Cemetery Records moved from Magnolia Cem. Permit 5-28-1892
Named for Thomas McKinney, memorial 32784985
The General’s Staff, Johnston and Thomas McKinney Jack
A General Staff is a group of officers or personnel that are responsible for the administrative, operational, and logistical needs of the unit. Civil war officers often appointed people they knew from their native state to assist them. One of Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston’s choices was a Galveston, Texas, lawyer from a prominent Texas family.
Thomas M. Jack was about the same age as Johnston’s son William and both went to Yale at the same time. Jack had been born in San Felipe de Austin Texas, the capital of Stephen Austin’s Texas Colony, in 1831. His father, William Houston Jack had served in the Texas war of Independence, fighting in the battle of San Jacinto and was appointed Secretary of State for the Republic of Texas. By the time his father died in 1844, of yellow fever, he owned 2,574 acres in Brazoria County, plus seventeen town lots in Velasco and thirty-one slaves. Thomas, the only son, was sent to school at Georgetown College in Kentucky, the first Baptist college west of the Alleghenies. Thomas went on to Yale where along with William Johnston he was elected to The Skull and Bones Society.
After graduating, Thomas Jack moved to Galveston, Texas where he became a law partner to his brother in law, William Ballinger, who had served as a private in Albert Sidney Johnston’s Mexican War regiment. Johnston who also at one time owned a plantation in Brazoria County had known Thomas since he was young.
Thomas Jack was a strong supporter of states’ rights and was an elector for John C. Breckinridge in the 1860 election. When Texas seceded, Jack served as an aide to Col. Sidney Sherman in organizing the defense of Galveston, Texas, and joined an expedition to secure Fort Brown on the Rio Grande. Jack joined the 8th Texas Cavalry, Terry’s Texas Rangers, as a private, in September 1861 and accompanied them to Kentucky.
In Kentucky, Johnston noticed Jack and had him assigned to his staff as an aide with the rank of lieutenant. Lt. Jack would be accompanying Gen. Johnston at the Battle of Shiloh on the afternoon of April 6, 1862. He observed Johnston slapping his thigh and smiling as a spent ball struck his thigh and smile, near the Peach Orchard, shortly before the General’s fatal wound occurred. Jack was present at Johnston’s death and was one of the officers assigned to accompany his body back to Corinth.
After Shiloh, Thomas Jack was promoted to major and sent to Texas as a mustering officer and commander of a camp of instruction.
In August 1862 he became a staff officer under Gen. John C. Breckenridge and then in December became chief of staff for Gen. Leonidas Polk. He would be with Polk when he was struck in the chest by a 3 inch shell on Pine Mountain, Georgia on June 14, 1864 and instantly killed. Seeing that Polk had fallen, Colonels Jack and Gale, and others of his staff, raced to his side, “but life was already extinct.” Again Jack would have the sad duty of accompanying his dead commander. "The body was then taken by ambulance to the Relief Committee in Marietta, where the remains awaited a coffin. Polk’s faithful horse, “Jerry,” was led riderless behind the ambulance."
Lt. Col. Thomas Jack was sent to Texas after Polk’s death as Adjutant General to the Department of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, where he would end the war. He had been a witness to the deaths of two of the highest ranking Confederate generals.
After the war Thomas Jack returned to his successful law practice in Galveston. Jack would go to the 1880 Democratic presidential convention where he supported the nomination of Thomas F. Bayard over Gen. Winfield S. Hancock, who won the nomination. Soon after returning to Galveston he died of pneumonia, on August 26, 1880. His wife, Nannie Jack died within a year in Galveston on January 12, 1881.
Contributed by Sandi H. in April 2016
Named for Thomas McKinney, memorial 32784985
The General’s Staff, Johnston and Thomas McKinney Jack
A General Staff is a group of officers or personnel that are responsible for the administrative, operational, and logistical needs of the unit. Civil war officers often appointed people they knew from their native state to assist them. One of Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston’s choices was a Galveston, Texas, lawyer from a prominent Texas family.
Thomas M. Jack was about the same age as Johnston’s son William and both went to Yale at the same time. Jack had been born in San Felipe de Austin Texas, the capital of Stephen Austin’s Texas Colony, in 1831. His father, William Houston Jack had served in the Texas war of Independence, fighting in the battle of San Jacinto and was appointed Secretary of State for the Republic of Texas. By the time his father died in 1844, of yellow fever, he owned 2,574 acres in Brazoria County, plus seventeen town lots in Velasco and thirty-one slaves. Thomas, the only son, was sent to school at Georgetown College in Kentucky, the first Baptist college west of the Alleghenies. Thomas went on to Yale where along with William Johnston he was elected to The Skull and Bones Society.
