Background
Wharton was born in Culpeper County, Virginia, in the summer of 1824.
Wharton was born in Culpeper County, Virginia, in the summer of 1824.
Wharton graduated on July 5, 1847, finishing 2nd out of 12 cadets as a "distinguished graduate."
At the start of the American Civil War in 1861, Wharton chose to follow his home state of Virginia and the Confederate cause, and entered the Confederate Army.
After the war he was a politician and later resumed his engineering work. He entered Virginia Military Institute in Lexington on September 1, 1845. After leaving Virginia Military Institute he then became a civil engineer
Later Wharton moved to the Arizona Territory and took up work as a mining engineer
He was appointed a major in the 45th Virginia Infantry on July 1, and soon afterward was given command of the 51st Virginia Infantry on July 17, with the rank of colonel. The 51st Virginia was part of Major
General John B. Floyd"s operations in western Virginia, and escaped with Floyd on February 14, 1862, during the Battle of Fort Donelson.
Wharton was then sent to the Western Theater, and commanded several brigades in various Confederate departments from February to September 1864. During this time Wharton was promoted to brigadier general, effective July 8, 1863.
In the winter of 1863, Wharton served in Lieutenant General James Longstreet"s operations against Knoxville, Tennessee, which were ultimately unsuccessful and ended in the spring of 1864.
Wharton then returned to the Eastern Theater and was given divisional command in the Second Corps, Army of Northern Virginia.
Wharton also took part in the Battle of New Market on May 15. His brigade was part of Major General John C. Breckinridge"s force, fighting on the left during the Confederate victory at New Market.
In 1864 Wharton participated in the Overland Campaign, fighting in Breckinridge"s division during the Confederate victory at Battle of Cold Harbor from May 31 – June 12.
His brigade also participated in the Battle of Monocacy on July 9. Wharton was part of Lieutenant
General Jubal Early"s operations in his Valley Campaigns, and he participated in the Confederate defeat at the Battle of Cedar Creek on October 19.
He also fought in the Battle of Waynesboro, Virginia on March 2, 1865, at the end of which his command was largely dispersed and Early"s army virtually destroyed. Wharton led what was left of his division until May 2.
He was paroled at the end of the war from Lynchburg, Virginia, on June 4. Wharton became a legislator in the Virginia General Assembly and then returned to his pre-war career as a mining engineer
He was also instrumental in building the railroad in Southwest Virginia in New River Valley.
Wharton married Nannie Radford, daughter of John B. Radford, for whom the town of Radford, Virginia, is named. Wharton was also instrumental in the building of the New River Railroad, Mining and Manufacturing Company. Wharton died in the spring of 1906 at Radford, Virginia, at the age of 81, and was buried in the Radford Family Cemetery located in Radford.
He resided at Glencoe in Radford, listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.