The age-herald., 1900-07-24
GENERAL WHEELER
 HERO OF THREE WARS

iii6 ihdb SOAhCo diOnS.
 The fact that Major General Joseph Wheeler, commander of the Department of the Lakes, has asked the War Department to assign him to duty in Chana brings that hardy veteran sharply out against the hori- zon of the public arena once more.
 It is perhaps safe 70 say that no man now alive in this country has seen as much tlefield under such varied circumstances as General Wheeler. He is 64 years of age, veteran of three wars, and bears a record of almost a thousand battles, many of them what would be termed by historian minor engagements,'' but all of them fierce and real.
 He is a West Point graduate, and began his military career under the United States Government. as he will end it. His first duty was at Fort Union, New Mexico, in 1860. In March, 1861. he resigned his com mission and returned to his native State, Georgia, when 1t seeded from the Union.
 Following Is a record of the battles of prominence General Wheeler has taken part fin, brushes with the enemy and many sharp minor skirmishes not included:
 Civil War; 1S62-Shiloh, Woodsonville, Mumfordsville, Springfield Ky; Perryville. Wild Cat, Lavergne, Murfreesboro.
 Civil War, 16s3-Coxe's IIill Fort Donel- son, Shelbyville, Marietta, Tullahoma, New Church. Elk River, University Place, Chick amauga, McLemore's Cove, Owens Ford, Lookout Mountain, McMinnville Farming ton, Maryville, Little River, Siege of Knox vile, Kingston, Ringgold.
 Civil War 1S64-Dup Gan Naar Maoa1 Vernell Station, Griswoldvlle, Resaca, Louisville Road, Cass Station, Buckhead Church, New Hope Church, Reynolds Farm, Peachtree Creek, Rock Spring Church, Decatur, Thomas Station, Flat Shoals, Waynesboro. Flint River, Savan- nah, Line Creek. McBride's Bridge, New man, Lapers Cross Roads, Stewards Land ing, Rivers Bridge, McMinnville Beau forts Bridge, Lebanon, Springtown, Near Nashville, Blackville.
 Civil War; 1S65-Saluda River, Smiths Mill, Broad River Bridge Averysboro, Co., lumbia, Bentonville. Wilson's Store, Black Creek Bridge. Hornsboro Morrisvflle, Fay ettevile.
 The General was under fire in the Civil war in over 800 minor engagements, and commanded in more than 200 battles many of which were the most desperate recorded in the history of the nation
 In the Spanish war of 1898 the General participated as follows:
 Cuban Campaign-Las Guasimas, San Juan, Fl Caney.
 In the Philippine campaign of 1S99-19O0 the Generals record is thus briefly told:
 Santa Rita, Porac, Angeles Owelve en- agreements, from October 10 to October 20. 1s99), Bambam.
 General Wheeler was always poprlar with the men of his command. Although the Southern planters who composed his cavalry division in the Civil war chafed under the stern discipline of their com mander they acknowledged him as the most daring and withal the best cavalry officer in the Confederate army.
 It was the same in the Philippines The volunteers fairly worshiped him. One of them in a letter to home newspaper, wrote:
 He was just like a private. He would walk up and talk with you. And when there was any fighting going on you would always see Old Joe in front"
 A newspaper correspondent, writing from Luzon last February, said:
 General Wheeler is as active at 63 as he was at the head of the cavalry forces of the Confederacy He spends a part of each day in the saddle, and has been in active service since he came here. He has been in fourteen different engagements, and has done remarkable service in his dashing military way. At Porac last Sep tember he charged over the enemy's breast works and took the town. He was in the thick of the fights at Angeles in October, and at Bambam his troops were under fire directly in front of the enemy's trenches. He has marched for days with his clothes wet to the skin, has slept on the ground, and undergone all sorts of hardships"
 In the Philippines General Wheeler com manded the First brigade of the second army division, comprising the Ninth and Twelfth Regiments and the Sixteenth Reg iment, which was detached. Part of the time the Thirty-siXth Regiment and Troops K and L of the Fourth Cavalry were in his command
 General Wheeler is known to military men in every country, with possible ex- ception of China. and if he had his wish fulfilled he would speedily form an ac- quantance with the yellow men such as they would no doubt remember.
 Old, even for his years, General Wheeler appears his form slight and frail and shoulders inclined to droop just little  and the heavy years of warfare Gentle of manner and of speech, with that soft Southern accent or trick of the tongue which blends the ends of words into mere lisp, and standing, as is his charac- teristic pose when addressing stranger, with oue hand on his desk and the other in military fashion at his side, he does not appear the fierce warrior he has proven himse to be.
 He did not take part in all the great bat tles of the civil war That he did not Is nrobably due to the fact that he could not divide himself. He bore prominent parts In the terrific engagements of Shiloh, Farm ington, Miss, and the engagements around Corinth the battles of PerryVille, Mur- freesboro and Chickamauga, the first eight days of the siege of Knoxville, the retreat of Bragg from Missionary Ridge the pat ties of Ringgold, Rocky Face, Dalton, Re- saca Cassville and New Hope, the battles around Kennesaw Mountain, battles of Peachtree Creek and Decatur; the fights around Atlanta and with Shermans army. the siege of Savannah and the battles Of Averysboro and Bentonville. All this, be- ~;a- c W