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Home , Braxton Bragg, Joseph Wheeler

General Joseph “Fightin’ Joe” Wheeler

By Wil Elrick

September 10, 1836 was an ordinary day that saw the birth of an ordinary child in Augusta, Georgia. The boy was the youngest of four children born to Joseph and Julia Hull Wheeler. The name bestowed upon the ordinary child would go on to be known throughout the as that of an excellent soldier and statesman – that name was . In addition to an unremarkable birth, Joseph went through his early life in a similar ordinary state. Joseph senior was a merchant banker and landowner who had built for himself a small fortune only General to see it all taken away in the bank Joseph “Fightin” Joe” Wheeler failures and financial panic of 1837. (Wikipedia) Soon after the family’s fortune was received his appointment to West lost, Julie unexpectedly passed Point at the age of seventeen. away. Unable to raise the young boy On July 1, 1854, Joseph Wheeler on his own, Joseph senior sent entered West Point which at the Joseph to to live with time was under Superintendent his two aunts and attend the Robert E. Lee. While at West Point, boarding school Joseph Wheeler was once again in 1842. considered unremarkable. He had There is little recorded about his very high scores in the subject of time at Cheshire, but he did seem to Deportment, but otherwise, he was be an average youth who enjoyed in the bottom of his class during his reading about wars and learning five years at the military academy. about history in school. He During this time, he did earn a graduated from Cheshire in 1854 reputation for being both studious and then moved to City and persistent, and this was noticed where he lived with his oldest sister by his instructors before he who had moved from Georgia after graduated in 1859 and given his her marriage. It was while he was first commission at Carlisle Parks, living in that he Pennsylvania. Wheeler did not spend a lot of Wheeler’s first post in the time in Pennsylvania. Soon he was Confederate Army was at Pensacola, transferred to Fort Craig, New , under the command of under the command of General . Bragg, along W. W. Loring, who with General William Hardee wanted specialized in the relatively obscure to form an army in the Mobile and mounted infantry concept. It was Pensacola areas, so Wheeler’s during his time in New Mexico that experience was noticed and Wheeler earned his lifetime appreciated. It was this attention nickname. In June of 1860, he was from Bragg and a friendship with ordered to escort duty for a wagon Confederate politician Leroy Pope train traveling from Missouri to New Walker that resulted in Wheeler Mexico. While the wagon train being promoted to colonel in continued on, Wheeler found September of 1861. This promotion himself at the rear guarding an angered many of Wheeler’s peers ambulance wagon containing a because a jump of four command newborn baby, the mother, their levels was unheard of. surgeon, and the wagon driver. True to his meticulous nature, Because they were far behind the the new colonel in command of the rest of the wagon train, the 19th Regiment spent the ambulance was attacked by a band winter months of 1861 training his of marauding Indians. During the new recruits and testing them with attack, Wheeler shot one of the endless drilling and exercises. This attacking Indians with his musket paid off when his regiment was and then charged the group while transferred with the rest of the army firing away with his Colt pistol. His to Corinth, Mississippi under act of bravery turned away the General Albert Johnston, who was Indians, and forever left him with prepping his forces for a battle the nickname of “Fightin’ Joe.” against Union forces camped at January 9, 1861 was the day that Pittsburg Landing. The ensuing Georgia seceded from the Union. By battle between Confederate forces this time, Wheeler had already under the command of Generals planned to follow the rest of the Johnston and Beauregard and southern states and pledge his Union forces under the command of service to Georgia. He had been in Generals Ulysses S. Grant and Don contact with his brother William to Buell would famously become notify Governor Joseph Brown that known as Shiloh. when Georgia’s occurred, An unknown colonel such as Joe he would resign his commission in Wheeler would not be expected to the U.S. Army and join Georgia’s gain much attention in a battle the forming army. Wheeler was granted scale of Shiloh, and records indicate a commission as a Lieutenant in the that while he was praised by his provisional army, Confederate superiors, he did nothing to stand States of America before he was able out amongst the other young officers to leave his post at Fort Craig. leading their troops into battle. Once again, Joe Wheeler was seen as just ordinary. That is, until the retreat from here