Books: Double Exposure

ROCK OF CHICKAMAUGA: THE LIFE OF GENERAL GEORGE H. THOMAS (328 pp.) — Freeman Cleaves—University of Oklahoma ($3.75).

THOMAS: ROCK OF CHICKAMAUGA (385 pp.) — Richard O'Connor—Prentice-Hall ($4).

George Henry Thomas was born on a Virginia plantation, attended West Point more or less by accident (everybody else nominated from his district had failed), served with the Union Army during the Civil War, and won his place in history by standing firm during the near-rout of the Union forces at the battle of Chickamauga. These two new biographies attempt the difficult task of making...