Wilson, James Harrison, 1837-1925

Variant names
Dates:
Birth 1837-09-02
Death 1925-02-23
Americans,
English,

Biographical notes:

Soldier, railroad builder, and author.

From the description of James Harrison Wilson papers, circa 1862-1923 (bulk 1890-1915). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 79452964

Military engineer, Civil War general and cavalry commander, post-war railroad man.

From the description of Papers, 1864-1876. (Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library). WorldCat record id: 62725438

American soldier and engineer.

From the description of Autograph letter signed : Keokuk, to "My Dear Willard", 1869 Mar. 8. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270587617

From the description of Autograph letter signed : New York, to "My Dear General" [William Worth Belknap], 1872 May 8. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270588097

From the description of Autograph letter signed : New York, to General Belknap, 1873 Nov. 19. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270588095

Born in Shawneetown, Ill., Major General James Harrison Wilson served as topographical chief of the Army of the Potomac and as an aide-de-camp to George McClelland during the early years of the Civil War. In 1864 he was appointed chief of the Cavalry Bureau in Washington, D.C., and commanded a division of the cavalry in the Army of the Potomac under Major General Philip Sheridan during the Overland and Shenandoah Valley campaigns. Later the same year he was transferred west to serve as chief of cavalry for the Military Division of the Mississippi under William Tecumseh Sherman. Following the Civil War, Wilson worked as a railroad construction engineer and executive, returning to the Army in 1898 to serve as a major general in Cuba and Puerto Rico during the Spanish-American War.

From the description of James H. Wilson letters, 1909, 1913. (Louisiana State University). WorldCat record id: 156975581

Soldier and railroad builder.

From the description of Bender collection, 1863-1917. (Wyoming State Archives). WorldCat record id: 70958779

Biographical Note

1837, Sept. 2 Born, near Shawneetown, Ill. 1854 1855 Attended McKendree College, Lebanon, Ill. 1855 1860 Graduated, U. S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y. 1860 1863 Member, U. S. Topographical Engineers 1864 Chief of Cavalry Bureau, Washington, D.C. 1864 1865 Cavalry commander; brevet major general 1866 Married Ella Andrews (died 1899) 1866 1870 Superintended navigation improvements for the army in the Mississippi Valley 1870 1883 Engaged in railway construction and management in the Mississippi Valley and New England 1871 1875 Official, St. Louis and Southeastern Railway 1878 1883 President, New York and New England Railways Co. 1883 Settled in Wilmington, Del. 1885 1886 Surveyed railroad development possibilities in China 1898 Spanish-American War service in Puerto Rico and Santa Clara, Cuba 1900 Served in relief expedition, Boxer Rebellion, China 1901 Retired from army as brigadier general 1902 Represented U. S. Army at coronation of King Edward VII, London, England 1907 Trustee, Mutual Life Insurance Co. 1925, Feb. 23 Died, Wilmington, Del.

From the guide to the James Harrison Wilson Papers, 1861-1923, (bulk 1890-1915), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)

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Subjects:

  • Cavalry
  • Cavalry Bureau (Washington, DC)
  • International relief
  • International relief
  • Investments
  • Nashville, Battle of, Nashville, Tenn., 1864
  • Railroads
  • Railroads
  • Railroads
  • Spanish
  • Spanish
  • Strategy
  • War horses
  • Winchester, 3rd Battle of, Winchester, Va., 1864

Occupations:

  • Authors
  • Businessmen
  • Generals
  • Railroad builders
  • Soldiers
  • Soldiers

Places:

  • United States (as recorded)
  • United States (as recorded)
  • United States (as recorded)
  • United States (as recorded)
  • Tennessee (as recorded)
  • United States (as recorded)
  • United States (as recorded)
  • China (as recorded)
  • China (as recorded)
  • United States (as recorded)
  • Cuba (as recorded)
  • Asia (as recorded)
  • Mississippi River Valley (as recorded)
  • Cuba (as recorded)
  • China (as recorded)
  • Illinois--Shawneetown (as recorded)
  • United States (as recorded)
  • United States (as recorded)
  • United States (as recorded)
  • United States (as recorded)
  • United States (as recorded)
  • Virginia (as recorded)

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