that Bragg had really from the battle was ordered and planned to advance into . Wheeler was given orders to take a Advancing from Chattanooga brigade of and cover the rear across the River on of the retreating army heading back August 28, 1862, General Bragg to Corinth. advanced 40,000 men in two parts, The task of guarding the retreat the left wing commanded by General would have been challenging except Hardee and the right wing that the Federal Army did not commanded by General Polk. pursue the retreating Confederates. During the movement, Wheeler Therefore, Wheeler’s duties commanded three regiments of consisted mostly of rounding up cavalry and took the left wing. stragglers from the Southern army Wheeler moved his cavalry in front that had been lost during the of the army attacking enemy fighting and salvaging any materials outposts, and occasionally falling that could be found. More back to protect the army’s flank. importantly though, this command While the infantry had relatively was the start of Wheeler’s cavalry easy travels with little Union career with the Confederate Army resistance, this was not the case for and the position to which he went the cavalry who was in daily and from ordinary to extraordinary. sometimes hourly contact with the Wheeler mapped routes, and enemy while advancing through covered retreats for the . Tennessee for every campaign from In Sparta, Tennessee, General Shiloh to the army’s surrender to and his General Sherman in 1865. cavalry regiments joined up with After Shiloh, General Braxton Bragg’s army, and everyone Bragg’s plan was to move into expected him to be placed in charge Kentucky and attract supporters to of all the cavalry units. In a surprise join the Confederate cause. In move, General Bragg split up the advance of this campaign, Wheeler cavalry forces and gave a division to and his brigade of cavalry was sent Forrest and a division to Wheeler. into Western Kentucky to give the This move served as a dividing line impression that the entire Army of between Wheeler and Forrest that Tennessee was moving in that would continue throughout the war. direction. During his advance, Both of the men were now linked to Wheeler found that the Federal the Army of Tennessee even though Army had abandoned the area, so they would operate in very separate he destroyed supply lines, train theaters. tracks, and telegraph lines that the History has shown us that Bragg might use. After several understood the depths of his cavalry days of advance work, he returned assignments because both Wheeler to Tupelo, Mississippi only to find and Forrest were perfectly fitted for that Bragg had moved his army east their new duties. Wheeler was and set up a new headquarters in efficient, faithful, unassuming, and Chattanooga, Tennessee. It was followed orders to the letter while Forrest was known to do his best . Even though work independent of direct results of the battle were command. Not long after the inconclusive, the Confederates opted reUnion at Sparta, Forrest was sent to retreat, and this is where Wheeler back to to once again found himself with an continue direct operations against opportunity to shine. On October Union bases. It was this move that 13th, Wheeler was designated as soon paved the way for Wheeler to “Chief of the Cavalry” which receive yet another promotion. authorized him to give commands in Bragg’s advance toward Louisville the name of the commanding met with failure when U.S. General general. Along with this Buell arrived first to find fresh responsibility, Wheeler was again recruits and supplies waiting for tasked with covering the army’s him. With a reinvigorated army, retreat. Buell went on the hunt for Bragg’s The Southern army’s retreat was Army of Tennessee on September slow and hindered by many 30, 1862. It so happened that obstacles, but the line of retreat ran Wheeler and his division were in southeast from Kentucky to front of the army and observed , Tennessee and Buell’s movements and decided that then south through Knoxville on to the Union Army would need to be Chattanooga. During the retreat, delayed while Bragg gathered and Wheeler varied his tactics against restructured his forces. This is the following army allowing the where Wheeler advanced upon Confederates to escape without Buell’s army with a then mostly losing any of their supplies. His unknown strategy. Wheeler would troops fought during the day and have his men dismount, ambush obstructed the roads during the the enemy as infantry and fight night until the Army of Tennessee until they would need to retreat at was out of reach of their pursuers. which time they would mount their For his actions, Wheeler was horses and retreat. Performing this promoted to the rank of Brigadier tactic over and over was quite General. successful in delaying the Union After the retreat from Kentucky, troops and allowing Bragg’s forces to