Bryan Morel Thomas (May 8, 1836 – July 16, 1905) was an American soldier, farmer, marshal, and educator. He served as an officer in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

, and later in the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. He was a son-in-law of

Jones M. Withers Jones Mitchell Withers (January 12, 1814 – March 13, 1890) was a United States Army officer who fought during the Mexican–American War and later served as a Confederate major general during the American Civil War. He also was a lawyer, p ...

, under whom Thomas would serve in the war. Thomas also participated in and was captured during the 1865

Battle of Fort Blakeley The Battle of Fort Blakeley took place from April 2 to April 9, 1865, in Baldwin County, Alabama, about north of Spanish Fort, Alabama, as part of the Mobile Campaign of the American Civil War. At the time, Blakeley, Alabama, had been the count ...

, the conflict's final infantry fight.

Early life and U.S. Army career

Thomas was born in 1836 in

Milledgeville, Georgia Milledgeville is a city in and the county seat of Baldwin County in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is northeast of Macon and bordered on the east by the Oconee River. The rapid current of the river here made this an attractive location to buil ...

, and gained his primary education while attending

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

's Oglethorpe University. On July 1, 1854, he entered the

United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...

at West Point. Thomas graduated four years later and stood 22nd out of 54 cadets. On July 1, 1858, he was brevetted as a

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

and assigned to the

8th U.S. Infantry The 8th Infantry Regiment of the United States, also known as the "Fighting Eagles," is an infantry regiment in the United States Army. The 8th Infantry participated in the Mexican War, American Civil War, Philippine Insurrection, Moro Rebe ...

.Eicher, ''Civil War High Commands'', p. 612. With the 8th Infantry, Thomas performed garrison duty in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

and then was stationed in the Utah Territory. On January 19, 1859, he was promoted to second lieutenant and assigned to the

5th U.S. Infantry The 5th Infantry Regiment (nicknamed the "Bobcats") is an infantry regiment of the United States Army that traces its origins to 1808. Origins: War of 1812 The 5th Infantry Regiment was created by an Act of Congress of 3 March 1815,

. With the 5th Infantry he was stationed at Fort Union in the

New Mexico Territory The Territory of New Mexico was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from September 9, 1850, until January 6, 1912. It was created from the U.S. provisional government of New Mexico, as a result of ''Santa Fe de Nuevo México ...

until resigning in 1861.

American Civil War service

Following Georgia's

secession Secession is the withdrawal of a group from a larger entity, especially a political entity, but also from any organization, union or military alliance. Some of the most famous and significant secessions have been: the former Soviet republics le ...

, Thomas resigned his commission in the U.S. Army effective April 6, 1861.Warner, ''Generals in Gray'', p. 304. He was commissioned as a

first lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a s ...

in the regular

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...

on March 16, and promoted to

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

in the regular service that same day. In July Thomas was assigned to the

18th Alabama Infantry The 18th Alabama Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. Service The 18th Alabama Infantry Regiment was mustered in at Auburn, Alabama, on September 4, 1861.http://www.tarleto ...

with the rank of

. Leaving the line service for staff work, Thomas was assigned to command the

ordnance Ordnance may refer to: Military and defense *Materiel in military logistics, including weapons, ammunition, vehicles, and maintenance tools and equipment. **The military branch responsible for supplying and developing these items, e.g., the Unite ...

in the Confederate Department of Alabama & West Florida on December 20. In 1862 Thomas was sent to serve in the Western Theater, and was given command of the

artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...

belonging to a

brigade A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division. Br ...

in the Army of Mississippi as of March 18. Eight days later Thomas was appointed assistant

inspector general An inspector general is an investigative official in a civil or military organization. The plural of the term is "inspectors general". Australia The Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (Australia) (IGIS) is an independent statutory off ...

of the brigade, a post he held until that summer. Assigned to the staff of

Maj. Gen. Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

, Thomas fought at the

Battle of Shiloh The Battle of Shiloh (also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing) was fought on April 6–7, 1862, in the American Civil War. The fighting took place in southwestern Tennessee, which was part of the war's Western Theater. The battlefield i ...

on April 6–7, performing a "commendable part in the battle..." In July he was assigned command of the army's Reserve Corps artillery, a position Thomas would hold for the rest of the year. He also participated in the

Kentucky Campaign The Confederate Heartland Offensive (August 14 – October 10, 1862), also known as the Kentucky Campaign, was an American Civil War campaign conducted by the Confederate States Army in Tennessee and Kentucky where Generals Braxton Bragg and ...

that autumn, and then took a brief sick leave. Thomas returned to duty in time to fight during the Battle of Stone's River in late 1862. Beginning on January 2, 1863, Thomas was assigned as assistant inspector general of the Withers' Division in the renamed Army of Tennessee.Eicher, ''Civil War High Commands'', p. 613. Later in 1863, on the recommendation of

Lt. Gen. Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star rank, three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in ...

