Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 10.djvu/456

 WILSON

WILSON

NN'ILSG.N, James Harrison, soKlier, was born near Sliawneetown. 111., Sept. 2, 1837; son of Harrison ami Katiiarine (Schneider) Wilson; grandson of Alexander and Elinor (Harrison) Wilson, and a descendant of Isaac Wilson, a sergeant in the Virginia Line from Culpeper county. Alexander Wilson emigrated from Vir- ginia first to P\iy^tte county, Ky., and then to Illinois, where he was a member of the first ter- ritorial legislature, and one of the founders of that state. Harrison Wilson served as ensign in the war of 1812. and was a captain in the Black Hawk war. James Harrison Wilson was gradu- ated from the U.S. military academy, sixth in the cla.ss of 1860; was assigned to the topographi- cal engineers, served in Washington territory, and on June 10, 18G1, was commissioned 2d lieu- tenant. He was promoted 1st lieutenant, Sept. 9, 1S61; was chief topographical engineer of the expedition to Port Royal, 1801-62, and was en- gaged in the siege and capture of Fort Pulaski, and battle of James Island, being brevetted major. He was acting aide-de-camp to McClel- lau during the Antietam campaign; was com- missioned lieutenant-colonel (assistant inspector- general) of volunteers. Nov. 8, 1862; chief topographical engineer of the Army of the Ten- nessee under Grant, and during Grant's Vicks- burg campaign was assistant engineer and in- spector-general of the Army of the Tennessee. He was promoted captain. U.S.A.. May 7, 1863; accompanied General Grant to Chattanooga, and was promoted brigadier-general of volunteers, Oct. 31, 1863. He was brevetted lieutenant- colonel, U.S.A., for Missionary Ridge, Nov. 24, 1863, and was engineer of the expedition sent to relieve Burnside at Knoxville; during this march, Wilson constructed many bridges in an incredibly short time, building one bridge across the little Tennessee in eight hours, the material being supplied by the neighboring dwellings. In the spring of 1804 Wilson was stationed in Wash- ington as chief of the Cavalry Bureau, and in May he assumed command of the 3d division of the newly organized cavalry corps under Sheridan in the Army of the Potomac. He was brevetted colonel, U.S.A., for the Wilderness; occupied Spottsylvania C.H., May 8, 1864; rode in Sheri- dan's raid to Haxall's Landing; fought in numer- ous cavalry combats and actions including Beaver Dam. Yellow Tavern and Ilawes' Shop. He commanded a successful raid against the Danville and Southside railroads, which he so broke and destroyed as to sever the connection of Richmond with the South for six weeks; com- manded his division in Sheridan's Shenandoah campaign, fighting at Opequan, Sept. 19, 1864, and in October was placed in command f)ftiie cavalry corps of the military division of tiie

Mississippi, consisting of seven divisions. He was brevetted major-general of volunteers, Oct. 5, 1864, for services during the Rebellion; \)iiv- ticipated in Thomas's campaign in Tennessee, turning Hood's left at Nashville, Dec. 15-13. and was brevetted brigadier-general U.S.A., Marcli 13, 186.5, for services at Nashville, Tenn. He led a cavalry army of 14,000 men into Alabama and Georgia in March and April, 1865. and was bre- vetted major-general, U.S.A., for the capture of Selma, Ala., with numerous stores and prisoners. Montgomery, Ala., surrendered April 16, and Macon, Ga., capitulated April 20, 1865. He was brevetted major-general of volunteers, April 20, 1865, and on May 10. 1865, p, detachment of his forces captured Jeflferson Davis at Irwinville, Ga. He commanded the Department of Georgia and Disti'ict of Columbus, 1865, and was at his own request mustered out of the volunteer service, Jan. 8, 1866. He was married, Jan. 3. 1866. to Ella, daughter of Gen. John W. and Mary (New- man) Andrews of Wilmington, Del. He was promoted lieutenant-colonel, 35th infantry, July 28, 1866, and continued on engineer duty in charge of river and harbor works until Dec. 31 , 1870, when he resigned from the army. He be- came interested in railroad enterprises in various parts of the country; was chief engineer and general manager of the New York Elevated rail- roads, and afterward president of the New York and New England railroad. He traveled in China, and .set forth his views on that countiy in Cliinese which passed through three editions. In May, 1898, General Wilson was commissioned major-general of volunteers, being the first one of four civilians to receive that rank. He com- manded the 6th corps at Chickamauga, and in Jliles's Porto Rican campaign commanded one of the two divisions fighting at Coamo, where he captured the Spanish forces confronting him. He relieved Gen. Joseph C. Breckinridge of the command of the 1st arm\' corps at Lexington, Ky., Oct. 20, 1898. In January, 1899, he trans- ferred the 1st army corps to Cuba, where he com- manded the department of Matanzas and SantP Clara for eighteen months. He was sent to China at the outbreak of the Boxer rebellion: commanded a joint American and British column in the capture of the Eight Temples, and com- manded the American troops at Peking. On his return from China he was placed on the retired list of the army in compliance with a .special act of congress, though he had not reached the re- tiring age. He is the author of: Life of Oenerai Grant with Charles A. Dana (1868); China, Travels and Investigations (1887; 3d ed.. 1890): Life of Andretv J. Alexander. He is also the author of various military and biographical papers, lectures and disquisitions.