Joseph Wheeler

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For other Joseph Wheelers, see Joseph Wheeler (musicologist) and Joseph Wheeler (shipbuilder).
Joseph Wheeler
Joseph Wheeler

Joseph Wheeler (September 10, 1836–January 25, 1906) was an American military commander and politician. He has the rare distinction of serving as a general during war time for two opposing forces: first as a major general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War and later as a major general in the U.S. Army during the Spanish-American War and Philippine-American War. Between the wars he served as a U.S. Representative from Alabama.

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[edit] Early life

Although of New England ancestry, he was born near Augusta, Georgia and spent most of his early life growing up with relatives in the North. However, he was appointed to the U.S. Military Academy from Georgia and always considered himself a Georgian. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1859 (barely meeting the height requirement for entry) and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the 1st U.S. Dragoons. In 1860, he was transferred to the Mounted Rifles.

[edit] Civil War

At the start of the war in 1861, Wheeler resigned from the U.S. Army to join the Confederate States Army. He was ordered to Huntsville, Alabama to take command of the newly formed 19th Alabama Infantry Regiment (Alabama State Archives), which he led into battle at Shiloh in April 1862. Wheeler later transferred to the cavalry and rose to the rank of major general. Nicknamed "War Child", Wheeler was considered by General Robert E. Lee to be one of the two most outstanding Confederate cavalry leaders and saw action in many campaigns, including opposing William T. Sherman's advance on Atlanta. In late 1864 his Cavalry Command was virtually the only effective Confederate force to oppose Sherman's March to the Sea.

Bronze statue by Berthold Nebel, in the National Statuary Hall Collection.
Bronze statue by Berthold Nebel, in the National Statuary Hall Collection.

[edit] Congress

After the war, Wheeler became a planter and a lawyer near Courtland, Alabama, where he married and raised a family. His home, Pond Spring, in an area now known as Wheeler, is a historic site of the Alabama Historical Commission.

In 1880, Wheeler was elected from Alabama as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives. Wheeler's opponent, Greenback incumbent William M. Lowe, contested the election, and after a contentious legal battle which lasted over a year, Lowe was declared the winner and assumed the seat on June 3, 1882. Lowe, however, served only four months before dying of tuberculosis. Wheeler won a special election to return and serve out the remaining weeks of the term.[1]

Wheeler supported the election of Luke Pryor in 1882 and did not run for reelection, but was elected again in 1884, and reelected to seven subsequent terms before resigning in 1900. While in Congress, Wheeler strove to heal the breach between the North and the South and championed economic policies that would help rebuild the South.

[edit] Spanish-American War

Staff of the 1st US Volunteer Regiment, the "Rough Riders" in Tampa - LtCol Roosevelt on right, Leonard Wood is next to him and former Civil War Confederate general, Joseph Wheeler is next to Wood. Taylor MacDonald is on the far left.
Staff of the 1st US Volunteer Regiment, the "Rough Riders" in Tampa - LtCol Roosevelt on right, Leonard Wood is next to him and former Civil War Confederate general, Joseph Wheeler is next to Wood. Taylor MacDonald is on the far left.

In 1898, Wheeler volunteered for the Spanish-American war, receiving an appointment to major general of volunteers by President William McKinley. He assumed command of the cavalry division, which included Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Riders, and was nominally second-in-command of the V Corps. He sailed for Cuba and led his dismounted troopers at the Battle of Las Guasimas, the first major engagement of the war. During the excitement of the battle Wheeler supposedly called out "Come on, we've got the damn Yankees on the run!" He fell seriously ill during the campaign and turned over command of the division to Brig. Gen. Samuel S. Sumner. He was still incapacitated when the Battle of San Juan Hill began but once he heard the sound of guns, the "War Child" returned to the front despite his illness. Being the senior officer present at the front he first issued orders to the 1st Division, under Jacob F. Kent, before returning to his own command. Upon taking the heights, Wheeler assured General William R. Shafter that the position could be held against a possible counterattack. He led the division through the siege of Santiago and was a senior member of the peace commission.

At the close of the fighting on Cuba, Wheeler sailed for the Philippines to fight against the insurrectionists. He commanded the First Brigade in General Arthur MacArthur's Second Division during the Philippine-American War in 1899–1900, where he was commissioned a brigadier general in the regular army.

[edit] Later life

An illustration of Wheeler
An illustration of Wheeler

Wheeler was the author of several books on military history and strategy and civil subjects. He also appeared in an early film, Surrender of General Toral (1898) with William Rufus Shafter. After long illness, Wheeler died in New York City and is one of the few former Confederate officers buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

In 1925, the state of Alabama donated a bronze statue of Joseph Wheeler to the U.S. Capitol's National Statuary Hall Collection. Additionally, several locations in Alabama are named after Wheeler including Joe Wheeler State Park, Wheeler Lake and Dam, and the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge. Also, Joseph Wheeler High School in Marietta, Georgia, and Wheeler County, Georgia are named after him. During World War II, the United States Navy named a Liberty Ship in honor of Wheeler. Wheeler Road, a main thoroughfare through west Augusta is named after him as well. Furthermore, Joe Wheeler Electric Cooperative in northwest Alabama also honors him.

[edit] Trivia

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The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.
  • Wheeler's youngest son died shortly after his return from serving in Cuba; he drowned while swimming in the ocean.
  • While serving in the Philippines, Wheeler encountered an infantryman who was complaining about the heat and being tired. Wheeler promptly dismounted, took the man's rifle and pack, told him to mount his horse, and marched the rest of the way with the infantry.
  • Joseph Wheeler High School, in Marietta, Georgia, is named after him.
  • Wheeler is portrayed in the TV film Rough Riders by Gary Busey, although Busey is much taller than Wheeler was, and had a moustache only instead of a full beard.
  • Camp Wheeler, near Macon GA which served as an army base during both World Wars was named for Wheeler [1]

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Lawley, Jim, "Gen. Joe Wheeler was entangled in recount."

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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