Rescuing a general

[kevikens]

Some of you may know that I haunt the flea markets and garage sales looking for historical stuff. My basement is a museum covering everything from the Punic Wars to Patton's Third Army. Well today I managed to save the general I think the most capable commander of the Civil War, a gentleman at home with the common soldier and the haughtiest of fellow commanders. Both a kind and soft spoken person. a persistent warrior, a Virginian by birth and upbringing and a man who paid a very high price for his decision to side with his country and not his state, George H. Thomas ( In the words of his commander-in-chief, "let the Virginian wait").

I found his portrait, actually a lithograph from the Civil War period, by the contemporary lithographer, George E. Perine , 111 Nassau St in NYC, very nicely mounted and framed. The seller had no idea who George H. Thomas was. That's not surprising, though to me it is distressing that this most noble character of that war is not better known and appreciated. Of course I purchased the lithograph, not that I needed another one but I felt it was my duty to do so before some unknowing person purchased it for its nice frame and tossed the image inside it. I felt it was an honor to be able to take into my home his visage. If George H. Thomas is in a place where he sees and knows what is going on today, let him know that in my house, unlike that of his family, his portrait is not facing the wall.

 

[MRB1863]

Nice save and addition to your museum! Apparently it does pay to be "at the right place at the right time"!!!

 

[ole]

I'm going to have to start frequenting garage sales and flea markets.

 

[kevikens]

By the way I was able to insert into the frame a shinplaster banknote from Troy, NY. dated 1862 which was his adopted home town and is the location of his tomb. It looks great inside the frame right above his head.

 

[MRB1863]

By the way I was able to insert into the frame a shinplaster banknote from Troy, NY. dated 1862 which was his adopted home town and is the location of his tomb. It looks great inside the frame right above his head.

Nice touch!

 

[Nathanb1]

Some of you may know that I haunt the flea markets and garage sales looking for historical stuff. My basement is a museum covering everything from the Punic Wars to Patton's Third Army. Well today I managed to save the general I think the most capable commander of the Civil War, a gentleman at home with the common soldier and the haughtiest of fellow commanders. Both a kind and soft spoken person. a persistent warrior, a Virginian by birth and upbringing and a man who paid a very high price for his decision to side with his country and not his state, George H. Thomas ( In the words of his commander-in-chief, "let the Virginian wait").

I found his portrait, actually a lithograph from the Civil War period, by the contemporary lithographer, George E. Perine , 111 Nassau St in NYC, very nicely mounted and framed. The seller had no idea who George H. Thomas was. That's not surprising, though to me it is distressing that this most noble character of that war is not better known and appreciated. Of course I purchased the lithograph, not that I needed another one but I felt it was my duty to do so before some unknowing person purchased it for its nice frame and tossed the image inside it. I felt it was an honor to be able to take into my home his visage. If George H. Thomas is in a place where he sees and knows what is going on today, let him know that in my house, unlike that of his family, his portrait is not facing the wall.

Good for you! I've occasionally done the same sort of thing. Now I feel redeemed. And my daughter can just hire an estate sale company when the time comes.