Bragg moved his forces to middle regroup. Historians and military Tennessee where they set up camp critics have since called Wheeler’s in Murfreesboro. Meanwhile, in use of mounted infantry as a new Nashville, General Buell had been contribution to the science of replaced by General Rosecrans who cavalry warfare. spent his army’s time and energy Even with the Union Army fortifying the city while he was delayed, it was inevitable that the making plans to advance on the Union forces would find the Confederate stronghold of Atlanta. Confederate Army, and that day During the next couple of months, came on October 8 when the two Wheeler and his men were stationed armies met at Chaplin Creek in 20 miles closer to Union forces, so what would later be known as the they spent time both training and keeping a watchful eye westward January 12th, Wheeler’s troops toward Nashville for Union troop opened fire on the steamer Charter, movements. forcing her to swing into shore and That movement came on surrender. Continuing on his river December 26th when Wheeler raids, Wheeler and his troops notified Bragg that Union forces had captured several more ships begun to advance toward their including – transports Trio, position. Around lunchtime on Parthenia, and Hastings. To December 30th the opposing forces complete his devastation, Wheeler were within sight of each other and captured and destroyed the gunboat the battle began near the Slidell. banks of Stone’s River. The barrage Wheeler’s raids and destruction ended at dark after both sides gave the Union Army pause and was sustained heavy damage. The battle the factor in General picked up the next morning and Rosecran increasing his cavalry continued throughout the day presence in order to deal with ending with an almost Confederate Wheeler’s troops. On the other victory that allowed Bragg to notify hand, General Braxton Bragg was Richmond that “God had granted us proud of Wheeler and his a Happy New Year.” accomplishments, and asked the During the fighting, Wheeler was Confederate Congress to promote ordered behind enemy lines to him to Major General as a reward. disrupt their supply chain. His The Confederate Congress went a troops made their way to Jefferson little further than that even by where they destroyed a Union wagon passing a resolution honoring his train before striking the village of achievements. That resolution read Lavergne, Tennessee where the – “That the thanks of Congress are Union forces had large stockpiles of due and are hereby tendered to supplies. Here, he took control of Wheeler and the the supplies, captured more than officers and men of his command for 700 Union troops, and destroyed his daring and successful attacks another Federal supply train. upon the enemy’s gunboats and During his excursions, his troops transports in the Cumberland had made an entire circuit of the River.” enemy’s rear where he destroyed After Bragg’s withdrawl to many Union stockpiles and Tullahoma, the Confederate and captured more than 800 Federal Union Armies faced a period of down troops. time to replenish themselves. January of 1863 proved both Wheeler knew that without constant successful and fruitful for Wheeler work, his men would grow bored and General Bragg’s Army of and cantankerous and possibly even Tennessee. Wheeler was ordered to desert the army, so he devised a Ashland, Tennessee to destroy plan to keep his men busy. He Union stockpiles that had been asked Bragg and received collected in the aftermath of the permission to attack nearby Fort recent battle. In the late afternoon of Donelson at the mouth of the Cumberland River which only had a retreat, but like every other battle, it small garrison of Union defenders. is the commanding who must The plan to attack Fort Donelson accept the responsibility for the was simple, but it required Wheeler defeat, and this he did. In his after to join forces with his cavalry action report, Wheeler took full counterpart General Forrest. Forrest responsibility for the fiasco of an did not like the idea of attacking the attack on Fort Donelson. But, this fort, complaining that his men were did little to appease the growing tired, they did not have enough separation between him and ammunition for the battle, and that Forrest. After the battle, Forrest if the fort was taken, the refused to ever serve under Wheeler Confederates would not be able to again. Ironically, Bragg kept hold it for any length of time. Even Wheeler as Chief of Cavalry, but with Forrest’s disagreement and Forrest did not have to report to complaint, Wheeler continued him. Therefore, the Army of planning the raid to be carried out Tennessee faced 1863 with a major in the beginning of February. divide in its cavalry forces, and a On February 3rd Wheeler was at feud between two of its best the command of all cavalry forces as generals. they approached Fort Donelson. He After the division