Changes

He was born in Clarksburg, a mountain town in one of Virginia’s western counties, the son of a lawyer who got himself involved in a series of bad investments, and dying of typhoid when Thomas was two, leaving his family deep in debt.  Five years his mother died, and Thomas, his brother Warren, and sister Laura, would spent the remainder of their childhoods among several different relatives (TL 6, pg. 22).

He was born in Clarksburg, a mountain town in one of Virginia’s western counties, the son of a lawyer who got himself involved in a series of bad investments, and dying of typhoid when Thomas was two, leaving his family deep in debt.  Five years his mother died, and Thomas, his brother Warren, and sister Laura, would spent the remainder of their childhoods among several different relatives (TL 6, pg. 22).

It was during his childhood that Thomas would develop a quirky personality.  He complained of a stomach malady for which no doctor could find a cause.  Later, while at West Point, he sat bolt upright in his seat, allowing his spine to never touch the back of his chair; the reason being he needed to keep his internal organs in alignment, thus aiding digestion.  He convinced himself that the use of pepper in his food made his left leg itch, and he was often seen sucking on lemons.  When in battle his men, seeing his left arm raised, assumed he was praying to his Maker; although a very religious man, Thomas had a different explanation: his left arm was heavier than his right, and by lifting it “the blood might run back into his body and lighten it” (TL 6, pp. 23-24).

It was during his childhood that Thomas would develop a quirky personality.  He complained of a stomach malady for which no doctor could find a cause.  Later, while at West Point, he sat bolt upright in his seat, allowing his spine to never touch the back of his chair; the reason being he needed to keep his internal organs in alignment, thus aiding digestion.  He convinced himself that the use of pepper in his food made his left leg itch, and he was often seen sucking on lemons.  When in battle his men, seeing his left arm raised, assumed he was praying to his Maker; Thomas had a different explanation: his left arm was heavier than his right, and by lifting it “the blood might run back into his body and lighten it” (TL 6, pp. 23-24).

Despite not having much of a formal education while growing up (he had the equivalent of a fourth grade education), he did receive an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1842.  Although his start was slow, he made up for it by intense study, often reading his books by the dim light of the coal fire long after his classmates were asleep; he would claw his way up the class standings, and graduate 17th in a class of 59 by the time he graduated in 1846 (TL 6, pg. 25).

Despite not having much of a formal education while growing up (he had the equivalent of a fourth grade education), he did receive an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1842.  Although his start was slow, he made up for it by intense study, often reading his books by the dim light of the coal fire long after his classmates were asleep; he would claw his way up the class standings, and graduate 17th in a class of 59 by the time he graduated in 1846 (TL 6, pg. 25).