Minor T. Thomas

Minor T. Thomas (September 24, 1830 – October 2, 1897) was a Minnesota surveyor, civil engineer, and military officer who served during the American Civil War and the American Indian Wars. Thomas was responsible for surveying various portions of Washington County, Minnesota, from 1857 to 1861. During his service in the Union Army Thomas began as a Second Lieutenant in the 1st Minnesota Infantry Regiment, by the end of the war Thomas held the rank of Brigadier General and commanded the 3rd Brigade of the 1st Division of the XXIII Corps under Major General Thomas H. Ruger.

Early life and family Minor T. Thomas was born on September 24, 1830, in Connersville, Indiana; he was the son of judge Hewitt L. Thomas and Charlotte Corday Helm. Thomas first moved to Minnesota in 1854 in order to recover from malaria. According to the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library, Hewitt served in the 1st Minnesota Legislature, the 3rd Minnesota Legislature, and the 4th Minnesota Legislature from 1857 to 1862 representing Chisago County, Kanabec County, Pine County, and Washington County.

American Civil War

1st Minnesota Infantry Regiment

At the outbreak of the American Civil War Thomas volunteered for service in the Union Army. Thomas was mustered into the ranks the 1st Minnesota Infantry Regiment on April 29, 1861. Thomas served as the Second Lieutenant of Company B nicknamed the "Stillwater Guards" of the 1st Minnesota under the command of Captain Carlyle A. Bromley. The Stillwater Guards were a militia from Stillwater and Washington County which had its origins in the pre-war era. Thomas was wounded at the First Battle of Bull Run, the 1st Minnesota's baptism by fire. Thomas and other wounded men from the 1st Minnesota are listed in a newspaper article from the St. Cloud Democrat from August 1, 1861. Thomas would serve with the 1st Minnesota until October 18, 1861, when he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel of the 4th Minnesota Infantry Regiment.

4th Minnesota Infantry Regiment

Thomas was mustered into the 4th Minnesota Infantry Regiment on November 2, 1861, as the regiment's Lieutenant Colonel.

8th Minnesota Infantry Regiment

The 8th Minnesota had been raised by the Governor of Minnesota Alexander Ramsey in response to the Dakota War of 1862, the regiment was raised in order to take part in a punitive campaign against the Dakota people under General Alfred Sully. The 8th Minnesota Infantry Regiment was mustered into Federal service at Fort Snelling from June 2 to September 1, 1862. From November 17, 1862, until November 23, 1862, Thomas briefly commanded the 3rd District of the Department of the Northwest headquartered at Fort Ripley under the command of Major General John Pope. From August 1862 until November 1864 the regiment was posted at various forts across Minnesota on frontier duty.

Brigade Commander The 8th Minnesota would later be re-routed to fight in the Western theater of the American Civil War in the Franklin–Nashville campaign at the Third Battle of Murfreesboro where it would suffer a loss of 13 men killed and 77 wounded in just thirty minutes. Thomas would lead the 8th Minnesota and the 3rd Brigade of the XIII Corps at the Battle of Wyse Fork. Thomas mustered out of service with the rest of the 8th Minnesota on July 11, 1865. Thomas was married to Caroline "Carrie" B. Bolton in 1855. Together they had one daughter, Minnesota "Minnie" B. Thomas. Thomas died on October 2, 1897, in Minneapolis. He is buried in the Galveston Cemetery in Galveston, Indiana.