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Conditions Governing Access

The collection is without restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Henry Goddard Thomas Letters and Memoirs, Ms1991-073, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Source of Acquisition

Purchased in 1991 from the History Broker, Howard McManus.

Processing Information

Processed by Laura Katz Smith in 1993.

Biographical Note

Henry Goddard Thomas was born in Portland Maine, on April 4, 1837. At the age of twenty-one he graduated from Amherst and then studied law and was admitted to the Maine bar. He was enlisted in the 5th Maine as a private in April, 1861, and was commissioned captain in June. This command fought at the battle of First Manassas, after which, on August 5, 1861, Thomas accepted a commission as a captain in the newly authorized 11th U.S. Infantry. He was on recruiting duty until the summer of 1862 and did not join his regiment until autumn. Thereafter his principle contribution to the war effort was the recruitment and organization of Negro troops, with whom he was associated with until the end of the war. He was commissioned colonel first of the 79th U.S. Colored Infantry and then of the 19th Colored Infantry, taking command of the latter on January 16, 1864. Thomas is said to have been the first officer of the Regular Army to accept a colonelcy of colored troops. (681) He was assigned to Ferrero's IX Corps's division of Negro troops at the beginning of U.S. Grant's Overland campaign and was present during all of the battles incident thereto, including the battle of The Crater. On November 30, 1864, Thomas was made a brigadier general of volunteers and transferred to Benjamin F. Butler's Army of the James, where he commanded a brigade of four colored regiments in the XXV Corps. At the end of the war he was brevetted through all ranks to that of brigadier general, U.S. Army and major general of volunteers, but he was mustered out of volunteer service on January, 1886, as a captain of the 11th infantry, a grade which he occupied for the next decade. He became major of the 4th Infantry in 1876 and two years later transferred to the paymaster's department with the same rank. On July 2, 1891 he went on the retired list, and on January 23, 1897, he died in Oklahoma City. His remains were returned to Portland for burial.

Scope and Contents

From the letters to Henry Goddard Thomas one can gather that the General was a respected individual for his involvement with the black community. As an activist Thomas received various letters from individuals seeking to help educate the recently released slaves. Thomas was particularly active in the construction of churches for the black community as well as instruction for black ministers. Louis Hensen writes to thank the General for money for the construction of a Methodist church and informs him of the construction progress. A letter from Byron Greenough updates the progress of one such organization, the Institute for the Instruction of Colored Ministers in Virginia and Southern States. A letter from Rev. Commodore D. Hurt commends the work that government has done for the education of the "poor and downtrodden race." The letter also updates the General on the status of a black school in Russell County VA. Some letters also express the frustration of Thomas' peers over the treatment of blacks. The letter from P.S. Reeves dated June 17, 1868 relates a story involving "Regulators" and a black school teacher in Danville. An interesting letter from G.R. Rosselton, dated December 24, 1869, includes a brief synopsis of slavery in America.

Henry Goddard Thomas was also a man of considerable social standing as he had ties with the Virginia Governor Shelby, and his father and brother also appear to be quite active in the North in the same activities as Thomas. In politics the General was a member of the Grant and Colfax Club.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged chronologically.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Civil War
• Local/Regional History and Appalachian South
• United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865

Rights Statement for Archival Description

The guide to the Henry Goddard Thomas Letters and Memoirs by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 ( https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/ ).