Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1906-01-27
Biographical Sketch Of the De.
parted Hero. General Wheeler


Joe Wheeler. soldier and statesman,
was born at Augusta, Ga, September
10. 1886; youngest son Of Joseph and
Julia lHulD Wheeler. Among his
American ancestors arc no less than
twelve early settlers of New England
Moses wheeler. Richard Hull. John
Fuller. Andrew Smith. Thomas Dyer.
Peter Johnson, Edward Wooster. Ed.
ward Riggs. John and Edward jack
son. Francis Nichols and John New
gate.
On January 10, 1868, he vas COM
missioned major general and was con-
tinuously engaged In opposing Rose
Grams advance on Chattanooga. AT
Chlckamauga, September Is to 20, he
fought the most desperate cavalry bat
lie of the war, and afterwards cross
ed the Tennessee and attacked the rear
OF Rosecrans army, destroying more
than 1900 wagons with stores ana
defeated the force sent against nm.
He was driven hack, however. into
Northern Alabama. but soon return
ed under General Bragg's orders to
operate In middle Tennessee. He
took part In the siege of Knoxville.
and covered General Braggs retreat
from Mission ridge and Lookout noun.
tain 10 Dalton, Ga. During the winter
OF 1sG3-G4 and the following spring
he aided In opposing Sherman $
march on Atlanta, as commander OF
the cavalry Of the right wing. under
Johnson and Hood. On May 8 he put
TO flight 5000 federal cavalry. and on
May q, at Pickett's mill. commaned
both cavalry and infantry in q severe
~ contested battle.
Had Part In 200 BATTLES.
On April 20 General Wheeler bade
farewell TO his corps and army Ire
having been under fire In over so0
xkirmishes and commanded In more
Iran zoo battles. In 1868 he settled
Al wheeler, Lawrence county. Ala,
where he studied law. and on MS au'
misa,on to tho bar opened oh'cei
both at that place and at Cour'
land. s-..,or
Al the Fourth Of July celebration
Al montgomery in 1873. Genera
wheeler was the orator OF Inc =
and expressed the hope that .ncs.
Who had fought against eacn otns,
would clasp hands as brothers ana
swear ndelity to the principles pieossu
~ their forefathers. And again u
1871. when the Society Of tne Cuna
herland was about 10 hold is mr.
reunion in the south, At Cnat.anoosa
General Wheeler wrote IN NV
letter. urging ex-Con.ederate solols,s
Il give their late foes . hosp'taple
Welcome and to attend the exercises
During the presidential campa.s,
~ 1850 General Wheeler TOOK -
stump and made some OF the ap',s'
speechcs that were delivered ~
was elected as a democrat to the 70.
tv-seventh congress by q small plhTa
~ aver the greenbacker-democra'
l. ~ --A
candidate. and took his seat Decenn'
her 8. 1881, but was unseated Dy W
N. Lowe June 3. 1882. On the y.
81 Mi. Lowe a few months ia'er ~
was reelected. and In 1884 was y
t,rnea "a the Forty-ninth congress.
He was steadily reelected, y was
serving when the war with spain
hrote out. Several times before tnht
vhen they was m indication OF con
N,ct With another nation, ne had
propmtly offered his services % the
nationaa government. and even az q
time when the law prohibited MS PC.
Inc commissioned, which would have
compelled him to serve as 2 private
Spanish war Record.
In April. 1898, he again yoluh'eere.
sor duty in the invasion OF Cuba. n
was appointed major general o. the
volunteers on May 2. The appoint
ment being confirmed on May = ne
wae assigned to the command OF the
cavalry division about to leave Tor
Cuba. With his stan he disemDarked
at Daiquiri June %. On the 24th he
was engaged IN the skirmish at Gu
asimas. which he had planned, with
964 dismounted cavalry. routing 1000
Spaniards. under the command OF
l4ieutenant.Genera Linares. and thus
opening the road to Santiago.
-.-A.Af afkn~ 1a x,ac CcdlVnl
10 take command Of all troops on
shore and throw them foreward as
far ms could be done without riskins
with the enemy. In the first