Major General George H. Thomas in the American Civil War

Major General George H. Thomas was a noted Union commander during the American Civil War (1861-1865). Though a Virginian by birth, Thomas elected to remain loyal to the United States at the start of the Civil War. A veteran of the Mexican-American War, he saw extensive service in the western theater and served under superiors such as Major Generals Ulysses S. Grant and William T. Sherman. Thomas came to national prominence after his men made a heroic stand at the Battle of Chickamauga. Dubbed the Rock of Chickamauga, he later commanded armies during the campaign to capture Atlanta and won a stunning victory at the Battle of Nashville . Early Life George Henry Thomas was born July 31, 1816, at Newsoms Depot, VA. Growing up on a plantation, Thomas was one of many who violated the law and taught his familys slaves to read. Two years after his fathers death in 1829, Thomas and his mother led his siblings to safety during Nat Turners bloody slave rebellion. Pursued by Turners men, the Thomas family was forced to abandon their carriage and flee on foot through the woods. Racing through Mill Swamp and the bottomlands of the Nottoway River, the family found safety at the county seat of Jerusalem, VA. Shortly thereafter, Thomas became an assistant to his uncle James Rochelle, the local clerk of court, with the goal of becoming a lawyer. West Point After a short time, Thomas became unhappy with his legal studies and approached Representative John Y. Mason regarding an appointment to West Point.  Though warned by Mason that no student from the district had ever successfully completed the academys course of study, Thomas accepted the appointment. Arriving at age 19, Thomas shared a room with William T. Sherman. Becoming friendly rivals, Thomas soon developed a reputation among the cadets for being deliberate and cool-headed. His class also included future Confederate commander Richard S. Ewell. Graduating 12th in his class, Thomas was commissioned as a second lieutenant and assigned to the 3rd US Artillery. Early Assignments Dispatched for service in the Second Seminole War in Florida, Thomas arrived at Fort Lauderdale, FL in 1840. Initially serving as infantry, he and his men conducted routine patrols in the area.  His performance in this role earned him a brevet promotion to first lieutenant on November 6, 1841. While in Florida, Thomas commanding officer stated, I never knew him to be late or in a hurry. All his movements were deliberate, his self-possession was supreme, and he received and gave orders with equal serenity. Departing Florida in 1841, Thomas saw subsequent service at New Orleans, Fort Moultrie (Charleston, SC), and Fort McHenry (Baltimore, MD). Major General George H. Thomas Rank: Major GeneralService: US ArmyNickname(s): Rock of Chickamauga, Old Slow TrotBorn: July 31, 1816 in Newsoms Deport, VADied: March 28, 1870 in San Francisco, CAParents: John and Elizabeth ThomasSpouse: Frances Lucretia KelloggConflicts: Mexican-American War, Civil WarKnown For: Buena Vista, Mill Springs, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Nashville Mexico With the outbreak of the Mexican-American War in 1846, Thomas served with Major General Zachary Taylors army in northeastern Mexico. After performing admirably at the Battles of Monterrey and Buena Vista, he was brevetted to captain and then major. During the fighting, Thomas served closely with future antagonist Braxton Bragg and earned high praise from Brigadier General John E. Wool. With the conflicts conclusion, Thomas briefly returned to Florida before receiving the post of instructor of artillery at West Point in 1851. Impressing West Points superintendent, Lieutenant Colonel Robert E. Lee, Thomas was also given the duties of cavalry instructor. Major General George H. Thomas. Library of Congress Back to West Point In this role, Thomas earned the lasting nickname Old Slow Trot due to his constant restraining of the cadets from galloping the academys elderly horses. The year after arriving, he married Frances Kellogg, the cousin of a cadet from Troy, NY. During his time at West Point, Thomas instructed Confederate horsemen  J.E.B. Stuart and Fitzhugh Lee as well as voted against reinstating future subordinate John Schofield after his dismissal from West Point. Appointed a major in the 2nd US Cavalry in 1855, Thomas was assigned to the Southwest. Serving under Colonel Albert Sidney Johnston and Lee, Thomas combated the Native Americans for the remainder of the decade. On August 26, 1860, he narrowly avoided death when an arrow glanced off his chin and hit his chest. Pulling the arrow out, Thomas had the wound dressed and returned to action. Though painful, it was to be the only wound that he would sustain throughout his long career. The Civil War Returning home on leave, Thomas requested a year-long leave of absence in November 1860. He suffered further when he badly injured his back during a fall from a train platform in Lynchburg, VA. As he recovered, Thomas became concerned as states began leaving the Union after the election of Abraham Lincoln. Turning down Governor John Letchers offer to become Virginias chief of ordnance, Thomas stated