Collection consisting mainly of incoming correspondence from a variety of military officers from many different posts on military and personal business; including General David B. McKibbin, Major John B. Furay, Col. Robert Hall, Major Fred. D. Ogilby, William A. Bell, President of the Denver and Rio Grande Railway, Nathan Myrick, fur trader and Sioux Agency Post trader, General John M. Wilson, Medal of Honor recipient, amongst many others.

      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 enlisted in the 5^th 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 11^th U.S. Infantry. He was on recruiting duty until the summer of 1862 and did not join his regiment until autumn. Thereafter his principal contribution to the war effort was the recruitment and organization of Negro troops, with whom he was associated until the end of the war. He was commissioned colonel first of the 79^th U.S. Colored Infantry and then of the 19^th 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. 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 of 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 in January, 1866, as a captain of the 11^th Infantry, a grade which he occupied for the next decade. He became major of the 4^th Infantry in 1876 and two years later transferred to the paymaster’s department with the same rank. Thomas served at a variety of posts throughout the far west, Dakotas, Colorado and elsewhere. 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.

      Generals in Blue, p. 502

       Sample Quotes:

      “Jefferson, Texas June 27, 1869

      My Dear General,

              Although I have delayed this long time in answering your very kind and pleasant letter … This letter I am afraid will be tiresome to you, for it is going to contain an egotistical account of myself and my doings. I have sent in my resignation as an officer in the army, to date from the first of August, I have done this for a variety of reasons.

          Upon consolidation of the regiments I applied to go on “awaiting orders” by advice of my Father in law Senator Pratt, who told me that he would procure me a good position in a more civilized country, and I did as he advised, but as the devil would have it, I could not get out of the state. The combined influence of Senator Sumner & Pratt, produced no effect upon General Sherman, except bringing a very characteristic letter from him saying in effect “You Senators have made the law raising this Hell in the army and now you must abide the consequences. I have advised Genl Reynolds to keep all surplus officers in Texas, and I cannot change the order.”

         Well a copy of the letter was sent to me and I had nothing left me if I wanted to get out of this d---d hole, but to resign.

           Another reason that influenced me in my course, is that I have been slighted here and treated like a dog by Genl. Buell who commands here. I had some trouble here about three months ago, I gave him some words, which he choosed to consider disrespectful, and he preferred charges against me, but he withdrew them the next day, but Genl Reynolds (the mean cuss) said he would not withdraw them, and ordered the court to try me as you may have seen from the army and navy journal. Well the charges were light and every one knew that it would come back on him (in fact that was why he withdrew them in such haste) and I was anxious to be tried in them but what does Reynolds do after all the fuss and after ordering the court, but send a telegram on here, saying “suppress the charges against Capt Huntington, use the court for the trial of enlisted men”

            What do you think of that, after having my name published all through the army in that manner, for a mere trivial offense, restored to duty without a trial, in fact I had been under arrest but two days altogether.

            Well I bore all this and still waited here to see if I should not get an order sending me home to await orders there, and I should probably have still remained, but that Buell cherishing a grudge against me, has been slighting me in every way in matters of duty, and his last act put the finishing touch upon my pride as a man and soldier, he ordered a second lieutenant up to relive a captain (Carter who is under arrest) and passed me over, when I was here for just such duty.  I might have protested but what good would it have done; a commanding officer has so much power, and can make his own representations of a case. Well I was so d—d mad this last act of injustice that I at once tendered my resignation and asked to be sent home to await the result, but Reynolds would not even grant me the favor, so I have got to stay here a month longer in misery before leaving.

           One other and perhaps , the chief reason I resigned, is that about a month ago I sent home my wife, and I have been so utterly lonely and homesick without her, that I could not stand it … So you see my dear fellow, what reasons I had for resigning don’t you think I did right … E. S. Huntington Capt USA”  (Edward S. Huntington 29^th Infantry)

      “St Paul, Min Apr 27^th, 1870

      Dear Genl,

           … From you letter I infer that you had not recd my last Presume that you have all the news by this time. Gen. Green, Col. Lieber, Capts Pope & Wencheback have gone to Randall on a G.C.M. – Genl Whistler went thro’ here a few days since en route to Totten. Lt. Totten is here with his Bride – still stationed here.

             The 14^th Inf. From Ky has been ordered to Randall & the 17^th from Va. To Ft. Sully. Some Indian trouble expected on the Mo. River … The Miss R. is very high – West St Paul still under water – Genl Sykes strats on Monday next with Capt Heap U.S. Engr for Pembina They are to go or return via Totten … Col. Gilman”

“St. Paul May 31 70

      My dear Genl

          Reached this point at 7 p.m. yesterday – feel still much fatigued after the journey so please excuse brevity. I assisted H^d Qrs this morn … they all appear to know Kellogg as well as you do. If he is not retired he will be tried they say … They all know that I have been treated unjustly that I can gather from their conversation  in my presence  they do not like expressing themselves. Lt Totten is here & I have said every thing I know how to demonstrate the transposition of affairs at ‘Devil’s Lake’ … I do not know who will have command at Ransom there is to be a change there - I think I go to Ft Wadsworth but am not sure … J. H. T. King”

“St. Paul Dec. 16, 79

       Dear General,

            Your recent letter touching the course of travel to effect the Dec. 31 payment & trip to Bismarck goes today to the Adgt Genl. recommending the adoption of your views as to the payment at Stevenson.

             You are in error in supposing the traveled road from Lincoln to Keogh direct would take you into Capt. Baker’s camp on the Little Mo. The mail road diverges to the left of the Rail Road about fifty miles this side of Capt Baker’s camp – and if I am right in my estimate it would add towards a hundred miles to your journey to pay Bakers Co – so I suggested this to Genl Terry & he thought it would not be fair to you to order you to make that payment.  I presume you will have an order in a day or two after this concerning the case.

           You shall have all the funds that can be spared without crippling the work elsewhere. I can’t tell quite how much that will be but I think not quite as much as you say you would like to have. – The R. R. is completed west from Mandan only 55 miles – and it may be questioned whether trains will run on the completed portion of the road. It will depend something on the storms.

          Your explanation went through me too for sending your clerk to Wolf Point instead of going yourself. I thought the explanation very good and recommended that it be accepted as satisfactory. I urged the arduous duty required of the P.M. stationed at Buford &c &c.

           But I don’t see why you need to state in your defence that others have committed the same crime. It seems to me that was uncalled for and looked like an effort if you were to have trouble others should be involved at the same time. Were I called upon to pay the posts you pay I think I should elect to be stationed at Buford or Keogh. … W. S. “(Col. Bill Smith)