of the cavalry, sent a letter of surrender to the Forrest was sent to Alabama to garrison commander who refused contain the forces of Union General and forced Wheeler to send his men Albert Streight while Wheeler set in to battle positions. The right flank about reordering his command and of the cavalry was under the writing a book on cavalry tactics. command of General Wharton and The book became A Revised System the left flank was under the of Cavalry Tactics for the Use of command of General Forrest. Both Cavalry and Mounted Infantry, units were ordered to dismount and C.S.A. This book became the attack on foot. General Wharton’s guideline of drill, discipline, and men were able to take the right side tactics for the Army of Tennessee. In of the fort, but Forrest refused the the book, Wheeler advocated the use order to dismount his men and they of mounted infantry over heavy were turned away during his attack cavalry. The current use of heavy on the left flank. With the excessive cavalry was based upon the battle, Forrest – as he feared – European system of cavalry, but it began to run low on ammo and did not work well with the rough ordered his men to retreat, even and wooded terrain where the Army though the right flank of the fort of Tennessee mostly fought. Wheeler had been captured. This of course noted that a trooper that could ride caused Wheeler to call off the attack in a charge or fight as an infantry and slink back to Tullahoma. soldier was much more useful in Wheeler had incorrectly gauged covering retreats, raids, and the amount of supplies needed to scouting parties, and therefore more win the day, and yes, Forrest had desirable. discounted orders causing the In late June of 1863, the Union knew that if they could sever these Army moved into Nashville. General two lines, they could starve the Bragg was not yet ready for a fight Union soldiers out of Chattanooga. and opted to move his forces to Generals Pope and Longstreet took Chattanooga. This move left most of positions on Tennessee under the crippling guarding the Tennessee River and control of the Union. While moving Wheeler, who took control of the his troops, Bragg ordered Wheeler to majority of The Army of Tennessee’s stay behind and slow the advance of cavalry troops, was to intercept and the Union Army, which was a task destroy the wagon trains on the that Wheeler and his men were overland supply route. It was here quite adept at. This allowed the that he showcased what the Confederate forces to move and mounted infantry was capable of. settle into Chattanooga without Even fighting against re-enforced enemy harassment but, the stay Federal units, the amount of would not last long. damage Wheeler’s troopers inflicted On June 28th the Union Army was was staggering. While it has been on the move from Nashville, heading difficult to prove the extent of the toward Chattanooga. Wheeler’s Union losses, the most conservative cavalry was on picket duty and of the estimates indicates 500 spotted Federal troops. According to wagons, 1800 mules, 500 tons of Wheeler’s report, they were in every food and almost 600 tons of mountain cove southwest of ammunition were destroyed. Along Chattanooga. Bragg, still unsure of with the physical destruction, what actions to take, packed up his Wheeler also tarnished the army and headed southeast into reputations of half a dozen Union Chickamauga, Georgia. But, as Officers by besting them with a history came to show, the move was much smaller force. a mistake. These raids had the expected Wheeler and his troopers fought in desired results on the Union forces the Battle of Chickamauga, but holed up in Chattanooga. After more nothing of their actions stood out than a week without re-supply, the any more than the other units Union soldiers were set back to half involved. It was after the battle had rations which demoralized the ended that Wheeler was to become imbedded force. After a few more most valuable. On September 22nd days, the rations were reduced to a Wheeler received orders to cross the fourth further demoralizing the Tennessee River, intercept, and troops. Finally, a special boat from destroy the Union’s lines of Bridgeport, Alabama was able to communications. The Union Army penetrate the line in an attempt to at this time had pulled back into re-supply the starving Union forces, Chattanooga and had only two but while they did manage to break supply routes – the first being the the line, they were not successful in Tennessee River, and the second bringing a large amount of supplies being overland supply through the through. Therefore, the Union Sequatchie Valley. The Confederates soldiers under siege in Chattanooga were forced to endure until surrounding the soldiers in Longstreet’s and Pope’s forces were Knoxville. Sadly, Knoxville proved driven off the crest of Lookout too strong to be taken, and Mountain. Wheeler’s