With his headquarters at Fort Smith, Arkansas, Brig. Gen. John M. Thayer was in command of the District of the Frontier, Department of Arkansas. Born in Massachusetts, John Milton Thayer moved to Nebraska Territory in 1854 and became active in the Republican Party. In June 1861, Thayer helped organize the 1st Nebraska Infantry and was commissioned its colonel.
General Thayer was in command of the District of the Frontier, Department of Arkansas, during Price's 1864 invasion of Missouri. Headquartered in Fort Smith, Thayer was concerned his garrison at Fayetteville would be overwhelmed if attacked by Price's army during thier retreat. He asked for reinforcements from his boss, Maj. Gen. Frederick Steele. Both Thayer and Maj. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis. in pursuit of Price's army, were in communication asking each other for support. When all was said and done, General Thayer did not move out and try to engage and destroy Price's army. He was concerned about Fort Smith being attacked by another Confederate force if he took to the field after Price.
Thayer received a brevet promotion to major general of volunteers at the close of the Civil War. When Nebraska entered the Union, Thayer was elected as one of the Senators. Thayer served two terms as governor of Nebraska in the 1980s.
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Wikipedia. “John Milton Thayer,” September 22, 2019. Link.