07/31/2026
Today marks the 210th birthday of General George Henry Thomas, who at age 45 commanded Union forces at the Battle of Mill Springs on January 19, 1862.
Born in Southampton County, Virginia, on July 31, 1816, Thomas graduated from West Point in 1840 and chose to remain in the U.S. Army when the Civil War began, becoming a leading Southern Unionist. His victory at Mill Springs led to his promotion to Major General in April 1862.
This 1862 carte‑de‑visite portrait likely shows the same Brigadier General’s coat he wore at the time of the battle. The coat’s buttons appear in pairs—signifying a Brigadier General—while his shoulder boards display two stars, marking his new rank of Major General. The mismatch suggests his tailor had not yet completed an updated uniform when this image was taken.
Alt Text: A historic black‑and‑white carte‑de‑visite photograph of a man dressed in a U.S. General’s uniform with the inscription “Maj[or] Gen[era]l Thomas Com[man]d[in]g 14th Army Corps.” Image credit: Courtesy of NPS/Held.
