HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.
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son, was one of the pioneers of Illinois, and his father (Harrison Wilson) was an ensign during the War of 1812 and a Captain in the Black Hawk War. His brother (Bluford Wilson) served as Assistant Adjutant-General of Volunteers during the Civil War, and as Solicitor of the United States Treasury during the "whisky ring" prosecutions. James H. was educated in the common schools, at McKendree College, and the United States Military Academy at West Point, graduating from the latter in 1860, and being assigned to the Topographical Engineer Corps. In September, 1861, he was promoted to a First Lieutenancy, then served as Chief Topographical Engineer of the Port Royal expedition until March, 1862; was afterwards attached to the Department of the South, being present at the bombardment of Fort Pulaski; was Aid-decamp to McClellan, and participated in the battles of South Mountain and Antietam; was made Lieutenant-Colonel of Volunteers in November, 1863; was Chief Topographical Engineer and Inspector-General of the Army of the Tennessee until October, 1863, being actively engaged in the operations around Vicksburg; was made Captain of Engineers in May, 1863, and Brigadier-General of Volunteers, Oct. 31, following. He also conducted operations preliminary to the battle of Chattanooga and Missionary Ridge, and for the relief of Knoxville. Later, he was placed in command of the Third Division of the cavalry corps of the Army of the Potomac, serving from May to August, 1864, under General Sheridan. Subsequently he was transferred to the Department of the Mississippi, where he so distinguished himself that, on April 20, 1865, he was made Major-General of Volunteers. In twenty-eight days he captured five fortified cities, twenty-three stands of colors, 288 guns and 6,820 prisoners-among the latter being Jefferson Davis. He was mustered out of the volunteer service in January, 1866, and, on July 28, following, was commissioned Lieutenant-Colonel of the Thirty-fifth United States Infantry, being also brevetted Major-General in the regular army. On Dec. 31, 1870, he returned to civil life, and was afterwards largely engaged in railroad and engineering operations, especially in West Virginia. Promptly after the declaration of war with Spain (1898) General Wilson was appointed, by the President, Major-General of Volunteers, serving until its close. He is the author of "China: Travels and Investigations in the Middle Kingdom" ; "Life of Andrew J. Alex
