Edward Lloyd Thomas was a Confederate brigadier general of infantry during the American Civil War from the state of Georgia. He was colonel of the 35th Georgia Infantry Regiment, assigned to Joseph R. Anderson's brigade, which became part of A.P. Hill's famed "Light Division". When Anderson left to take control of the Tredegar Iron Works in Richmond, Thomas was promoted to brigadier general to command the brigade. He retained this position for the rest of the war and was present at all of the major battles of the Army of Northern Virginia.

A. P. Hill's Light Division was an infantry division in General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia during the American Civil War. Originally including six brigades, the division's first commander starting May 27, 1862 was then Major General A. P. Hill. Major Generals William Dorsey Pender and Cadmus M. Wilcox commanded a reorganized Light Division in the Army of Northern Virginia after Hill's promotion to corps command and Pender's death at the Battle of Gettysburg, respectively.