The Civil War In Review

Peter Andrews’s excellent article “The Rock of Chickamauga” prompted me to review the Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant to see what Grant’s own words were about General Thomas. Grant states:

“Thomas’s dispositions were deliberately made, and always good. He could not be driven from a point he was given to hold. He was not as good, however, in pursuit as he was in action. I do not believe that he could ever have conducted Sherman’s army from Chattanooga to Atlanta against the defences and the commander guarding that line in 1864. On the other hand, if it had been given him to hold the line which Johnston tried to hold, neither that general nor Sherman, nor any other officer could have done it better.

“Thomas was a valuable officer, who richly deserved, as he has received, the plaudits of his countrymen. ...”

Perhaps we could reduce Grant’s opinion of Thomas by using the parlance of modem baseball: Good field, no hit.