that he wished to remain loyal to the United States as long as it was honorable for him to do so. On April 12, the day that the Confederates opened fire on Fort Sumter, he informed his family in Virginia that he intended to remain in federal service. Promptly disowning him, they turned his portrait to face the wall and refused to forward his belongings. Labeling Thomas a turncoat, some Southern commanders, such as Stuart threatened to hang him as a traitor if he was captured. Though he remained loyal, Thomas was hampered by his Virginia roots for the duration of the war as some in the North did not fully trust him and he lacked political backing in Washington. Quickly promoted to lieutenant colonel and then colonel in May 1861, he led a brigade in the Shenandoah Valley and won a minor victory over troops led by Brigadier General Thomas Stonewall Jackson. Major General George H. Thomas. Library of Congress Building a Reputation In August, with officers like Sherman vouching for him, Thomas was promoted to brigadier general. Posted to the Western Theater, he provided the Union with one its first victories in January 1862, when he defeated Confederate troops under Major General George Crittenden at the Battle of Mill Springs in eastern Kentucky. As his command was part of Major General Don Carlos Buells Army of the Ohio, Thomas was among those who marched to Major General Ulysses S. Grants aid during the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862. Promoted to major general on April 25, Thomas was given command of the Right Wing of Major General Henry Hallecks army. The bulk of this command was made of up of men from Grants Army of the Tennessee. Grant, who had been removed from field command by Halleck, was angered by this and resented Thomas position. While Thomas led this formation during the Siege of Corinth, he rejoined Buells army in June when Grant returned to active service. That fall, when Confederate General Braxton Bragg invaded Kentucky, the Union leadership offered Thomas command of the Army of the Ohio as it felt Buell was too cautious. Supporting Buell, Thomas refused this offer and served as his second-in-command at the Battle of Perryville that October. Though Buell compelled Bragg to retreat, his slow pursuit cost him his job and Major General William Rosecrans was given command on October 24. Serving under Rosecrans, Thomas led the center of the newly named Army of the Cumberland at the Battle of Stones River on December 31-January 2. Holding the Union line against Braggs attacks, he prevented a Confederate victory. The Rock of Chickamauga Later that year, Thomas XIV Corps played a key role in Rosecrans Tullahoma Campaign which saw Union troops maneuver Braggs army out of central Tennessee. The campaign culminated with the Battle of Chickamauga that September. Attacking Rosecrans army, Bragg was able to shatter the Union lines. Forming his corps on Horseshoe Ridge and Snodgrass Hill, Thomas mounted a stubborn defense as the rest of the army retreated. Finally retiring after nightfall, the action earned Thomas the nickname The Rock of Chickamauga. Retreating to Chattanooga, Rosecrans army was effectively besieged by the Confederates. Though he did not have good personal relations with Thomas, Grant, now in command of the Western Theater, relieved Rosecrans and gave the Army of the Cumberland to the Virginian. Tasked with holding the city, Thomas did so until Grant arrived with additional troops. Together, the two commanders began driving Bragg back during the Battle of Chattanooga, November 23-25, which culminated with Thomas men capturing Missionary Ridge. Major General George H. Thomas. Library of Congress Atlanta and Nashville With his promotion to Union general-in-chief in the spring of 1864, Grant designated Sherman to lead the armies in the West with orders to capture Atlanta. Remaining in command of the Army of the Cumberland, Thomas troops were one of three armies overseen by Sherman. Fighting a number of battles through the summer, Sherman succeeded in taking the city on September 2. As Sherman prepared for his March to the Sea, Thomas and his men were sent back to Nashville to prevent Confederate General John B. Hood from attacking Union supply lines. Moving with a smaller number of men, Thomas raced to beat Hood to Nashville where Union reinforcements were heading. En route, a detachment of Thomas force defeated Hood at the Battle of Franklin on November 30. Concentrating at Nashville, Thomas hesitated to organize his army, obtain mounts for his cavalry, and wait for ice to melt. Believing Thomas was being too cautious, Grant threatened to relieve him and dispatched Major General John Logan to take command. On December 15, Thomas attacked Hood and won a stunning victory. The victory marked one of the few times during the war that an enemy army was effectively destroyed. Later Life Following the war, Thomas held various military posts across the South. President Andrew Johnson offered him the rank of lieutenant general to be Grants successor, but Thomas declined as he wished to avoid the politics of Washington. Taking command of the Division of the Pacific in 1869, he died at the Presidio of a stroke on March 28, 1870.