After graduating, Thomas Jack moved to Galveston, Texas where he became a law partner to his brother in law, William Ballinger, who had served as a private in Albert Sidney Johnston’s Mexican War regiment. Johnston who also at one time owned a plantation in Brazoria County had known Thomas since he was young.
Thomas Jack was a strong supporter of states’ rights and was an elector for John C. Breckinridge in the 1860 election. When Texas seceded, Jack served as an aide to Col. Sidney Sherman in organizing the defense of Galveston, Texas, and joined an expedition to secure Fort Brown on the Rio Grande. Jack joined the 8th Texas Cavalry, Terry’s Texas Rangers, as a private, in September 1861 and accompanied them to Kentucky.
In Kentucky, Johnston noticed Jack and had him assigned to his staff as an aide with the rank of lieutenant. Lt. Jack would be accompanying Gen. Johnston at the Battle of Shiloh on the afternoon of April 6, 1862. He observed Johnston slapping his thigh and smiling as a spent ball struck his thigh and smile, near the Peach Orchard, shortly before the General’s fatal wound occurred. Jack was present at Johnston’s death and was one of the officers assigned to accompany his body back to Corinth.
After Shiloh, Thomas Jack was promoted to major and sent to Texas as a mustering officer and commander of a camp of instruction.
In August 1862 he became a staff officer under Gen. John C. Breckenridge and then in December became chief of staff for Gen. Leonidas Polk. He would be with Polk when he was struck in the chest by a 3 inch shell on Pine Mountain, Georgia on June 14, 1864 and instantly killed. Seeing that Polk had fallen, Colonels Jack and Gale, and others of his staff, raced to his side, “but life was already extinct.” Again Jack would have the sad duty of accompanying his dead commander. "The body was then taken by ambulance to the Relief Committee in Marietta, where the remains awaited a coffin. Polk’s faithful horse, “Jerry,” was led riderless behind the ambulance."
Lt. Col. Thomas Jack was sent to Texas after Polk’s death as Adjutant General to the Department of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, where he would end the war. He had been a witness to the deaths of two of the highest ranking Confederate generals.
After the war Thomas Jack returned to his successful law practice in Galveston. Jack would go to the 1880 Democratic presidential convention where he supported the nomination of Thomas F. Bayard over Gen. Winfield S. Hancock, who won the nomination. Soon after returning to Galveston he died of pneumonia, on August 26, 1880. His wife, Nannie Jack died within a year in Galveston on January 12, 1881.
Contributed by Sandi H. in April 2016
Cemetery Records moved from Magnolia Cem. Permit 5-28-1892
Named for Thomas McKinney, memorial 32784985
The General’s Staff, Johnston and Thomas McKinney Jack
A General Staff is a group of officers or personnel that are responsible for the administrative, operational, and logistical needs of the unit. Civil war officers often appointed people they knew from their native state to assist them. One of Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston’s choices was a Galveston, Texas, lawyer from a prominent Texas family.
Thomas M. Jack was about the same age as Johnston’s son William and both went to Yale at the same time. Jack had been born in San Felipe de Austin Texas, the capital of Stephen Austin’s Texas Colony, in 1831. His father, William Houston Jack had served in the Texas war of Independence, fighting in the battle of San Jacinto and was appointed Secretary of State for the Republic of Texas. By the time his father died in 1844, of yellow fever, he owned 2,574 acres in Brazoria County, plus seventeen town lots in Velasco and thirty-one slaves. Thomas, the only son, was sent to school at Georgetown College in Kentucky, the first Baptist college west of the Alleghenies. Thomas went on to Yale where along with William Johnston he was elected to The Skull and Bones Society.
After graduating, Thomas Jack moved to Galveston, Texas where he became a law partner to his brother in law, William Ballinger, who had served as a private in Albert Sidney Johnston’s Mexican War regiment. Johnston who also at one time owned a plantation in Brazoria County had known Thomas since he was young.
Thomas Jack was a strong supporter of states’ rights and was an elector for John C. Breckinridge in the 1860 election. When Texas seceded, Jack served as an aide to Col. Sidney Sherman in organizing the defense of Galveston, Texas, and joined an expedition to secure Fort Brown on the Rio Grande. Jack joined the 8th Texas Cavalry, Terry’s Texas Rangers, as a private, in September 1861 and accompanied them to Kentucky.
In Kentucky, Johnston noticed Jack and had him assigned to his staff as an aide with the rank of lieutenant. Lt. Jack would be accompanying Gen. Johnston at the Battle of Shiloh on the afternoon of April 6, 1862. He observed Johnston slapping his thigh and smiling as a spent ball struck his thigh and smile, near the Peach Orchard, shortly before the General’s fatal wound occurred. Jack was present at Johnston’s death and was one of the officers assigned to accompany his body back to Corinth.
After Shiloh, Thomas Jack was promoted to major and sent to Texas as a mustering officer and commander of a camp of instruction.
