The times., 1898-04-24
GEN. JOSEPH WHEELER.
Record of a Man WHO VIII GO to
the Front.

tf'll JDct-I1N N tAttielr NV a A-iN'A4''N
Congress. will be made major general 4
III volunteers. He viii. no doubt be heard
from if placed in command of Southern
troops
Gen WheeIer's career in Congress is on /
the same lines as his military methods.
In reading the history Of the war we see
his Kindness. courtesy courage and in
tense devotion to duty often referred to.
Now. as then. what he attempts is done
studiousIy and thoroughly. and he may
well be held up as a model to the youth
of the country for his devotion TO duty
in whatever position he may have been
placed.
Though scarcely more than a boy at
the outbreak Of the rebellion, only a
short time served to display his peculiar
worth. At Shiloh he won more distinc-
ton than any other officer of his rank.
He was then placed in command Of the
cavalry. which he soon elevated so as TO
make that position second only in i'm
portance and responsibility to that of
the army commander He commanded
the vanguard of the army in advance and
the rearguard in retreat during the en-
tire war and was distinguished in all
the battles Of the Western Army and
commanded in more than 2e0 cavalry
engagements He enjoyed the confidence
and esteem of his commanders, not alone
for his sl1iIlful and hard lighting, but
also for his good judgment in all mat
ters pertaining TO campaign and army
movements and few generals have ever
possessed such ardent and unstinted de-
voti0n as was shown toward him by his
officers and men,
The Federal cavalry opposed to him at
fFNrTh ion
fully twice his number. but in almost
daily combat was so successfully assailed
that toward the close OF each campaign
he had reduced them by capture and
other casualties TO about one-half their
original strength.
one OF the most noted of Gen. Wheeler's
military operations was his destruction
Of Rosecrans's trains just after the battle
Of Chickamauga Rosecrans's army at
Chattanooga had been using two separate
and distinct lines of communication. One,
called a short line, ran for miles along
the north bank Of the Tennessee River,
directly at the base Of the mountains
which confined ii close 70 the river bank.
After Rosecranss ; defeat at ChickamauGa,
this line was commanded and easily con-
IrOlled by the Confederate small arpls
and artillery. from the south side of che
river The other line ran directly north
from ROsecrans's rear and was protected
body Of infantry and over 5000 cavalry.
To Gen. Wheeler was entrusted the haZ-
ardOus undertaking Of attacking this line
probably the most periloUs and important
duty ever assigned TO a cavalry COM
mander. On September 30, 1863. he cross
ed the Tennessee River in the face Of a
division of cavalry under the famous Gen.
George Crook. He attacked and worsted
Crooks division and then fell upon and
defeated the troops which guarded the
vast Federal trains of more than 5000
mules and LOO wagons The wagons
were burned and the mules captured, TO-
gether with l.509 prisoners. While he was
thus engaged. Rosecrans's entire cavalry
5000 strong had concentrated and We're
constant and persistent in their attacks
upon him He charged and dispersed the
Federal advance, attacked and captured
the forts al McMinnville with 600 prison
erS and immense stores, captured the
forts which guarded the bridges near
MurfreesbOro, and destroyed the bridges
and railroads. together with locomotives.
cars and supplies In addition TO 1he
cavalry. he was. now opposed by Hooker
with the Eleventh and Twelfth corps. 5ut
Wheeler continued his successes. captur-
ing SheIbyville and other important forts
which guarded the bridges between Muir
freesbOrO and Bridgeport. After ten days
OF constant battle. he recrossed the Ten
nessee River near Decatur. Ala These
operations had destroyed Rosecrans' :
supplies and much Of his TRANSPORTATION
and broken up his only line of communi-
cation. This reduced his army horses
and other animals. almost TO a condition
Of starvation, and the Federal army was
only saved from retreat by Rosecrans s
brilliant stroke, by which he threw a
large force on the south bank Of the
river. attacked and defeated the Confed-
crate infantry and artillery. thus opening
the short line Of communication by which
he was enabled 10 again supply his army
AnO her noted exploit Of Gen Wheeler
was the defeat Of the McCook. Stone
man and Garrard raid He first attacked
and discounted Garrard and Stoneman,
driving Garrard's division back upon the
main army; then sending trusted Off
Ger 20 follow Stoneman, he fell upon and
utterly defeated and routed the other
column under McCook- The entire cap
tUres e--ceeded B. 05g men.
In Rebellion Records Serial No. 76
page -. may be found Sherman's tele-
gram 10 Halleck Of July p. saying he hac
dispatched AIcCOok, Stoueman and Car
rard with $500 cavalry 10 destroy rail
roads IN Hoods rear. and then release
the 21.Bl1 prisoners AT Andersonyilie. Page
80 July 81. Sherman says,
''Garrard is back He was sent by
Stonemsn TO Flat Rock where he was
surrounded By Wheeler
on page -. August ], Sherman tele-
Braphed 70 Gen Halleck.
Col BroWnl0W reports from Marietta
that he reached there having ESCAPED
from a disaster that overlook Cen. Nc.
Cooks cavalry expedition at Newman. He
reports the expedition reached the rail.
road, but was overtaken at Newman by
rebel cavalry and infantry. and after 2
hard fight 10 surrender, Col Harrison
killed
Two hours later Sherman telegrsphec
as follows.
'-COl. Brownlow IS here and reports tha
Gen. McCoOk proceeded according 10 or
ders and reached the Macon railroad ant
destroyed twelve miles. Unfortunately
instead Of completing the circuit by N
East and NOrsh he then turned back an
commenced breaking up the West Poin
road about Newman. when he was az
tackled by infantry and cavalry in over
whelming force and Br0wnlOw says a.
were killed or captured except such a
cut their way out. Nearly go are nos
back in Marietta and he thinks more wi
get in"
General Shermans Memoirs, pare s.
vol 2 states that the effective Fedora
cavalry which engaged in this raid wa
l0.019: McCook $500. Garrard 1909 ant
St0neman ? 500
Gen Hood in his official report state
thai Cen Wheeler
routed and captured or destroyed IN
whole force. with their horses. equip
ments and artillery. Too much credi
cannot be given Cen Wheeler for tn
energy and skill displayed
The force commanded by Gen. Wheele
which gained these victories was les
than 400 men.
As rornflaau u6er Of the cavalry of a