The Changing Relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth...

The relationship among Macbeth and Lady Macbeth alters throughout the play Macbeth as they both in turn take on the role of the more dominant character. Their attitude to each other constantly changes throughout the play, although events in the play certainly draw Macbeth and Lady Macbeth apart their love for one another is evident throughout the play. Macbeth shows his love by saying a few compassionate words in his letter to Lady Macbeth about the meeting with the three weird sisters. Lady Macbeth shows that she cares for him by planning the murder of King Duncan so Macbeth can become king. By the end of the play Macbeth doesn’t care about his wife’s health that much, when she dies his taught was she was bound to die one day.†¦show more content†¦However once they accomplish the deed, the torment that the guilt brings is too much for Macbeth but he gets used to the evil of killing people meanwhile the opposite happens to Lady Macbeth who becomes paranoid about killing Duncan. Shakespeare presents the play in such a way that the audience sees how more and more their relationship changes dramatically as a result of how they each handle their emotions following the murder of King Duncan. Although Macbeth was weak at first, it was the strong Lady Macbeth who helped him through the first murder, but in sacrifice to controlling Macbeth and his conscience, she lost control of her own and consequently became insane and committed suicide. Lady Macbeth repeatedly convinced her husband by questioning his manhood â€Å"When you durst do it, then you were a man, / And, to be more than what you were, you would / Be so much more the man† (Shakespeare 1.7.54-56). She is a strong, powerful character in comparison to her easily influenced husband, until towards the end of the play where he seems to take on her role. Lady Macbeth is a strong character controlling her terrifying dreams at night and rescuing Macbeth from his weak conscience as in the scene when Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost. She protects him and defends him at the banquet. However as the play progresses, Lady Macbeth’s relationship with Macbeth weakens and we see more of her defenselessness and delicateness. During theShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Changing Relationship Between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth2414 Words   |  10 PagesThe Changing Relationship Between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth Throughout Macbeth there are changes in the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth as they both in turn take on the role of the more dominant character. Shakespeare presents the play in such a way that the audience sees how progressively their relationship changes dramatically as a result of how they each handle their emotions following the murder of King Duncan. It is evident at the beginning of theRead MoreChanging Relationship Between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth1173 Words   |  5 PagesHow does the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth change throughout the play? In the early stages of the play, the Macbeths seem to be a devoted couple. Their love and concern for each other remains strong and constant throughout the play, but their relationship changes dramatically following the ruthless killing of King Duncan in Act II. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth and his lady are very close, this is supported by how he referred to her in his letter as â€Å"my dearest partner ofRead MoreChanging Relationship Between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth1157 Words   |  5 PagesHow does the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth change throughout the play? In the early stages of the play, the Macbeths seem to be a devoted couple. Their love and concern for each other remains strong and constant throughout the play, but their relationship changes dramatically following the ruthless killing of King Duncan in Act II. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth and his lady are very close, this is supported by how he referred to her in his letter as â€Å"my dearest partner ofRead MoreThe Transformation of the Relationship Between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth1022 Words   |  5 PagesMacbeth, a tragedy play by written William Shakespeare. Throughout the play the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth is the engine that drives the tragedy of the play. Macbeth is a play about a Scottish knight named Macbeth who comes back from battle and meets three ‘witches’. They predict that Macbeth shall become king. At first he was skeptical though when it was announced by King Duncan that he will be made Thane of Cawdor, the next in line for king for his bravery on the battlefieldRead MoreRole-Reversal in Macbeth1315 Words   |  6 PagesWhen Macbeth first receives the prophecy predicting he will be king and Banquos heirs will be kings, he is satisfied with the idea of being king. Banquos heirs d o not concern him at this point. Once he assassinates Duncan and is crowned king, however, this isnt enough. Now he wants his heirs to be king. He asks himself, why should he have taken all this risk just to put Banquos heirs on the throne? Unsatisfied with just ruling himself, he plots to kill not only Banquo, but Fleance. HisRead MoreEssay about Macbeth623 Words   |  3 Pages Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s Ambition The driving force to achieve the Macbeths’ goals was ambition. However, because they were solemnly ambitious at the same aptitude, it caused them not to fully achieve their goals, as one was always more or less ambitious than the other. Ambition is a characteristic of human nature, which, if expressed in an evil manner, can corrupt the entire person, leaving them permanently evil. