TCCWR to host presentation on George Henry Thomas

KINGSPORT — The Tri Cities Civil War Round Table will host a presentation relating to the American Civil War and Reconstruction by Dr. Brian Steel Wills titled "George Henry Thomas: The Rock That Rolled" on Monday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m. in Room 219 of the Toy F. Reid Eastman Employee Center, 400 S. Wilcox Drive, Kingsport. The presentation is free and open to the public, and all interested are cordially invited to attend. Individuals wishing to dine with Dr. Wills at 5 p.m. that Monday at The Chop House (1704 N. Eastman Road) should request reservations by contacting Dr. Michael Smith at 3ccwrt2026@gmail.com. About "George Henry Thomas: The Rock That Rolled": William T. Sherman described George Henry Thomas, the Virginian who remained loyal to the Union and served for much of the 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 in 1864. Although he could frustrate superiors like William T. Sherman and Ulysses Grant, Thomas' results on the battlefield vindicated his judgment 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." About the speaker: 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, Wills is the author of numerous works relating to the American Civil War, including biographies of 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, Virginia, and the University of Georgia, he now spends time on his farm in Wise, Virginia.