Thomas Flournoy

Thomas Flournoy (1775–1857) was a lawyer from Georgia and an officer in the Georgia Militia who was commissioned brigadier general in the United States Army when the War of 1812 began. In 1813 he became commanding officer of the Seventh Military District with headquarters in New Orleans. There he alienated important political leaders by questioning their loyalty. During the operations against the Red Sticks in Alabama he only half-heartedly supported the troops in the field, as the operations took place in his district but was under the overall command of Thomas Pinckney. Having been relieved of his command Flournoy resigned in 1814. In 1820 he was one of the United States commissioners negotiating with the Creeks, but he resigned the same year as a consequence of what he saw as undue interference from the State of Georgia.

Early life Flournoy was born in Henrico County, Virginia January 3, 1775. He studied law at Litchfield, Connecticut and moved with his older brother Robert to Augusta, Georgia where he practised law. A conflict with former governor and chief justice George Walton led to a duel 1804, in which he shot and killed Walton's nephew John Carter Walton. Flournoy was a lieutenant colonel in the Georgia Militia and as such became involved in the Florida Patriot War. When the War of 1812 began he was commissioned brigadier general in the United States Army.

War of 1812 In 1813, Flournoy replaced James Wilkinson as commander of the Seventh Military District with headquarters in New Orleans. Operations against the Red Sticks was, however, placed under the overall command of Thomas Pinckney, the commander of the Sixth Military District, even when taking place within the Seventh District. Subsequently, Flournoy was very unenthusiastic about providing troops and supplies to Pinckney and also to Andrew Jackson. He managed to alienate important political leaders in New Orleans and Louisiana by questioning their loyalty. He was criticized for the Battle of Fort Mims where the Red Sticks stormed the fort and defeated the militia garrison, afterwards killing the garrison and the refugees within it. In 1814, Andrew Jackson replaced Flournoy as commander of the Seventh Military District.

Family Life Thomas Flournoy descended from French Protestants. He was born January 3, 1775, the eight of ten children to Mathews Flournoy and Elizabeth Patsy Prior Smith Flournoy. In 1801, Flournoy married Sophia Davis of Florida at the house of Governor Milledge of Georgia. They had nine children that lived to be adults. She died in 1829 and in 1834 Thomas married Miss Catherine Howell of Philadelphia. They had no children. Flournoy died in Augusta July 24, 1857. His second wife was still alive in 1894.