cheering them on. It was dear old General Steadman coming to our rescue. They came in column, formed into line, and advanced firing. We saw the enemy hesitate, waver, fall back, and disappear, as at the same moment a terrific assault was made on our front. This, too, was repulsed and again there came the deadly lull, harder to bear than active fighting, for knowing our isolated position, one felt there was no telling from what quarter the next attack would be made.

As to this anxiety I speak for myself,my heart was in my mouth, but for Thomas, from first to last he stood unmoved, receiving reports and giving orders, as if the situation were not utterly desperate.

Once only he exhibited any feeling. We were moving along the line to encourage the men and to make inquiry regarding the ammunition, when Thomas approached a man whose coolness and courage he had noticed, and shaking the brave fellow 's hand, thanked him for his gallant conduct.

The man stood embarrassed for a second, and then exclaimed:
“General Thomas shook that hand, if any fellow ever tries to take it I'll knock him down.'"

From that hour until night this short line of twenty- five thousand men held the field against the entire rebel army and then fell back in good order to Chattanooga.

from Memories of the Men Who Saved The Union

You won't typically find this technique mentioned in motivational speeches....
George H. Thomas had graduated at the Southampton Academy and had entered upon the study of law when the genial John Y. Mason offered Mr. Rochelle, George's uncle, a cadetship at West Point. The choice of the place was left to the young man and promptly accepted.
Having passed the examination , George returned home by way of Washington to thank the Hon. John Y., then his member of Congress, for his kind patronage.
The Hon. Solon said to the youth: “No cadet appointed from our district has ever graduated at West Point, and if you fail I never want to see you again." He spoke to one whose lexicon had no such word as fail.
 
I shall never forget my amazement and admiration when I beheld that grand officer holding his own with utter defeat on each side and such wild disorder in his rear. He had the moment before repulsed a terrific assault , and his unmoved line of bronzed veterans stood by their guns as grim and silent as a line of rock. Thomas' greeting to me was as quiet as if on parade, and, on my asking him as to the situation, he replied: “We have repulsed every attack so far, and can hold our ground if the enemy can be kept from our rear.'

Great story! I know that his overlords sometimes got impatient with him, but I find a lot to admire in Thomas.

Roy B.
 
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