troopers were ordered Even when the Confederate forces back to to cover were routed from the mountain, General Bragg’s retreat from Grant’s Wheeler and his cavalry continued army. Wheeler arrived to find the to raid through Tennessee, first Army of Tennessee in chaos with no capturing McMinville and then on to one covering their retreat, and for Shelbyville to find that it had been the third time in a major campaign, already been abandoned. It was in placed himself and his men between Shelbyville that Wheeler discovered his army and advancing Federal his troops were being tailed by forces. It was the doggedness of Union forces, so he decided to once Wheeler’s forces that caused again cross the Tennessee River and General Grant to halt his pursuit of take his soldiers down into Muscle the retreating Confederates into Shoals, Alabama and the relative Ringgold, Georgia. safety that it offered. December 1, 1863 saw General The rest in Muscle Shoals would Bragg resigning his commission as be quite short-lived for Wheeler and commander of the Army of his cavalry troopers. Confederate Tennessee which resulted in President himself General Joseph Johnston assuming ordered Wheeler’s troopers to leave command on , 1863 North Alabama to reinforce General with an approximate strength of Bragg near Chattanooga. Rosecrans 36,000. Of this number, 6,000 were had been relieved of duty and cavalry and most were under replaced by General Ulysses Grant Wheeler’s command. Of this 6,000, who had managed to open a supply only about 2,400 were fit for duty. line between Chattanooga and In addition to the inadequate Bridgeport, Alabama, causing Bragg number of soldiers, Johnston found to fall back to Missionary Ridge and that Dalton, Georgia offered little in on the defensive. the way of a defensible position. Once Wheeler hooked up with Johnston decided to move his men, Bragg’s forces near Missionary and ordered Wheeler to guard duty Ridge, his forces, along with while the army moved. It so Longstreet’s, were ordered to attack happened that Wheeler’s soldiers Union forces that had seized met a detachment of Union forces Knoxville, while Bragg kept his who were attempting a two-pronged forces in opposition of Grant’s army attack on Atlanta. Wheeler in Chattanooga. Once again, succeeded in delaying the Federals Wheeler and his mounted infantry long enough so that General Grant were the point of the spear driving called off a two-pronged attack on the Union Army into the city of Atlanta. Grant then moved his Knoxville. Once this occurred, troops north to Virginia while Union Wheeler’s mounted infantry joined General Sherman occupied Longstreet’s infantry in the trenches Chattanooga. This allowed Grant’s forces to cross the Rappahannock launched yet another assault on the River in Virginia to place his army tired Southern troops. On the first between Confederate General Robert day of the attack, the Confederates E. Lee’s forces and Fredericksburg, were able to repulse their attackers, while Sherman placed his forces at but lost some of their ground on the Tunnel Hill, Georgia. second day of fighting. With the It was Wheeler’s forces near Union Army outmanning the Tunnel Hill that received the brunt Southern forces, General Johnston of Sherman’s attacks, but with his could not afford to keep going toe to mounted cavalry tactics, his men toe with the Union Army, so he were able to fend off the devised a plan that he hoped would considerably larger Union forces and distract the Federals from their dwindle their cavalry forces, thus dogged attack. Wheeler would of forcing Sherman to ask for cavalry course be called upon to once again reinforcements from Grant. go behind the enemy lines and On May 14, 1864, Sherman cause chaos in the Federal line by caught up with Johnson’s army in tearing up railroad tracks and Resaca, Georgia where a three day cutting Sherman’s lines of battle began. During the battle, communication. This plan helped to Wheeler dismounted his cavalry and slow the Northern advance, but in placed them in the trenches fighting reality did little for the cause. alongside the infantry soldiers. Sherman was able to continue his Inevitably, Johnston was unable to raid into the South and in July, hold his position and began a Johnston was replaced by John Bell retreat deeper into Georgia. The Hood, who was tasked by the retreat gave reason for Wheeler to Confederate Government to press remount his troopers and do what the attack on the Union Army, and they did best, delay the enemy. after the fall of Atlanta, Hood turned Sherman would later report that the his army to Nashville. Wheeler’s Confederate cavalry was everywhere. cavalry did not continue with the His soldiers found roads barricaded rest of the army, but remained and strategic positions defended by behind – effectively the only force cavalry troopers. As soon as they left to oppose Sherman in his