Major General George H. Thomas was a very private person. One of the few Civil War commanders not to write his memoirs, he also ordered his wife to burn his correspondence and private papers upon his death.
This hasn't stopped historians from reconstructing his life. Thomas was one of the Union's finest generals and showed great intelligence and courage throughout his military service. With this book, author Jack M. Zackin sheds light on Thomas's story, creating a historically detailed work, structured as a personal memoir, to honor the life and times of this great man.
Growing up in southeast Virginia, Thomas witnessed some of the biggest moments in American history. After his family was forced to flee when Nat Turner's slave rebellion devastated the countryside, Thomas went on to graduate from West Point and participate in the Second Seminole War, where he battled his adversaries in the dark Florida swamps. As commander of an artillery battery during the Mexican-American War, he saved Zachary Taylor's army from Santa Anna's Mexican military.
Zackin deftly shows how these experiences influenced Thomas's personal beliefs, his politics, and his military strategies. During the Civil War Thomas's bold actions were brilliant, explosive, and unforgettable.
About the Author: Jack M. Zackin practiced law full-time for nearly forty years. Now semi-retired, he has more time to indulge in his love of history. The Civil War and the personal memoirs and writings of its many leaders have always held particular fascination for him, but he was disappointed to find that one Union general, George Thomas, left almost nothing behind. This fact inspired him to research and create this new work.
Zackin lives in West Orange, New Jersey, with his wife, Freda, and their Lab mix, Wesley. He has two adult daughters, Emily and Abby. In addition to writing, Zackin enjoys reading and taking Wesley for walks in the two-thousand-acre county park near their home.
