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 [decorative delimiter] Class of 1860

Vol. II
p740
1852

(Born Ill.)

James Harrisonº Wilson​1

(Ap'd Ill.)

6

Military History. — Cadet at the Military Academy, July 1, 1855, to July 1, 1860, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to

Bvt. Second Lieut., Top. Engineers, July 1, 1860.

Served as Asst. Top. Engineer at the headquarters of the Department of Oregon, Oct. 3, 1860, to July 14, 1861.

Served during the Rebellion of the Seceding States, 1861‑66: on Recruiting

(Second Lieut., Top. Engineers, June 10, 1861)

service for Top. Engineer Company, Sep. 3 to Oct. 14, 1861; as

(First Lieut., Top. Engineers, Sep. 9, 1861)

 p741  Chief Top. Engineer of the Port Royal Expeditionary Corps, Oct. 14, 1861, to Mar. 15, 1862, and of the Department of the South, Mar. 15 to Aug. 19, 1862, being engaged in various Reconnoissances and Explorations, — and Siege of Ft. Pulaski, Ga., Feb. to Apr., 1862, including its Bombardment and Surrender, Apr. 10‑11, 1862; in the Maryland Campaign

(Bvt. Major, Apr. 11, 1862,
for Gallant and Meritorious Services at the Capture of Ft. Pulaski, Ga.)

as Acting Aide-de‑Camp to Major-General Indicates a West Point graduate and gives his Class.McClellan, commanding the Army of the Potomac, Sep.‑Oct., 1862, being engaged in the Battle of South Mountain, Sep. 14, 1862, — and Battle of Antietam, Sep. 17, 1862; as Chief Top. Engineer of the Army of the Tennessee, Oct. 17, 1862, to Mar. 3, 1863, being engaged in Major-General Indicates a West Point graduate and gives his Class.Grant's flank Movement to Oxford, Mis., Nov.‑Dec., 1862; as Asst. Engineer and Inspector-

(Lieut.‑Colonel, Staff, U. S. Volunteers, Nov. 8, 1862, to Oct. 31, 1863)

General of the Army of the Tennessee in the Vicksburg Campaign, Mar. 3 to Oct. 31, 1863, being engaged in the attempt to turn Vicksburg by Moon Lake and the Yazoo Pass, Mar. 25 to Apr. 20, 1863, — Advance to Bruinsburg, Apr., 1863, — Battle of Port Gibson, May 1, 1863, — in Bridging the Bayou Pierre, May 3, 1863, — Action of Jackson,

(Captain, Corps of Engineers, May 7, 1863)

May 14, 1863, — Battle of Champion Hill, May 16, 1863, — Combat of the Big Black, May 17, 1863, — and Siege of Vicksburg, May 22 to July 4, 1863; in Engineer Operations about Chattanooga and on Expedition to East Tennessee, Oct. 31, 1863, to Feb. 1, 1864, being engaged in

(Brig.‑General, U. S. Volunteers, Oct. 31, 1863)

the Battle of Missionary Ridge, Nov. 23‑25, 1863, — Pursuit of the

(Bvt. Lieut.‑Col., Nov. 24, 1863,
for Gallant and Meritorious Services at the Battle of Chattanooga, Ten.)

enemy, Nov. 26‑27, 1863, — and March to the Relief of Knoxville, Nov. 28 to Dec. 4, 1863, constructing several bridges, particularly a trestle over the Little Tennessee, made in 32 hours, from dismantled houses; in charge of the Cavalry Bureau at Washington, D. C., Feb. 17 to Apr. 7, 1864; in the Richmond Campaign, in command of 3d Cavalry Division (Army of the Potomac), May 4 to Aug. 1, 1864, being engaged in the Action of Craig's Meeting House, May 5, 1864, — Capture of Spottsylvania

(Bvt. Colonel, May 5, 1864,
for Gallant and Meritorious Services at the Battle of the Wilderness)

C. H., May 8, 1864, — "Indicates a West Point graduate and gives his Class.Sheridan's Raid" to Haxall's Landing, and returning to New Castle, May 9‑29, 1864, cutting the Virginia Central Railroad, — Action of Beaver Dam, May 9‑10, 1864, — Battle of Yellow Tavern, May 11, 1864, — Combat of Meadow Bridge, May 12, 1864, — Action of Mechump's Creek, May 31, 1864, — Action of Ashland, June 1, 1864, — Action of Hawes's Shop, June 2, 1864, — Action of Tolopotomy, June 2, 1864, — Skirmish of Long Bridge, June 12, 1864, and of White Oak Swamp, June 13, 1864, — Raid to destroy the Danville and South Side Railroad, June 20‑30, 1864, participating in the Action at Nottoway C. H., June 23, and Roanoke Station, June 25, and Combat of Stony Creek, June 29, 1864, — and Cavalry Operations about Petersburg, July, 1864; in command of 3d Cavalry Division in the Shenandoah Campaign, Aug. 4 to Sep. 30, 1864, being engaged in the Action of Summit Point, Aug. 21, 1864, — Battle of Opequan, Sep. 19, 1864, — and Pursuit of the enemy, Sep. 20‑27, 1864; in command of Cavalry Corps of the Military Division of the Mississippi, Oct. 24, 1864,