would overtake their positions, they “March to the Sea.” It was during would pop up somewhere else a this time that complaints against short distance down the road. This Wheeler and his cavalry began to was only Wheeler demonstrating the rise. As a result, Wheeler lost his ability of his mounted infantry to command to Wade Hampton, which fully cover the retreat of the Army of did little to cull the complaints. Tennessee. Wheeler continued hit and run The Confederates continued their engagements with Sherman’s army retreat by turning south towards into 1865. His forces won several Atlanta. Johnston ordered his men victories, including a large victory at to fortify the slopes of Kennesaw Aiken, South Carolina, but the days Mountain near Adairsville, Georgia. were numbered for the Confederacy On May 26, 1864, the Union as the Army of Tennessee was crushed at Nashville. In the Spring in Lawrence County, meantime, Grant’s Army was slowly Alabama. Wheeler became a strangling the capitol at Richmond. successful planter, before becoming These setbacks did not deter a local attorney and entering into Wheeler from continuing the fight, politics. as long as he possibly could. During their life together, Joseph Once Richmond and the and his wife produced a total of Confederate Government fell, seven children. Five of the siblings Wheeler took a band of his most were girls: Lucy, Annie, Ella, Julia, trusted soldiers and tried to link up and Carrie, while the other two were with President Davis to provide boys: Joseph Jr. and Thomas. protection. He and his men were His popularity in Lawrence captured on May 11, 1865 near the County, along with his experience in town of Washington, Georgia. It was the war, in farming, in business, then that he met President Davis – and in the legal system, compelled on the prison boat that took Wheeler Wheeler to run for government to and Davis to Fort office. In November, 1880, Wheeler Monroe. Davis and his entourage was elected to the U.S. House of had been captured the day before Representatives in what is still Wheeler. Wheeler was incarcerated known as one of the most at Fort Delaware before his parole in controversial elections in Alabama June, 1865. history. The end of the Civil War brought Wheeler’s opponent in the election about change for Wheeler, but it of 1880 was William M. Lowe the would also be a time that he would incumbent for the seat. Wheeler was surpass all of his peers in the declared the winner of the campaign Confederate Army. but Lowe challenged the win and the Once he was released from Fort contested race went to court while Delaware on June 8, 1865, Wheeler Wheeler assumed the position of returned to his home in Augusta, Congressman. After more than a Georgia but he would not be there year of contention, the 1880 vote long. He moved from Augusta to was overturned and Lowe re-took , where after the Congressional seat in early June only a short time, he soon became a of 1882, however he would only hold partner in a carriage company. the position for four months before During this time he proposed to his passing away from tuberculosis. beloved Daniella whom he had met This set the stage for an emergency during the war. election which Wheeler won, and he Wheeler and Daniella Jones resumed his political role for the Sherrod were wed in February of final few weeks of the two-year term. 1886 and the couple lived in New Being weary from the legal battle Orleans while he continued to for his Congressional post, Wheeler prosper in the carriage business. opted not to run again for the seat During this time, Daniella became in the 1882 election. Instead, he homesick and the two moved to her chose to back candidate . inherited home known as Pond By the time the 1884 election came around, Wheeler was again ready for army. At the same time, reports the tribulations and won the seat. It from Cuban allies told Wheeler that was the start of a 16-year, eight the Spaniards were actually election run before he resigned his preparing to abandon their position. post in 1900. Wheeler opted to attack the position While in Congress, Wheeler was a and take the gun even though the popular statesman. He went above Cuban units he asked for support and beyond to help establish denied his request. This battle, policies that would help rebuild the which was the first major Southern states whose citizens still engagement of the war, became suffered many years after the war. known as the Battle of Las During his tenure, he served on Guasimas. many committees, but two of the The was, more important were Committee on at the most, a defeat for the U.S. Expenditures in the Department of and at the least, a standoff. The the Treasury (of which he rose to Americans were unable to overtake chairman) and the Committee on the Spaniards’ positions, and were Territories. repelled on several different attacks. Wheeler was serving in Congress