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GAR Records
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George H. Thomas Post #14
Benton Harbor, Berrien County, Michigan

Organized May 24, 1880

This Post was named to honor General George Henry Thomas. He graduated from the Military Academy in 1840 and served in the Mexican War. Although born in Virginia, he remained in the Union Army after the start of the Civil War. He gained the first decisive Union victory in the West at Mill Springs in southern Kentucky on Jan. 19, 1862. At Chickamauga, in September of 1863, Thomas’ defense of the center of a broken Union line in the face of the furious Confederate attack earned him the sobriquet “Rock of Chickamauga”. In November of that year he led the successful assault on Missionary Ridge which routed the Confederates and forced them to retreat to Georgia. Thomas headed the military department of Tennessee after the war and in 1869 was given command of the Division of the Pacific. He died in San Francisco, Calif., May 28, 1870.

The Post was mustered with 37 Charter Members.

The first Post Commander was George R. Wright. He enlisted November 10, 1862 as a Private in Company F, 34th Wisconsin Infantry and was discharged on September 4, 1865 as Captain, Company F,47th Wisconsin Infantry.

The Post started meeting at the Odd Fellows Hall on Main Street. They met, mostly on Main Street, at places designated as Grand Army Hall, Armory, Wardens Hall, and D of H Hall. In 1916 they met at the Library on the corner of Wall and 6th Streets. In 1925 they met at Memorial Hall on St. Joseph and in 1928 at the Foreign Wars Hall on Pearl Street.

The last report filed by this Post was December 31, 1935 and indicated five remaining active members.

The last Post Commander was C. B. Holmes who served as a Private in Company B, 145th Illinois Infantry.

The Post was disbanded in 1937.


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Last updated on June 18, 2007 8:43 PM - webmaster