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.
