MAJOR GENERAL THOMAS J. WOOD - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 07/01/1880 - HFSID 269171

THOMAS J. WOOD. Autograph Letter signed: "Th J. Wood", 2p (front and verso), 7x10. Dayton, Ohio, 1880 July 1. General's star embossed at top. To J. W. Ingers [?], Committee of Invitation, Ex-Soldiers and Sailors' Association of Franklin County, Ohio. In full: "Your kind invitation to be present at the Grand Reunion of Ex-Soldiers and Sailors of Ohio and adjoining states, to be held in Columbus, August 10th, 11 & 12th, is received. Please accept my sincere thanks for the kind invitation, and not only for the invitation, but also for the fraternal language in which it is expressed. It would indeed afford me the very highest pleasure to meet the old Comrades to be assembled that occasion. I bear an abiding and overflowing love for all patriots who wore 'the blue' through the terrible sectional war of 1861-1865, and kept step to the music of the Union; but there is a little warmer corner of my heart for the brave men who served under my immediate command, of whom Ohio furnished so large a proportion. I am sure you will appreciate the regret I experience in being compelled to decline your fraternal invitation. In pursuance of arrangements already made, I will leave home on the [date illegible], to be absent 'till the early days of September. I am sure the Comrades will have a glorious time, and I beg you to salute them in my name. Your friend and comrade." Wood (1823-1906) was brevetted for gallantry at Buena Vista, during the Mexican War (1846). During the Civil War, he commanded a division at Shiloh (1862), and distinguished himself at Murfreesboro later that year. At Chickamauga in 1863, he bore some responsibility for a Union defeat, but only for obeying without question an unwise order to re-deploy his division. He showed heroism once again at Lovejoy's station (1864), where he went about the battlefield with a shattered leg encouraging his men. He pursued Hood's troops after the Battle of Nashville at the end of 1864. He was promoted to Major General of the volunteers in January of 1865 and retired from service with the rank of Major General in 1868. He was the last surviving member of the West Point Class of 1845. Lightly soiled. Mounting adhesive, paper remnant and some paper loss along right edge. Nail head sized hole in upper left corner. Ink no each side shows through slightly. Overall, fine condition.