WHEELER, JOSEPH ( IS36—) . An American soldier. born at Augusta, Ga. Ile graduated at West Point in 1859, was commissioned a second lieutenant of dragoons, and served at the cavalry school el Carlisle, Pa., until April, 1861, when he resigned his commission and entered the Con federate service. lit the following September he was appointed colonel of the Nineteenth Alabama Infantry, and was actively engaged in the earlier campaigns in Kentucky and Tennessee. At Shi loh, in April, 1862, lie commanded a brigade. and later in the year was transferred to the cavalry and participated in the battle of Perryville and other engagements of General Bragg's Kentueky campaign. On October 30, 181;2, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier-general, and covered the retreat of Bragg's army to the southward. In Jan uary, 18113, he was commissioned major-general. lle commanded the Confederate cavalry at Chat tanooga and at Chickamauga, and covered I ragg's rear after the defeat at Lookout Moun tain and Missionary Ridge. He harassed Sher man's think during •the march to Atlanta. In August, 1864, he led a successful raid in Sher man's rear northward as far as the Kentucky line. Subsequently he opposed Sherman'.s ad
vance on Savannah, and in February, 15115, was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general, and continued in command of the cavalry division of General Johnston's army until its surrender. After the war lie became a lawyer and cotton planter. In ISSO he was elected to Congress as a Democrat and was a member continuously until 1899. In May, 1898, be was appointed by Presi dent McKinley a major-general of volunteers, and was assigned to the command of the cavalry di vision of the Army of Santiago in the Spanish American War. He commanded the troops in the engagement of Las Guasimas, was senior field officer in the battle of San Juan Hill, and subse quently was one of the American commissioners to arrange for the surrender of Santiago. In 1899-1900 he commanded a brigade in the Philip pine Islands, was commissioned a brigadier-gen eral in the Regular Army in June. 1900, and re tired in the September following. Ile published The Santiago Campaign, 1S9S ( 1S99) •