WHEELER, JOSEPH, an American military officer; born in Augusta, Ga., Sept. 10, 1836; was graduated at the United States Military Leadenly in 1859; served in the cavalry till the outbreak of the Civil War, when he entered the Con federate army, in which he was commis -, sioned Major-General and senior com mander of cavalry. He won great dis tinction during the Civil War as a raider. On Oct. 2, 1863, he crossed the Tennes see river and led 4,000 mounted men up the Sequatchie valley, where he burned a Union supply train of nearly 1,000 wagons; and was afterward attacked and forced to withdraw by Col. E. M. Mc Cook. He then moved to McMinnville, where he destroyed another supply train and captured about 600 men. Gen. George Crook attacked him at Farmington, cap turing 200 of his men, four guns, and 1,000 small arms. Wheeler then crossed the Tennessee, having taken property of an estimated value of $3,000,000, but with a loss of 2,000 men. In July, 1864, he was ordered with 8,000 men to harass General Sherman's rear. In August he
moved against Sherman's supply depot at Anatoona, but was repulsed. Later he made a dash into East Tennessee and threatened McMinnville, Murfreesboro, and Lebanon, but was driven into north ern Alabama. After the war he entered the law profession; held a seat in Con gress in 1881-1899; and was made Major General of volunteers in May, 1898. During the Santiago campaign in Cuba he commanded the Cavalry Division; par ticipated in the battles of Las Guasimas and San Juan Hill; was appointed senior member of the commission to make ar rangements for the surrender of the Spanish army; served in the Philippines as commander of the 1st Brigade, 2d Division, from August, 1899, to Janu ary, 1900; was appointed a Brigadier General, U. S. A., -June 16, 1900, and was retired on Sept. 10, following. He died in 1906.