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are great examples of these types of people. In WilliamRead Moreâ€Å"Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be What thou art promised. Yet do I fear thy nature; It is800 Words   |  4 Pages Macbeth’s wife, Lady Macbeth, was a woman who strived for a leading role in the kingdom and true power who would have done anything to get it. Lady Macbeth had the intention to kill King Duncan and take away the throne by convincing Macbeth to commit scandalous and shameful crimes in the kingdom. Lady Macbeth was a manipulative woman whom no one can trust. However, her relationship with her husband was much different and also much stronger than the relationship between Macbeth and the three witchesRead MoreEssay on The Influence of Power in Macbeth1421 Words   |  6 PagesThe Tragedy of Macbeth, the most prevailing theme is the shift in power in the relationships of the central character. The main character of the play, Macbeth, experiences a shift in control of his relationships as he gains more power. Duncan is the most unlikely character to be killed because of his personality, but because he is the King of Scotland, Macbeth loathes him. In the play there is very interaction between Macbeth and Duncan, showing the little time in which Macbeth gets more powerRead MoreComparing Sheila and Lady Macbeth ´s Relationships with Their Husbands1380 Words   |  6 PagesSheila and lady Macbeth In this essay I will be comparing Sheila and lady Macbeths relationship to their husband, at the start of the play, Sheila and Gerald have known each other for some time, and they are here celebrating their engagement in which Sheila is really happy with, in the middle she starts to gain some power and by the end she is fully in power and tells her family what to do. Gerald comes from a rich, powerful, well-respected family. At the start of Macbeth, lady Macbeth is in controlRead MoreThe Relationship Between Macbeth and the Other Characters1292 Words   |  6 Pagesbecause of his personality, but his title as King of Scotland, causes for Macbeth to loathe Duncan. In the play there is very little interaction between Macbeth and Duncan, showing the little time in which Macbeth gets more power. Prior to the witches’ prophecies Macbeth is loyal to Duncan, and would never imagine killing him. After the one of the witches’ prophecies comes to be true, the thought of killing Duncan, Macbeth yield[s] to that suggestion / whose horrid image doth unfix my hair / and

Catholic Church Experience Essay Example For Students

Catholic Church Experience Essay Recently, I had a chance to attend the St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Church. Before I have entered the Church, I believed that attending Catholic Mass would be almost identical to other services I was attending before in terms of my religion. Nevertheless, I have faced the different atmosphere from the very first steps I walked through the front doors. The church I decided to visit was named in honor of Maximilian Kolbe, who envisioned a number of missionary centers around the world and was proclaimed to be a â€Å"Patron Saint of the difficult century.† Despite the life challenges and difficult conditions he experienced on a regular basis, the thing that helped him to overcome all the life difficulties was his strong religion and sincere belief in God. In fact, this belief gave him the dignity to live and die as an honest person. When I arrived at the church, I have already read some basic information about the peculiarities of Catholic service and beliefs. Nevertheless, I st ill was a bit unsure to enter the Church, and the unknown environment around made me feel a bit uncomfortable. The differences I noticed actually impressed me and I felt very foreign at the beginning. The building Inside the building, I was impressed by the beauty of the church decorations and cleanliness. There were no doubts that the altar servers also pay a lot of attention to maintaining the quality of such a beautiful place. There were a lot of stained-glass windows inside that impressed with their rich ornaments. Also, I have truly liked the Stations of the Cross with the depiction of Jesus Christ. It was placed right above the altar. It should be mentioned that it basically the portrayal of Jesus Christ on the cross that helped me to see the similarities of the Catholic Church with the one at my home and reconsider all the stereotypes I had before about Catholicism. I understood the first important similarity that Catholics also believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross because of all sinful actions of humanity. The behavior of people during the service Then, Mass began, and the altar servers approached the altar holding the cross in their hands. The altar servers greatly assisted the priests during the service. Then, the priests would also ask for the congregation to ask for the forgiveness of their sins. As they walked above the altar, they read the scriptures and continued the congregation saying â€Å"Lord have mercy.† The reading of the sacred writings ended with the statement â€Å"Thanks be to God.