The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-06-28
FIGHTING FAMlLY.s
General Joseph wheeler's Two Sons Are Also
in the Country's Service.

From the New York Herald
Fighting seems to be in the Wheeler
blood. General Joseph Wheeler was mere
boy WIN the civil war broke out. but he
soon demonstrated that he had in him the
stuff that great soldiers are made of. He
was one of the bravest, keenest and most
daring officers In the confederate army.
and withal one of the most successful Now
the gallant general has been Joined by his
son, Joseph Wheeler, Jr.. who is serving
on his fathers staff. Another son. Tom
Wheeler. who is just II years old, is a
midshipman on the Columbia. Another
interesting member of this patriotic family
is Miss Annie Wheeler, the 20-year-
daughter of General Wheeler, who has an
nounced her determination to go to Cuba
as nurse.
Joseph Wheeler Jr., the generals elder
son. is instructor of mathematics at West
Point. He had been granted a furlough
until September, and previous to the dec
laration of war he had made all his ar
engagements for a tour of Europe, even
going so far as to secure his passage.
"a fellow can go to Europe any time"
he argued. sit isn't often that he has
chance of fighting for his country"
And now he is spending his furlough in
the service of the government, having re-
ceived am appointment on his fathers
staff. Like his father, young Wheeler is
small of stature, but he has all the char
acteristic traits of his lighting sire, and he
may be counted upon to make an equally
illustrious name for himself If the oppor-
tunity is given.
"Tom" Wheeler is only II, but his youth
full blood is just as hot as it would be were
he twice that age. He is still a student at
Annapolis, too young for graduation. He
was given furlough from the naval acad-
envy until October, and the first thing he
did was to write to the secretary of war
Offering his services. So successful was
he that he is now serving on the Columbia
as a midshipman. Thus the army, the
navy and the Red Cross society are all
represented by the Wheeler family.
When the war of the rebellion broke out
General Wheeler was "a years old and a
lieutenant in the Third cavalry of Alabama.
He resigned and was appointed a lieutenant
of artillery in the confederate army. Dur
ing the summer of 1861 he was additionally
honored by being appointed a colonel of in
fantry and commanded an infantry brigade
at Shiloh, in which engagement he distin-
guished himself receiving the cognomen
of Fighting joe. He was then assigned
to the cavalry became a brigadier general,
ana III less lndn three months mayor gem
eral and cavalry corps commander contin-
uing that command during the entire war.
When the war closed he turned his atten-
ton to law and crop raising. In 1880 he
was elected to congress and has been re-
elected nine times-a record in itself most
extraordinary when 1t is considered that the
south has in many instances forgotten her
heroes. The files of the war department
in the executive mansion show that every
time during the last thirty years that there
has been the slightest indication Of war,
General Wheeler filed a tender of his serv-
ices to the government. This was done
even at time when the law prohibited his
being commissioned, which would have
compelled him to serve as private. On
May 4, President Mckinley appointed Gen.
eral Wheeler major general, and assigned
him to the command of the cavalry division
now en- route to Cuba. Since General
Wheelers arrival at Tampa, he has been
constantly with his command in camp,
thoroughly famiharizing himself with ev-
erything pertaining to his duties and the
condition of his command.
Many instances of General Wheeler
bravery during the civil war are related by
army veterans of both the north and the
south. Though scarcely more than a boy
at the outbreak of the rebellion, only q
short time served to display his peculiar
worth. At Shiloh he won more distinc-
tion than any other officer. of his rank. He
was then placed In command of the cavalry,
which he soon elevated 80 as to make that
position second only i'm importance and re-
sponsbility to that of the army commander.
He commanded the vanguard of the army
in advance and the rearguard in retreat
during the entire war, and was distin-
guished in all the battles of the western
army, and commanded in more than 200 cav
airy engagements.