 p742  (Bvt. Maj.‑General, U. S. Volunteers, Oct. 5, 1864,
for Gallant and Meritorious Services during the Rebellion)

to June 23, 1865; in Major-General Indicates a West Point graduate and gives his Class.Thomas's Tennessee Campaign, Nov.‑Dec., 1864, being engaged in driving the Rebel Cavalry across the Harpeth River during the Battle of Franklin, Nov. 30, 1864, — Battle of Nashville, Dec. 15‑16, 1864, — and Pursuit of General Indicates a West Point graduate and gives his Class.Hood to the Tennessee River, Dec., 1864; in command of Cavalry Expedition into Alabama

(Bvt. Brig.‑General, U. S. Army, Mar. 13, 1865,
for Gallant and Meritorious Services at the Battle of Nashville, Ten.)

and Georgia, Mar. 22 to Apr. 20, 1865, in the Action of Ebenezer Church, Apr. 1, 1865, — Assault and Capture of Selma,

(Bvt. Maj‑General, U. S. Army, Mar. 13, 1865,
for Gallant and Meritorious Services in the Capture of Selma, Ala.)

with large numbers of prisoners and stores, Apr. 2, 1865, — Surrender of Montgomery, Apr. 12, 1865, — Capture of Columbus, with great supplies and military establishments, Apr. 16, 1865, — Capitulation of Macon, Apr. 20, 1865, having in this brief Campaign of 28 days captured 5 fortified

(Major-General, U. S. Volunteers, Apr. 20, 1865)

cities, 23 stand of colors, 288 guns, and 6,820 prisoners, and finally on May 10, 1865, adding Indicates a West Point graduate and gives his Class.Jefferson Davis, the Rebel President, to the captures made by a detachment of his forces; in command of the Department of Georgia, July 28 to Oct. 7, 1865, — and of District of Columbus, Oct. 7, 1865, to Jan. 8, 1866; and on leave of absence, Dec. 19, 1865, to Apr. 26, 1866.

Mustered out of Volunteer Service, Jan. 8, 1866.

Served: as Asst. Engineer on the Defenses of the Delaware River and Bay, Apr. 26 to July 31, 1866; as Superintending Engineer of the Survey

(Lieut.‑Colonel, 35th Infantry, July 28, 1866)

of Rock and Illinois Rivers, July 31, 1866, to Sep. 2, 1870, — and of Des

(Unassigned, Mar. 3, 1869)

Moines and Rock Island Rapids of the Mississippi, Aug. 3, 1866, to Sep. 2, 1870; and on leave of absence, Sep. 2 to Dec. 31, 1870.

Honorably discharged, at his own request, Dec. 31, 1870.

Civil History. — Civil Engineer since 1870. Vice-President of St. Louis and Southeastern Railroad, 1870‑76; and Receiver and General Manager, 1876‑78. In the service of the United States superintending the Improvement of Illinois River, and Des Moines and Rock Island Rapids of the Mississippi, Jan. 1, 1871, to Apr. 3, 1876. Agent of a Commission to negotiate in Europe a loan for the Japanese Government, 1872. Member of the Board of Visitors to the United States Naval Academy, 1874. Chief Engineer of the Gilbert Elevated Railroad, in New York city, Jan. 25 to Sep. 1, 1876. Vice-President and General Manager of the New York and New England Railway, 1878‑80; and President, 1880‑83. Author of various articles in Magazines and in Appleton's American Encyclopaedia,º 1874; of "Life of General U. S. Grant," 1868; of "China, — Travels and Investigations in the Middle Kingdom, a Study of its Civilization and Probabilities, with a Glance at Japan," 1888; of "The Life and Services of Brevet Brig.‑General Andrew J. Alexander, U. S. Army," 1887; and of numerous papers on miscellaneous subjects, 1870‑90. Residence, Wilmington, Del.