Leonidas Polk, he was promoted to

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

and given command of the 12th Mississippi Cavalry. This new regiment, the reserve

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...

of Brig. Gen. James H. Clanton's Alabama Brigade, was also variously known as "Col. Thomas's Alabama Cavalry." On August 4, 1864, he was appointed as a "temporary"

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

of volunteer troops and that September was assigned brigade command in the defenses in

Mobile, Alabama Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population within the city limits was 187,041 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, down from 195,111 at the 2010 United States census, 2010 cens ...

. His appointment was never confirmed by the Confederate Congress so his actual highest grade was colonel.

Fort Blakeley

In 1865 Thomas participated in the Mobile Campaign as part of the Confederate force holding

Fort Blakeley The Battle of Fort Blakeley took place from April 2 to April 9, 1865, in Baldwin County, Alabama, about north of Spanish Fort, Alabama, as part of the Mobile Campaign of the American Civil War. At the time, Blakeley, Alabama, had been the count ...

in Baldwin County, Alabama. Beginning on April 1 Thomas and the fort was put under siege by the Union forces of

Edward R. S. Canby Edward Richard Sprigg Canby (November 9, 1817 – April 11, 1873) was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War. In 1861–1862, Canby commanded the Department of New Mexico, defeating the Confederate Gen ...

. His command—mostly consisting of "boy reserves"—held the right of the Confederate works, on the left was the division of Brig. Gen.

Francis Cockrell Francis Marion Cockrell (October 1, 1834December 13, 1915) was a Confederate military commander and American politician from the state of Missouri. He served as a United States senator from Missouri for five terms. He was a prominent member o ...

, and both under Brig. Gen.

St. John Richardson Liddell St. John Richardson Liddell (September 6, 1815 – February 14, 1870) was a prominent Louisiana planter who served as a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He was an outspoken proponent of Southern emancipati ...

, the garrison commander. At 5:30 p.m. on April 9 the attack came, with simple numbers (around 16,000 Union versus 4,475 Confederate) deciding the assault, which lasted only 20 minutes. In the fight, 3,700 Confederates, Thomas, Cockrell, as well as Liddell were all captured. Thomas was held until June when he was released from Fort Gaines, Alabama, paroled and returned home.

Postbellum career

After the American Civil War, Thomas worked as a farmer in Dooly County and then

Whitfield County, Georgia Whitfield County is a county located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census shows a population of 102,599. The county seat is Dalton. The county was created on December 30, 1851, and named after George Whit ...

. He then worked as a deputy

U.S. Marshal The United States Marshals Service (USMS) is a federal law enforcement agency in the United States. The USMS is a bureau within the U.S. Department of Justice, operating under the direction of the Attorney General, but serves as the enforceme ...

, and in 1884 he founded a private academy. Finally settling in Dalton, Thomas served as superintendent of the city's schools from 1891 to 1900. He died in Dalton in 1905 and was buried in the city's West Hill Cemetery.Warner, p. 305; Eicher, p. 613; historycentral.com site biography of Thomas. The Bryan M. Thomas Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy was named in his honor.

Personal

In 1865, Thomas married Mary Jones Withers, the daughter of Maj. Gen. Jones M. Withers, his first commander. Together they had a daughter named Harriet. Thomas was a member of Rocky Mountain Lodge No. 205 (Missouri Registry) in Utah Territory 1858-1869

Notes

References

* Eicher, David J. ''The Longest Night: A Military History of the Civil War.'' New York: Simon & Schuster, 2001. . * Eicher, John H., and

David J. Eicher David John Eicher (born August 7, 1961) is an American editor, writer, and popularizer of astronomy and space. He has been editor-in-chief of ''Astronomy'' magazine since 2002. He is author, coauthor, or editor of 23 books on science and American ...

, ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. . * Jones, Charles Edgeworth, ''Georgia in the War: 1861-1865'', C.E. Jones, 1909, reprint by BiblioBazaar LLC in 2008, . * Sifakis, Stewart. ''Who Was Who in the Civil War.'' New York: Facts On File, 1988. . * Warner, Ezra J. ''Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders.'' Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959. . * Wright, Marcus J.
''General Officers of the Confederate Army: Officers of the Executive Departments of the Confederate States, Members of the Confederate Congress by States''
Mattituck, NY: J. M. Carroll & Co., 1983. . First published 1911 by Neale Publishing Co.

site biography of Thomas.

External links

civilwarreference.com
site biography of Thomas.

site biography of Thomas. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, Bryan M. 1836 births 1905 deaths United States Military Academy alumni Confederate States Army generals People of Alabama in the American Civil War People of Georgia (U.S. state) in the American Civil War United States Marshals United States Army officers