Called “The Rock of Chickamauga” for holding the center of the Union line in that Civil War battle, and prevention a defeat from dissolving into a disastrous rout, George Henry Thomas was famous in his lifetime, worshiped and respected in equal parts by the officers and men that he commanded. He is still held in particular respect by serious historians of the period. His funeral, five years after the end of the war, was attended by at least 10,000 mourners, including then-President Grant and his cabinet. Yet General Thomas is also nearly unknown today, especially in comparison to his contemporaries – on both sides of the Civil War. He never wrote a memoir of his service, destroyed his private papers and refused to become involved in politics.

He got on badly with Grant on a personal level, for reasons never made entirely clear to historians. Perhaps this slight novel, told through the eyes of a young officer serving with him, is as good an introduction to the personality and contradictions of this able professional 19th century soldier, who was as personally reserved as he was accomplished – and somewhat of an anomaly among his fellow Union generals. He was born in Virginia, to a slave-owning family, taught those slaves owned by his family to read – in defiance of contemporary law and convention, and married a woman from the North. His closest friend from West Point and during his military career thereafter was Robert. E. Lee… but Thomas chose to remain loyal to the Union, during the Secession crisis which split the United States. For that he was all but disowned by his remaining family, and initially distrusted by those for whom he fought.

This book is barely a hundred and fifty pages, detailing only the last two years of the Civil War and concluding with an account of General Thomas’ funeral. It is beautifully written, very much in period style. If it can be faulted, it would be on the grounds of being limited by that style and structure; it is an account of a man seen from the outside, and at the very peak of his military career. The narrator is sympathetic but exterior, leaving the reader much to wonder about. What kind of events, what personal experiences and relationships formed the man who is presented in this account? How did he come to make the wrenching choices that he did, who really were his close friends and bitter enemies? All these questions are left unanswered; it might be that an imaginative novelist might someday have a go at writing an account that would explore General Thomas’ life in more depth. Until then, “A Civil General” will do very well as an introduction to this contradictory and almost unknown hero. ( )

General George Henry Thomas was an interesting man. Although born and raised in Virginia, he chose to fight for the North during the Civil War. That decision cost him his family. Despite his sacrifices, he was still viewed with some suspicion by his fellow officers. It was his drive, determination, wisdom and dedication to his troops, however that earned him the utmost respect from his troops. As Colonel Swain, A Civil General’s narrator, described so well, the way in which he worked with his men made them so devoted to him that they would follow him to a sure death if that was what he asked of them. After Thomas’ death five years after the war, 10,000 people attended his funeral, including President Grant.

After reading just a few chapters of A Civil General I realized that this book is really a love story written from the point of view of one soldier to another. Colonel Swain clearly believes that General Thomas is the best military leader he has ever met. Despite being taken into the General’s confidence on the way to Chattanooga, Swain remains in awe of this man. As he relates the story of Thomas’ last meeting with his friend General Robert E. Lee, it is obvious that Swain took to heart all that Thomas told him. This was the type of man Swain hoped to become.

A Civil General is a fitting tribute to an American hero. General Thomas was a man who, when called upon, put his country before his family and friends. However much it must have pained him to do so, he never let it show because he knew that he was not alone in making sacrifices. He felt it was his duty to ensure that no one made the ultimate sacrifice unnecessarily. At just over 150 pages, this was a fairly quick read. It did go into some depth during the battle scenes and, as a military novice, I did have some difficulty following exactly what was happening. This didn’t prevent me for enjoying the book, though. This would make an excellent addition to the library of anyone who is interested in the Civil War or military history in general.

http://literatehousewife.wordpress.com/2008/12/01/127-a-civil-general/ ( )