† It was actually interesting to see the service that was unfamiliar to me. The thing that also could not leave one indifferent is the hymns that were vigorously sung throughout the ceremony. In fact, I felt that the hymns drive the overall process and greatly emphasize the presence of God and Jesus Christ. Although I was truly engaged in the ceremony, I continued to examine the design of the building and behaviors of people inside the Church. Therefore, my attention was driven to a Deacon who was dressed in a beautiful prayer shoal crossway. Also, I have notice priests wearing long black robes known as cassocks. Basing on my experience, I may say that the Mass is a very vital ritual to all Catholics. First, people visit the Mass to reinforce their beliefs. Also, the Mass reminds Catholics about the importance of adhering to the rules described in the teachings of God. Therefore, it was interesting to see that every skipped Mass without a profound reason for that is equal to the commitment of mortal sin. Otherwise, only in case a person is ill or cares for the sick, he or she misses the Mass with a clear conscience. .u3661af21ee5aeb589fbea54952e325f8 , .u3661af21ee5aeb589fbea54952e325f8 .postImageUrl , .u3661af21ee5aeb589fbea54952e325f8 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u3661af21ee5aeb589fbea54952e325f8 , .u3661af21ee5aeb589fbea54952e325f8:hover , .u3661af21ee5aeb589fbea54952e325f8:visited , .u3661af21ee5aeb589fbea54952e325f8:active { border:0!important; } .u3661af21ee5aeb589fbea54952e325f8 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u3661af21ee5aeb589fbea54952e325f8 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u3661af21ee5aeb589fbea54952e325f8:active , .u3661af21ee5aeb589fbea54952e325f8:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u3661af21ee5aeb589fbea54952e325f8 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u3661af21ee5aeb589fbea54952e325f8 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u3661af21ee5aeb589fbea54952e325f8 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u3661af21ee5aeb589fbea54952e325f8 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u3661af21ee5aeb589fbea54952e325f8:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u3661af21ee5aeb589fbea54952e325f8 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u3661af21ee5aeb589fbea54952e325f8 .u3661af21ee5aeb589fbea54952e325f8-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u3661af21ee5aeb589fbea54952e325f8:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: None Provided10 EssayAlso, one of the things that made me feel the most uncomfortable was the overall ceremony. Almost every five minutes I felt truly lost. In fact, the masses were moving synchronically and I could not follow them in the same way. Although I did my best, almost all the time I felt myself more like an outsider. However, I cannot really say that I felt unwelcome. Even more, the atmosphere in the Church helped me to understand that it does not really matter where I am in my faith journey right now. Catholics extended to me a warm welcome and helped me to feel like I am a part of their community. In addition to this, I would like to underline the good organization of the service and its adhering to the time schedule. The amount of time people spent in prayer was equal to those time mentioned in advance in the pamphlet that was given me in the entrance. I noticed how time becomes an important factor for Catholics as the service exactly followed the pamphlet. The service lasted for two hours. Besides, it is very important to mention that nearly half of the hour was spent while praying. The number of different announcements during the service was minimized, and I truly appreciated that. During the service, Catholics did everything that bible scriptures required, including kneeling and raising their hands to pray and ask for forgiveness. Conclusion about my experience Summarizing all the memories mentioned above, I may say without any doubts that my experience of visiting the St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Church has exceeded even my expectations. Although the service was approximately two hours long, the time has passed really quickly as many different activities took place during the service. Also, I liked the voluntarism of Catholics as most people tried to help in various parts of the service and tried to approach the new-comers like me as warm as possible. The overall service was really interactive, and I liked how organized, and synchronically Catholics moved and prayed. To be honest, before my experience of visiting the Church, I had mainly negative thoughts about Catholicism. In fact, I have faced a variety of rumors stating that Catholics people pray mainly to Mary rather than Jesus Christ or God. However, the reality made me really reconsider the Catholic practices and created a number of unanswered questions.   I opened to myself a lot of new information in terms of the religion and have an opportunity to compare the service in the Catholic Church to the service I have visiting the Church in my hometown. Although Catholics have a strong religion and identical faith in Jesus Christ, their Mass differs greatly from what I have experienced before.   Therefore, the overall experience of visiting the Catholic Mass was actually different from what I was expecting. However, I really enjoyed the experience, and, even more, I recommend every person who wants to understand what the essence of the Catholic religion is to have a visit to the Church and see how a sacred space, objects, sincere people, and times make the overall experience unforgettable. All in all, I would recommend every person of other religions to repeat my Catholic Church experience to understand my feelings and emotions.