Thomas

[MikeyB]

While impossible to answer, any thoughts about what kind of command Thomas would have been given had he joined the Confederacy? Just how highly regarded and distinguished was his pre-war military career? I assume by virtue of being a Virginian, this would have given him a leg up. Did he have ties to Davis?

I don't want to devolve into a what-if, just curious as to what bucket of officers Thomas' career and experience would be grouped with. Was it even possible he would have received an army command? Was there any chance he would become a lieutenant general? Or would he likely have started out as one of the other countless brigadiers as the brigade level and maybe or maybe not he distinguished himself on the field?

Mike

 

[NedBaldwin]

Jackson, Longstreet, ewell, hood, early all started at lower levels and rose to the top. He would have done the same

 

[major bill]

Thomas seemed talented as a general and might have served the Confedercy well. What we do not know is where the Confedercy might have sent him. Some locations and assignments might have propelled his advancement and other areas or assignments would have not do so. We also can not know how well he may have got along with President Davis. Davis seemed to be loyal to his old friends and I am not not sure how close Thomas was to Davis.

 

[MikeyB]

Thanks everyone. I was most curious if his stature from his pre-war military career put him in the JEJ/ASJ level or if he was much more junior and on par w/ some of the other generals like Longstreet who had to work their way up from brigade level. Based on the responses, it sounds like the latter.

thanks!