Background

James H. Wilson was born on September 2, 1837, in Shawneetown, Illinois, the fifth child of Harrison Wilson and Katharine Schneyder. His father, a native of Virginia, was related to the Harrisons of the James River district; his family had emigrated from the Shenandoah Valley to Kentucky, and the Schneyders, from the vicinity of Strasbourg, Alsace, to Indiana, both moving later to southern Illinois.

Education

Wilson attended school at Shawneetown, and completed one academic year at McKendree College.

He entered the United States Military Academy on July 1, 1855, and was notably proficient in horsemanship, rifle practice, and drill.

Career

Graduating sixth among forty-one in the class of 1860, he was commissioned second lieutenant of topographical engineers and assigned to duty at Fort Vancouver until ordered East in the summer of 1861. He was chief topographical engineer with Gen. Thomas W. Sherman on the Port Royal expedition and with Gen. David Hunter took part in the reduction of Fort Pulaski. Subsequently, as volunteer aid to McClellan, he served in the battles of South Mountain and Antietam.

A few weeks later Wilson joined Grant's headquarters, and early in 1863 was named inspector-general, Army of the Tennessee, with duties still mainly in the engineers. He was engaged in the action at Port Gibson and the capture of Jackson, Mississippi, in the battles of Champion's Hill and Big Black Bridge, and in the siege and capture of Vicksburg.

Late in September 1863 he carried dispatches to the telegraph at Cairo, and received War Department orders, following the defeat of Rosecrans at Chickamauga, for Grant to proceed to Chattanooga. He was advanced, October 31, to brigadier-general of volunteers.

He participated in the battle of Missionary Ridge, was chief engineer on the expedition for the relief of Knoxville, and in January 1864 was appointed chief of the cavalry bureau at Washington. By Grant's request at the opening of the spring campaign, Wilson was assigned to command the third division in Sheridan's cavalry corps, Army of the Potomac. He led the advance across the Rapidan, marched through the Wilderness, and during that battle had sharp encounters in the more open country beyond. The division was in the combat of Yellow Tavern, covered Grant's passage to the Chickahominy, formed part of Sheridan's first Richmond expedition, and late in June fought off or eluded greater numbers, mainly of Hampton's cavalry.

After a few days in front of Petersburg, Wilson was sent to Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley, and took part in the battle of the Opequon (Winchester), September 19. In October he was appointed chief of cavalry, Military Division of the Mississippi, with brevet rank of major-general, on a practical equality with Sheridan in the East.

He first outfitted Kilpatrick's division for the march to the sea, and then consolidated the remaining cavalry and mounted infantry into a compact corps to operate against Hood's invasion of Tennessee. Encountering Forrest's cavalry at Franklin, November 30, 1864, Wilson drove it back across the Harpeth River, enabling Schofield to repulse Hood and withdraw to Nashville, where Thomas, greatly assisted by mass formations of the cavalry, defeated Hood. Wilson established winter cantonments north of the Tennessee and had 17, 000 men in the saddle for review when Thomas came down from Nashville. With greater numbers present and better equipment, he defeated Forrest at Ebenezer Church, April 1, 1865, and the next day broke through and surmounted the fortifications of Selma, Alabama; in the charge, which he led with the 4th Cavalry, his gelding, "Sheridan, " was struck down. Wilson dispersed the defense, demolished or burned the ordnance and ammunition bases, and severed railway communications. He entered Montgomery without resistance, took Columbus, Georgia, by assault, destroying its military supplies and shipyard; on April 20 he reached Macon, and there ceased hostilities, but kept military control. Detachments from his command intercepted Jefferson Davis and brought him to Macon. Gross figures for maximum numbers of cavalry under Sheridan and Wilson in the spring of 1865 are somewhat in Wilson's favor. He was unsurpassed in the cavalry for organizing ability, administration, and steadiness; it is doubtful if Sheridan, Kilpatrick, or Custer ever really excelled his outstanding exploit at Selma.

In the army reorganization after the war he was appointed lieutenant-colonel of the 35th Infantry, July 28, 1866, but reassigned to the engineers. For four years he superintended navigation improvements, mainly on the Mississippi, resigning from the army December 31, 1870, to engage in railway construction and management.

Settling at Wilmington, Delaware, in 1883, he gave fifteen years to various business enterprises, public affairs, travel, and writing. As senior major-general in civil life under the retiring age, Wilson volunteered for the Spanish-American War and was designated to command the VI Corps, which, however, was not organized.

