John Peyre Thomas Sr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John P. Thomas Sr.
South Carolina Militia
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| 6th Superintendent, South Carolina Military Academy (The Citadel) | |
| In office 1882–1885 |
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| Preceded by | Major James B. White |
| Succeeded by | BGen George Doherty Johnston |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Peyre Thomas
March 17, 1833 Berkeley County, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | February 11, 1912 (age 78) Columbia, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Alma mater | South Carolina Military Academy |
| Profession | Educator State legislator Historian and author |
Colonel John Peyre Thomas Sr. (born March 17, 1833 – died February 11, 1912) was an important educator, a politician who helped make laws, and a historian who wrote about the past. He served as the 6th leader, or Superintendent, of the South Carolina Military Academy, which is now known as The Citadel.
Contents
A Life of Learning and Leadership
John P. Thomas Sr. was born in Berkeley County, South Carolina. He was a very bright student and graduated at the top of his class from the Citadel Academy in Charleston in 1851. After graduating, he became a professor, teaching English and History at the Arsenal Academy in Columbia. This academy was one of the two schools that made up the South Carolina Military Academy (SCMA).
Leading Cadets in War
In 1861, John Thomas became the Superintendent of The Arsenal. He also led Company B of the Battalion of State Cadets. This military unit included all the cadets from the SCMA. These cadets bravely fought in eight battles during the American Civil War.
A remarkable event happened in December 1864 at the Battle of Tulifinny. Thomas led the Arsenal cadets, and the entire group of 343 cadets from the SCMA joined a larger force. They successfully defended a vital railroad line from a much bigger Union army. This allowed over 100,000 Confederate troops to escape General William T. Sherman's advancing army. This battle is famous because it was the only time in history that the entire student body of a United States college fought together in combat.
Colonel Thomas also led the Arsenal cadets when they fired what might have been the very last shots of the American Civil War east of the Mississippi River. This happened in a small fight with Union troops in Williamston, South Carolina on May 1, 1865. The Battalion of State Cadets was the last armed Confederate group in South Carolina. Thomas officially disbanded them in Newberry, South Carolina on May 9.
After the War and Return to Education
After the Civil War ended, the SCMA was closed. John Thomas then studied law and became a lawyer in 1871. In 1873, he started his own school called the Carolina Military Institute in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he was the Superintendent for nine years.
In 1882, the South Carolina government decided to reopen the SCMA. It was brought back as one school on the old Citadel Academy campus in Charleston. John Thomas was chosen to be its Superintendent once again. He resigned in 1885 but continued to serve on the school's Board of Visitors, helping to guide its future.
From 1886 to 1887, Thomas served in the South Carolina State Legislature, helping to make laws for the state. He was then appointed as the State Historian. He wrote many books, including The History of the South Carolina Military Academy, published in 1893. This book covered the first 50 years of the school's history.
Family Life
John Thomas was married to Mary Caroline Gibbes. They had a large family with 14 children. Two of his sons became notable figures. His son, Albert Sidney Thomas, later became an Episcopal Bishop in South Carolina. Another son, John Peyre Thomas Jr., became the Dean of the Law School at the University of South Carolina. Colonel Thomas passed away in Columbia, South Carolina at the age of 78 and is buried in the cemetery of Trinity Episcopal Church.
