June 7: Civil War General George Thomas with David Decker


"The Life and Career of General George Thomas"


Friday, June 7th
7:00 pm
Goodwin Library
Historical Society Museum

presented by 
David Decker
Historian, Civil War

A presentation on the life and career of General George Thomas, with special emphasis on his unbroken string of victories throughout the civil war.  Thomas is well known as the best commander on defense in the war. He twice saved the union army from destruction at Stone’s River and at Chickamauga. After this second battle, the newspapers dubbed him "the Rock of Chickamauga," and President Lincoln called his effort the most heroic act in the history of the world.

Dave Decker was born in 1937 in Chicago, Illinois.  He lived there for eight years, then moved to Methuen, Massachusetts.  He lived there for six years and then moved to Salem, New Hampshire.  He lived there for eleven years before moving to Laconia and Gilford, New Hampshire, in 1963 and has continued to live there ever since.  He graduated from the University of New Hampshire and majored in government and then graduated from Boston College law school.  He practiced law in New Hampshire for 28 years, retired, and then worked as a paralegal for the next 20 years—much easier on the heart and stomach.

Dave is married to his wife, Susan, has three adult children, six grandchildren, and twelve step-grandchildren.  His only other resident in the house is the dog.  His interest in the Civil War began in high school and has continued uninterrupted ever since then.  He became a member of the Civil War Round Table of New Hampshire in 1997 and by 1999 had made his first presentation to that group, namely the Lincoln-Douglass debates of 1858 and an additional presentation to the Civil War Round Table of Vermont.  In 2002, he delivered the first General Thomas presentation to the Civil War Round Table of New Hampshire and to a men's group.  Next he made a presentation on Pickett's Charge, the third day of Gettysburg, and Pickett's subcommanders.  A couple of years later, he made a presentation on women soldiers and nurses in the Civil War.  Last October, he did a second presentation on General Thomas to the same group, which was comprised of an almost entirely new membership.

This is the second occasion of that presentation, and he is scheduled for three more presentations in May and June to historical societies in New Hampshire.  Dave's strong interest in General Thomas has been caused by the fact that Thomas is virtually unknown and wrongfully so, and in Dave's small way, he's trying to make amends.  He's sure to tell you that Thomas is a great hero of that war.


Learn More
Watch a brief video of highlights of David's presentations on You Tube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxScy9nLiX0

George Henry Thomas on Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Henry_Thomas

George Thomas on Civil War Trust
http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/biographies/george-thomas.html

George H. Thomas on About.com
http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/americancivilwar/p/ghthomas.htm


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