In July 1898 he conducted part of the I Corps to Puerto Rico, and was appointed military governor of the city and province of Ponce; while marching toward the interior he was apprised of the protocol, and was soon ordered back to the United States. He prepared the I Corps for Cuba, took one division to Matanzas, and in the military occupation was assigned the Matanzas department and later the Santa Clara department and the city of Cienfuegos. Knowing something of China from nearly a year's investigation in 1885 - 1886 of possible railway developments there, he was appointed second in command to Gen. Adna R. Chaffee of forces sent to cooperate in suppressing the Boxer uprising; he reached Peking after the allies had rescued the legations, but led the American-British contingent against the Boxers at the Eight Temples.

Returning to the United States in December 1900, he was placed by special act of Congress upon the retired list as brigadier-general in the regular service. On March 4, 1915, he was advanced to major-general, a rank he had received twice (1865 and 1898) in the volunteers. By presidential appointment he represented the army at the coronation of King Edward VII in 1902.

Wilson was a striking personification of the "old army"; the last survivor of his West Point class, he outlived every other member of Grant's military staff and all other Federal corps commanders. He died on February 23, 1925, in Wilmington, Delaware, and his interment was in Old Swedes churchyard there.

Achievements

• James H. Wilson was a topographic engineer and a Union Army Major General in the American Civil War, who emerged from the Civil War as one of the most distinguished Cavalry commanders.

Works

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  • Regulation of Canadian Railroads (Classic Reprint)

    (Excerpt from Regulation of Canadian Railroads Even anter...)

  • Under the Old Flag, Recollections of Military Operations in the War for the Union, the Spanish War, the Boxer Rebellion, Etc, Vol. 1 (Classic Reprint)

    (June, 1855, to June, 1860 July, 1860 to July, 1861 Septem...)

  • The Life and Services of Brevet Brigadier-General Andrew Jonathan Alexander, United States Army. a Sketch from Personal Recollections, Family Letters

    (Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We h...)

  • The Life of Charles A. Dana

    (Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We h...)

  • The Golden Fountain: Bible-truth unfolded - a book for the young

    (The Golden Fountain - Bible-truth unfolded - a book for t...)

  • Under the Old Flag

    ( This work has been selected by scholars as being cultur...)

  • China: Travels and Investigations in the "Middle Kingdom". a Study of Its Civilization and Possibilities, With a Glance at Japan / by James Harrison Wilson

    ( This work has been selected by scholars as being cultur...)

  • Heroes of the Great Conflict: Life and Services of William Farrar Smith

    (This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curat...)

  • The Life of John A. Rawlins

    (General James Harrison Wilson said of his subject, "John ...)

  • Life and services of William Farrar Smith, major general, United States volunteers in the civil war

    (Heroes of the great conflict. Life and services of Willia...)

Personality

James H. Wilson was about five feet, ten inches in height, though his erect, military bearing made him appear a trifle taller; he was somewhat overweight in middle and later life.

Bold initiative, an adventurous and dauntless spirit, aggressive temper, and invariable confidence were his predominant characteristics. Though reserved, often blunt, and sometimes imperious, he was a man of generous nature, on rare occasions sentimental and romantic.

Connections

On January 3, 1866, James H. Wilson married Ella Andrews, who was fatally burned at Matanzas, Cuba; three daughters were born to them.

Father:

Harrison Wilson

Mother:

Katharine Wilson (Schneyder)

Wife:

Ella Wilson (Andrews)

Daughter:

Mary Thompson (Wilson)

Daughter:

Katharine Wilson

Brother:

Henry S. Wilson

Brother:

Bluford Wilson

Bluford Wilson was a Union Army officer in the Civil War and a government official.

Friend:

Emory Upton

Emory Upton was a United States Army General and military strategist.

Friend:

John Aaron Rawlins

John Aaron Rawlins was a general officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War and a cabinet officer in the Grant administration.

References

• The servant of all;: Pages from the family, social and political life of my father, James Wilson; twenty years of mid-Victorian life
• Wilson's Cavalry Corps: Union Campaigns in the Western Theatre, October 1864 Through Spring 1865
• Grant's Cavalryman
• Yankee Blitzkrieg: Wilson's Raid through Alabama and Georgia