The end result was that the in April of 1898 when the Spaniards followed their initial plan government declared that a “state of and fell back into the city of war” existed between the United Santiago. A well-known legend says States and Spain over political that, in the heat of combat, Wheeler movements on the island of . supposedly yelled out to his men Wheeler thought he could do more “Let’s go boys, we’ve got the damn good during the war as a soldier Yankees on the run again!” instead of a politician and petitioned Not long after Las Guasimas, for active service in the U.S. Army. Wheeler took ill and remained so President McKinley appointed him during the majority of the military Major General of U.S. Volunteers. campaign in Cuba. He relinquished This appointment made him his command to General Samuel second in command of the V Corps Sumner until July. At the onset of with his commander being General the famous , William Shafter. In June, 1898, Wheeler heard the artillery and had Wheeler and his men (notably to join the battle, and that proved to among them future president be just what the army needed. ) sailed for Cuba Wheeler gave orders that captured with orders to scout in advance for a the high ground, and his troops U.S. landing, but not to engage the were able to hold the hill against the enemy until U.S. forces had landed. Spaniards. Wheeler’s men actually The plan to wait for the forces to held the city during the fourteen day land fell apart. On June 24th, “” which was a Wheeler received reports from major United States victory in the American troops that the Spanish very short war that for the most Army was digging in with a large part, ended the fighting in Cuba. field gun to bombard the invading Once the fighting ended, Wheeler Wheeler left the fighting of the played an instrumental part in Philippine-American War in June, peace negotiations with the 1900 with his appointment to Spaniards, and returned to the Brigadier General to assume United States as both a hero and command of the second symbol of a nation healing from the iteration of the Department of the wounds of the Civil War. Lakes. He was over an Immediately following the Spanish administrative division which was American War, the United States subordinate to the Military Division found itself involved in another of the Atlantic. He would only hold conflict, this time in the this position for about three months against Filipino revolutionaries before he retired from the service seeking freedom from the United and Congress in September, 1900. States. Of course, if there was The Department of the Lakes would conflict, Wheeler wanted to be there. only be kept as a U.S. Military Wheeler arrived in the theater in Command until 1910, at which time August, 1899, and was in command it was abolished. of the First Brigade of the Second Upon his retirement, Wheeler Division under the command of spent the next several years General Arthur McArthur. He traveling around the country and maintained this command until keeping a rapid social schedule. In January, 1900. It was during this the winter of 1905, he went to stay time that Wheeler was transferred with his sister in , New from the Volunteer (or the V Corps) York where he spent almost every to the regular army where he was night attending dinners and social commissioned as a Brigadier functions. The schedule routinely General. He became the only left him exhausted, but his family individual in history to hold the did not worry because Wheeler had position of Brigadier General in both spent his entire life pressing his the Confederate and Union Armies. endurance. In January, 1906, he Just like his out-of-context order was diagnosed with pleuro- to fight the “damn Yankees,” pneumonia in both lungs. He another legend surrounding Wheeler passed away at the home of his popped up during the Philippine- sister, with his family surrounding American War. It was reported that him on the evening of January 25, Wheeler came upon a marching 1906. A sub-header in a New York soldier complaining about the heat Times article about Wheelers death and exhaustion. Upon hearing the read “his illness was brought on by soldier’s complaints, Wheeler the strain of exacting social duties.” dismounted his horse, took the Wheeler’s funeral was held at St. man’s pack and rifle, and ordered Thomas’s Episcopal Church in New the man to get on the horse while York and he was interred at the General marched the rest of the Arlington National Cemetery. He is way with the infantry (at the age of only one of two Confederate 63). Generals to be interred at the National Cemetery. All in all it was a quiet, fitting, and eloquent end for a American history. man that played a large part in our

The Narrative can be found in the TVCWRT book published in 2012 titled, North Alabama Civil War Generals; 13 Wore Gray, the Rest Blue. Complements of the TVCWRT.