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Rh large force was regularly employed. This survey had for its primary object the making of geo- graphic maps, but it gave a prominent place to geology, and gathered valuable material in the departments of zoology and ethnology. Lieut. Wheeler continued this work until March, 1879, when the survey was abolished and the U. S. geo- logical survey was organized. (See King, Clar- ence, and Powell, John W.) Since that time he has been engaged in the preparation of the mate- rial that has been gathered, much of which has been published in his annual reports, beginning with 1871, and also in a series of quarto volumes published by the engineer department of the U. S. army. Capt. Wheeler was a delegate to the 3d International conference and exhibition held at Vienna in 1885, concerning which he made a re- port to the U. S. government. He was promoted captain on 30 March, 1879, and, owing to illness, retired from active service on 15 June, 1888.

WHEELER, John Hill, historian, b. in Mur- freesboro', N. C., 6 Aug., 1806 ; d. in Washington, D. C, 7 Dec, 1882. His ancestors were early settlers of North Carolina and direct descendants of Admiral Sir Francis Wheeler. John was gradu- ated at Columbian university, Washington, D. C, in 1826, and at the law department of the Uni- versity of North Carolina in 1828. He became a member of the North Carolina legislature in 1837, and in 1831 secretary of the board of commission- ers under the treaty with Prance to decide on the claims of American citizens for spoliations under the Berlin and Milan treaties. He became super- intendent of the branch U. S. mint at Charlotte, N. C., in 1836, and held office till 1841. He was chosen treasurer of North Carolina in 1842, and at the expiration of his term began his " History of North Carolina," to which he devoted himself for ten years (Philadelphia, 1851). In 1854-'7 he was U. S. minister to Nicaragua. As soon as William Walker established his authority there, Mr. Wheeler acknowledged his government. He resigned that post in 1857, settled in Washington, D. C, where in 1859-'61 he was employed in the statistical bu- reau. Later he returned to North Carolina, but he took no active part in the civil war. In 1863 he was sent by the legislature to England for material for an enlarged edition of his " History of North Carolina." His later life was passed in Washing- ton in collating the debates of congress, and in statistical labors. His other writings include " A Legislative Manual of North Carolina" (1874): " Reminiscences and Memoirs of North Carolina " (Columbus, Ohio, 1884) ; and he edited Col. David Fanning's " Autobiography " (Richmond, Va., 1861). — His brother, Junius Brutus, soldier, b. in Murfreesboro', N. C, 21 Feb., 1830 ; d. in Lenoir, N. C, 15 July, 1886, was educated at the Uni- versity of North Carolina, volunteered at the be- ginning of the Mexican war, and participated in every battle from Vera Cruz to the city of Mexico. He was promoted lieutenant in 1847. but resigned at the end of the war, entered the U. S. military academy, and was graduated in 1855. He was transferred to the topographical engineers in 1856, became 1st lieutenant on 1 July, 1860, was assist- ant professor of mathematics at the U. S. military academy in 1859-'61, and principal assistant pro- fessor there in 1861-'3. He became a captain in the engineer corps in March, 1863, chief engineer of the Department of the Susquehanna in June and September of that year, and chief engineer of the Army of the Arkansas from September, 1863, till May, 1864. He participated in engagements at Elkins Ferry, Prairie D'Ane, the occupation of Camden, and the battle of Jenkins Ferry, on the Saline river, 30 April, 1864, for which he was brevetted major, U. S. army. In March, 1865, he was brevetted lieutenant-colonel and colonel for meritorious service during the civil war. He was chief engineer of the military division of the Missouri in May and June, 1865, commanded the engineer depot at Jefferson Barracks, Mo., in July and December of that year, was assistant engineer on the Mississippi levees in 1865-6, and superin- tendent engineer of harbor improvements in 1866. He became major of engineers, U. S. army, in 1866, and was then professor of mining and civil en- gineering at the U. S. military academy, which post he held till his retirement in 1885. ne wrote a valuable series of military text-books that were adopted by the U. S. war department, and pub- lished under the titles " Civil Engineering " (New York, 1877); "Art and Science of War" (1878): "Elements of Field Fortifications" (1882); and " Military Engineering " (2 vols., 1884-'5).

WHEELER, Joseph, soldier, b. in Augusta, Ga., 10 Sept., 1836. He was graduated at the U. S. military academy in 1859, and assigned to the dragoons. After a year's service at the cavalry school for prac- tice at Carlisle, Pa., he received the full rank of 2d lieuten- ant, but on 22 April, 1861, re- signed and en- tered the Con- federate army. He was made colonel of the 19th Alabama infantry on 4 Sept., 1861, and served princi- pally in the west. At Shiloh he commanded a brigade and cov- ered the Con- federate retreat from the field. In July, 1862, he was transferred to a cavalry command, and engaged in raiding western Tennessee. During the Kentucky campaign of that year he had charge of Gen. Braxton Bragg's cavalry, and fought at Green River and Perryville. He commanded the rear-guard of the Confederate army when it retreated into Tennessee, and on 30 Oct., 1862, was promoted brigadier-general. At Murfreesboro' he was in charge of the cavalry, and thereafter he was continuously active in contesting Gen. William S. Rosecrans's advance, also attacking his flanks, raiding in the rear, and destroying his trains. On 19 Jan., 1863, he received his commission as major-general, and opposed the National advance on Chattanooga. He commanded the cavalry at Chickamauga, and after the battle crossed Tennessee river and fell upon Rosecrans's line of communications, defeating the force that was sent against him and destroying over 1,200 wagons, with stores. On this raid he succeeded in damaging National property to the value of $3,000,000, but, after losing 600 men, was driven back to northern Alabama. Subsequently he took part in the siege of Knoxville and covered Bragg's retreat from Mission ridge and Lookout mountain. During the winter and spring he continually harassed the National troops, and, on the advance of Gen. William