Vol. IV
p117
[Supplement, Vol. IV: 1890‑1900]

Military History. — Appointed

Maj.‑General U. S. Volunteers, May 4, 1898

— Assigned to the command of the 6th Army Corps, May 16. — Took post at Camp Thomas, Chickamauga Park, May 16. — Volunteered and was assigned to organize the 1st Division of that corps. — Left that camp July 5, with Indicates a West Point graduate and gives his Class.Ernst's Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Army Corps, for Charleston, S. C., with the expectation of sailing at once for Santiago. — Sailed July 20, for Porto Rico. — Touched at Fajardo, July 26. — Arrived at Guanico the same night. — Landed at Ponce, July 28. — Appointed Military Governor the same day. — Began the advance along the Camino Real, Aug. 7. — Encountered the enemy at Coamo, and captured that place and its garrison by a flank movement of Ernst's Brigade, Aug. 9. — Directed the artillery affair at Aibonito, Aug. 12. — Received news of proto­col and cessation of hostilities, Aug. 13. — Remained in command of District of Ponce and southwestern Porto Rico, till Sept. 8; on which date sailed for New York in command of the troops returning to the United States for muster out. — Assigned to command of the 1st Army Corps, Oct. 13. — Assumed command at Lexington, Ky., Oct. 20. — Removed the corps to winter camps in Georgia with headquarters at Macon, Nov. 8. — Left Macon, Ga., Jan. 6, 1899. — Arrived at Matanzas, Cuba, Jan. 10. Assumed command of Department of Matanzas same date.

(Honorably discharged from Volunteer Service, April 12, 1899)

(Brig.‑General, U. S. Volunteers, April 12, 1899)

— In command of Department of Matanzas and Santa Clara, Cuba, April 17, 1899 to –––––.

Civil History. — Railroad President, Receiver and Director of Corporations. — Visited Russia in 1891 on business connected with the Russian government and the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railroad. — Chairman of the Republican State Central Committee of Delaware, 1892‑97. — Member of the Republican Committee, 1897. — Assignee of the Grant Locomotive Works of Chicago, 1895‑98. — Director of the B. and O. W. R. R., 1896‑98. — Receiver of the Louisville, Evansville, and St. Louis Ry. Co., 1896‑98. — Director in the Pennsylvania Iron Works Co., 1897. — LL. D., McKendree College, Ill. — Post-office address, Wilmington, Del.

Vol. V
p96
[Supplement, Vol. V: 1900‑1910]

Military History. — In command of Department of Matanzas and Santa Clara, Cuba, April 17, 1899 to July 24, 1900. — Volunteered for service with China Relief Expedition. — Made trip Havana to Peking in 37 days. — Commanded American troops in City of Peking, September 3 to November 3, 1900. — Controlled southern entrance to Forbidden City; put General Order No. 100 into effect; restored order and policed that part of city under American control; commanded co-operating force of American and British troops in capture of the Eight Temples, including Boxer headquarters; held review of American troops at Peking in presence of the leading officers of Treaty Powers. — Returned to United States December, 1900. —

(On Retired List as Brigadier-General, U. S. A., by Special Act of Congress
— passed at request of President — since March 2, 1901.)

— Represented United States Army (accompanied by Lieutenant-Colonel Indicates a West Point graduate and gives his Class.John Biddle, Engineers, and Lieutenant-Colonel Indicates a West Point graduate and gives his Class.Henry D. Borup, Ordnance), at coronation of King Edward VII, 1902. — Travelled in Europe, 1907.

Civil History. — Trustee of New York Mutual Life Insurance Company since 1907. — Director in various industrial corporations. — Member of American Society of International Law; American Academy of Political and Social Science. — In addition to works mentioned above, author of new edition of Travels and Investigations in the Middle Kingdom, (1901). Also Life and Public Services of Major-General Indicates a West Point graduate and gives his Class.William F. Smith; Major-General Indicates a West Point graduate and gives his Class.Alexander McCook; Life of Charles A. Dana (1907); Life of Major-General John A. Rawlins (1908); also of various addresses on questions of the far east. — Address, 1305 Rodney St., Wilmington, Delaware.

Vol. VI
p87
[Supplement, Vol. VI: 1910‑1920]

(Born Sept. 2, 1837.)

Military History. —

Lieut.‑Colonel, 35th Infantry, July 28, 1866.

Honorably Discharged, Dec. 31, 1870.

Major-General, U. S. Volunteers, May 4, 1898.

Honorably Discharged, April 12, 1899.

Brigadier-General, U. S. Volunteers, April 12, 1899.

Honorably Discharged, March 2, 1901.

Brigadier-General, U. S. A., Feb. 11, 1901.

Accepted, March 2, 1901.

Brigadier-General, U. S. A., Retired, March 2, 1901,
Act of Feb. 2, 1901.

Major-General, U. S. A., on Retired List, March 4, 1915,
Act of March 4, 1915.

Vol. VII
p63
[Supplement, Vol. VII: 1910‑1920]

Military History. —

Brigadier-General, U. S. A., Feb. 11, 1901.

Accepted, March 2, 1901.

Brigadier-General, U. S. A., Retired, Mar. 2, 1901,
Act of Feb. 2, 1901.

Major-General, U. S. A., on Retired List, March 4, 1915,
Act of March 4, 1915.

Died, Feb. 23, 1925, at Wilmington, Del.: Aged 87.


The Author's Note:

1 Son of Harrison Wilson, Ensign in the War of 1812, great-grandson of Isaac G. Wilson, Sergeant 9th Va. Line, War of the Revolution.


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