The Only Civil War General Who Never Lost A Single Battle

Library of Congress

The Cumberland Mountain Civil War Roundtable would like to invite everyone to an evening of American Civil War History on Wednesday November 11, 2026, at 6 PM at Christ Luthern Church at 481 Snead Drive in Fairfield Glade.

Our guest speaker, Brian Steel Wills, will give a colorful, and very informative presentation about the “The Rock of Chickamauga”, Union Major General George H. Thomas.

In the pantheon of American Civil War heroes, names like Ulysses S. Grant, William Tecumseh Sherman, and Robert E Lee frequently command center stage.  Yet history often overlooks a man whose tactical mastery and unwavering dedication arguably saved the Union on more than one occasion: Major General George Thomas.

William T. Sherman described George Henry Thomas, the Virginian who remained loyal to the Union and served for much of the American Civil War with the Army of the Cumberland as “slow but true as steel.”  For the West Point-trained professional soldier, this seemingly contradictory characterization captured the essence of a general whose deliberate, methodical approach could exasperate his superiors, even as his professionalism and reliability inspired confidence in those who served under him. Although Thomas earned a reputation for defensive excellence, he also demonstrated formidable offensive capabilities, winning decisive victories at Mill Springs, Kentucky in 1862 and Nashville, Tennessee in 1864. His results on the battlefield vindicated his judgement and methods.  His defensive prowess proved indispensable to Union success at Stones River at the end of 1862 and early 1863, and most memorably, at Chickamauga, later in 1863, where his steadfast determination in the face of impending disaster earned him lasting fame as “The Rock of Chickamauga”

Thomas was a master of the field. Unlike some contemporaries who sought the limelight or engaged in political maneuvering, Thomas preferred meticulous preparation and let his results speak for themselves.  At the Battle of Nashville in December 1864, he demonstrated his tactical genius by destroying the Confederate Army of Tennessee - - the only Union commander to completely shatter two enemy armies in the field.

Thomas’ commitment to justice extended beyond the battlefields well. During the Reconstruction era, while commanding military districts in Kentucky and Tennessee, he actively used his troops to protect newly freed African Americans from white supremacist violence, including the Ku Lux Klan.

Our guest speaker, Brian Wills, will go into a in-depth history about Major General George Thomas. Highlighting his accomplishments and story behind the sometime confused and not clearly giving Thomas his due on the leaders during the Civil War.

Brian Steel Wills is the retired Director of the Center for the Study of the Civil War Era and Professor Emeritus of History at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia. In addition to leading tours, offering lectures, and conducting programs, Dr. Wills is the author of numerous works relating to the American Civil War, including biographies Confederate generals Nathan Bedford Forrest and William Dorsey Pender, and an award-winning study of Union general George Henry Thomas.  He has also written about the Civil War in Virginia and in the movies and has a new book just out on Noncombat Deaths in the Civil War.  A graduate of the University of Richmond, Va., and the University of Georgia, he now spends time on his farm in Wise, Virginia.

Books authored by Brian Steel Wills include – George Henry Thomas” – As True as Steel, “A Battle from the Start: The Life of Nathan Bedford Forrest”, “The Confederacy’s Greatest Cavalryman Nathan Bedford Forrest”, “The War Hist Home: The Civil war in Southeastern Virginia (Nation Divided), “Running the Race: The public Face of Charlston Heston”.

The CMCWRT invites all to an exciting evening of American Civil War history with our guest speaker, Brian Steel Wills.   The meeting will be held on the evening of Wednesday November\ 11, 2026, at 6 PM at Christ Lutheran Church, 481 Snead Dr., in Fairfield Glade. First time visitors are admitted free, but we do ask for a $5 donation to repeat nonmembers.  Memberships to the CMCWRT can be obtained for the yearly subscription of $25 per person or $35 for couples.

Civil War books will be on display for purchase.

The Cumberland Mountain Civil War Round Table – CMCWRT - is an organization of American Civil War enthusiasts. The group is in Fairfield Glade and is open to all people of Cumberland County and surrounding area.  Presentations from authors, college professors, historians are presented on the second Wednesday of the month at Christ Lutheran Church in Fairfield Glade. The purpose of the roundtable is to educate, discuss and bring to focus the events and historical facts concerning the American Civil War. You can find us on Face Book at - Cumberland Mt. Civil War Round Table. For additional information, call Ken Patton at 901-292-9312 or Dennis Flynn at 913-948-3499.