James H. Wilson
James Harrison Wilson (September 2, 1837 – February 23, 1925) was a topographic engineer in the United States Army and a Major General in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He initially served as an aide to Major General George B. McClellan during the Maryland Campaign before joining Major General Ulysses S. Grant's army in the Western Theater, where he was promoted to brigadier general. In 1864, he transferred from engineering to the cavalry, where he displayed notable leadership in many engagements of the Overland Campaign. However, his attempt to destroy Lee’s supply lines failed when he was routed by a much smaller force of Confederate irregulars.
James Harrison Wilson | |
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Portrait of James Wilson during the Civil War | |
| Born | September 2, 1837 Shawneetown, Illinois |
| Died | February 23, 1925 (aged 87) Wilmington, Delaware |
| Place of burial | Old Swedes Churchyard, Wilmington, Delaware |
| Allegiance | United States of America Union |
| Service/ | United States Army Union Army |
| Years of service | 1860–1870, 1898–1901 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Commands held | Western Cavalry Corps |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War Spanish–American War Boxer Rebellion |
| Relations | Jim Thompson (grandson) |
Returning to the Western Theater, Wilson became one of the few Union commanders to defeat Confederate cavalier Nathan Bedford Forrest in battle. He achieved this feat at the Battle of Franklin in November 1864 and again during his raid through Alabama and Georgia in March and April 1865. Wilson ended the war with his men capturing both Confederate President Jefferson Davis and Andersonville Prison commandant Henry Wirz in May 1865. At the time of his death in 1925, he was the fourth-to-last living Union Civil War general.