In August 1862 he became a staff officer under Gen. John C. Breckenridge and then in December became chief of staff for Gen. Leonidas Polk. He would be with Polk when he was struck in the chest by a 3 inch shell on Pine Mountain, Georgia on June 14, 1864 and instantly killed. Seeing that Polk had fallen, Colonels Jack and Gale, and others of his staff, raced to his side, “but life was already extinct.” Again Jack would have the sad duty of accompanying his dead commander. "The body was then taken by ambulance to the Relief Committee in Marietta, where the remains awaited a coffin. Polk’s faithful horse, “Jerry,” was led riderless behind the ambulance."
Lt. Col. Thomas Jack was sent to Texas after Polk’s death as Adjutant General to the Department of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, where he would end the war. He had been a witness to the deaths of two of the highest ranking Confederate generals.
After the war Thomas Jack returned to his successful law practice in Galveston. Jack would go to the 1880 Democratic presidential convention where he supported the nomination of Thomas F. Bayard over Gen. Winfield S. Hancock, who won the nomination. Soon after returning to Galveston he died of pneumonia, on August 26, 1880. His wife, Nannie Jack died within a year in Galveston on January 12, 1881.
Contributed by Sandi H. in April 2016
Named for Thomas McKinney, memorial 32784985
The General’s Staff, Johnston and Thomas McKinney Jack
A General Staff is a group of officers or personnel that are responsible for the administrative, operational, and logistical needs of the unit. Civil war officers often appointed people they knew from their native state to assist them. One of Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston’s choices was a Galveston, Texas, lawyer from a prominent Texas family.
Thomas M. Jack was about the same age as Johnston’s son William and both went to Yale at the same time. Jack had been born in San Felipe de Austin Texas, the capital of Stephen Austin’s Texas Colony, in 1831. His father, William Houston Jack had served in the Texas war of Independence, fighting in the battle of San Jacinto and was appointed Secretary of State for the Republic of Texas. By the time his father died in 1844, of yellow fever, he owned 2,574 acres in Brazoria County, plus seventeen town lots in Velasco and thirty-one slaves. Thomas, the only son, was sent to school at Georgetown College in Kentucky, the first Baptist college west of the Alleghenies. Thomas went on to Yale where along with William Johnston he was elected to The Skull and Bones Society.
After graduating, Thomas Jack moved to Galveston, Texas where he became a law partner to his brother in law, William Ballinger, who had served as a private in Albert Sidney Johnston’s Mexican War regiment. Johnston who also at one time owned a plantation in Brazoria County had known Thomas since he was young.
Thomas Jack was a strong supporter of states’ rights and was an elector for John C. Breckinridge in the 1860 election. When Texas seceded, Jack served as an aide to Col. Sidney Sherman in organizing the defense of Galveston, Texas, and joined an expedition to secure Fort Brown on the Rio Grande. Jack joined the 8th Texas Cavalry, Terry’s Texas Rangers, as a private, in September 1861 and accompanied them to Kentucky.
In Kentucky, Johnston noticed Jack and had him assigned to his staff as an aide with the rank of lieutenant. Lt. Jack would be accompanying Gen. Johnston at the Battle of Shiloh on the afternoon of April 6, 1862. He observed Johnston slapping his thigh and smiling as a spent ball struck his thigh and smile, near the Peach Orchard, shortly before the General’s fatal wound occurred. Jack was present at Johnston’s death and was one of the officers assigned to accompany his body back to Corinth.
After Shiloh, Thomas Jack was promoted to major and sent to Texas as a mustering officer and commander of a camp of instruction.
In August 1862 he became a staff officer under Gen. John C. Breckenridge and then in December became chief of staff for Gen. Leonidas Polk. He would be with Polk when he was struck in the chest by a 3 inch shell on Pine Mountain, Georgia on June 14, 1864 and instantly killed. Seeing that Polk had fallen, Colonels Jack and Gale, and others of his staff, raced to his side, “but life was already extinct.” Again Jack would have the sad duty of accompanying his dead commander. "The body was then taken by ambulance to the Relief Committee in Marietta, where the remains awaited a coffin. Polk’s faithful horse, “Jerry,” was led riderless behind the ambulance."
Lt. Col. Thomas Jack was sent to Texas after Polk’s death as Adjutant General to the Department of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, where he would end the war. He had been a witness to the deaths of two of the highest ranking Confederate generals.
After the war Thomas Jack returned to his successful law practice in Galveston. Jack would go to the 1880 Democratic presidential convention where he supported the nomination of Thomas F. Bayard over Gen. Winfield S. Hancock, who won the nomination. Soon after returning to Galveston he died of pneumonia, on August 26, 1880. His wife, Nannie Jack died within a year in Galveston on January 12, 1881.
Contributed by Sandi H. in April 2016
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