Bryan M. Thomas

Bryan Morel Thomas
Brig. Gen. Bryan Morel Thomas, CSA photo taken in 1864 or 1865
Born	(1836-05-08)May 8, 1836 Milledgeville, Georgia
Died	July 16, 1905(1905-07-16) (aged 69) Dalton, Georgia
Place of burial	West Hill Cemetery, Dalton
Allegiance	United States of America Confederate States of America
Service/branch	United States Army  Confederate States Army
Years of service	1858–61 (USA) 1861–65 (CSA)
Rank	Second Lieutenant (USA) Colonel (CSA) (actual grade) Brigadier General (CSA) (unconfirmed)
Unit	8th U.S. Infantry 5th U.S. Infantry 18th Alabama Infantry
Commands held	Artillery, Reserve Corps, AoM 12th Mississippi Cavalry Thomas's Brigade
Battles/wars	American Civil War Battle of Shiloh Kentucky Campaign Battle of Stone's River Battle of Fort Blakely
Other work	farmer, Deputy U.S. Marshal, academy headmaster, school superintendent

American Civil War

Bryan Morel Thomas (May 8, 1836 – July 16, 1905) was an American soldier, farmer, marshal, and educator. He served as an officer in the United States Army, and later in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He was a son-in-law of Jones M. Withers, under whom Thomas would serve in the war. Thomas also participated in and was captured during the 1865 Battle of Fort Blakely, the conflict's final infantry fight.

Thomas was born in 1836 in Milledgeville, Georgia, and gained his primary education while attending Atlanta's Oglethorpe University. On July 1, 1854, he entered the United States Military Academy at West Point. Thomas graduated four years later and stood 22nd out of 54 cadets. On July 1, 1858, he was brevetted as a second lieutenant and assigned to the 8th U.S. Infantry.

With the 8th Infantry, Thomas performed garrison duty in New York and then was stationed in the Utah Territory. On January 19, 1859, he was promoted to second lieutenant and assigned to the 5th U.S. Infantry. With the 5th Infantry he was stationed at Fort Union in the New Mexico Territory until resigning in 1861.

Following Georgia's secession, Thomas resigned his commission in the U.S. Army effective April 6, 1861. He was commissioned as a first lieutenant in the regular Confederate infantry on March 16, and promoted to major in the regular service that same day. In July Thomas was assigned to the 18th Alabama Infantry with the rank of major. Leaving the line service for staff work, Thomas was assigned to command the ordnance in the Confederate Department of Alabama & West Florida on December 20.