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Joseph Wheeler, CSA (b. 1836 d. 1906) Few soldiers enjoyed a career in the military as long and distinguished as Fightin’ Joe Wheeler. Born Sept. 10, 1836 in Augusta, Ga., Wheeler graduated with the U.S. Military Academy Class of 1859 and commissioned in the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant of mounted rifles. He resigned that commission April 22, 1861. In just 21 months, Wheeler ascended the ranks to become a major general and commander of cavalry of the Army of Tennessee. Wheeler’s start in Confederate service was as a first lieutenant of artillery. He was made colonel of the 19th Alabama Infantry Sept. 4, 1861, just short of his 25th birthday. After fighting at Shiloh with this unit, he transferred to mounted units and was made chief of cavalry in the Army of Mississippi July 13, 1862. He made his career with cavalry, engaged in countless battles and being wounded three times. He had 16 horses shot out from under him during the war and 36 staff officers fell by his side. His promotion to brigadier general was confirmed Oct. 30, 1862, during his stint commanding the Cavalry Brigade, Left Wing of the Army of the Mississippi (Sept. 14-Nov. 20, 1862). He shifted to command the Calvary Brigade of Polk’s Corps, Army of Tennessee and Cavalry Brigade, Hardee’s Corps, Army of Tennessee. During his time leading the Cavalry Corps, Army of Tennessee, he was promoted to major general Jan. 20, 1863, at the age of 25. He commanded the cavalry during Gen. Braxton Bragg’s Invasion of Kentucky, during the Battle of Murfreesboro and the Chattanooga Campaign. His raid at Bridgeport in the Chattanooga Campaign was one of the boldest undertaken by the Confederates. He opposed Gen. W. T. Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign by harassing communications. He was commander of the Cavalry Corps, Department of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida (Fall 1864-March 1865). In the Savannah Campaign, Wheeler’s command came under criticism for lack of discipline, however Wheeler was promoted to lieutenant general Feb. 28, 1865 in command of a corps in Hampton’s Cavalry Command March-April 26, 1865. In his farewell speech to his men, Wheeler said, “You are the sole victors of more than two hundred severely contested fields; you have participated in more than a thousand conflicts of arms; you are heroes, veterans, patriots; the bones of your comrades mark the battlefields upon the soil of Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi; you have done all that human exertion could accomplish.” (The Confederate Military History,  Volume 1, Officers of Civil And Military Organizations)
He was captured in Georgia in May, 1865, and released June 8. After a short residency in New Orleans, he moved to Wheeler, Ala., in 1868 and served eight terms in the U.S. Congress, starting in 1881. Wheeler returned to service as a major general of volunteers for the Spanish-American War and commanded a cavalry division under Gen. Shafter’s command in Cuba, landing at Santiago, Cuba. His dismounted troopers carried the heights of San Juan Hill. Whenever possible, Wheeler was at the front with his men. On his 64th birthday, Wheeler retired from military service as a brigadier general of the regular army. He died in Brooklyn, N.Y., Jan. 25, 1906, and was buried in the National Cemetery at Arlington.

I've again temporarily suspended my moratorium on Battleline's bios, since I want to get as many 100-percenters and 25-percenters into this next patch as possible. So, here's the slightly revised bio, plus his teaching abilities.


Lt. Gen. Joseph Wheeler (b. 1836, d. 1906). Few soldiers enjoyed a career in the military as long and distinguished as Fightin’ Joe Wheeler. Born Sept. 10, 1836 in Augusta, Georgia, Wheeler graduated with the U.S. Military Academy Class of 1859 and was commissioned in the U.S. Army as a 2nd Lieutenant of mounted rifles. He resigned that commission April 22, 1861. In just 21 months, Wheeler ascended the ranks to become a Major General and commander of cavalry of the Army of Tennessee. Wheeler’s start in Confederate service was as a 1st Lieutenant of artillery. He was made Colonel of the 19th Alabama Infantry on Sept. 4, 1861, just short of his 25th birthday. After fighting at Shiloh with this unit, he transferred to mounted units and was made chief of cavalry in the Army of Mississippi July 13, 1862. He made his career with cavalry, engaging in countless battles and being wounded three times. Moreover, he had sixteen horses shot out from under him during the war and thirty-six staff officers fell by his side. His promotion to Brigadier General was confirmed Oct. 30, 1862, during his stint commanding the Cavalry Brigade, Left Wing, of the Army of the Mississippi (Sept. 14-Nov. 20, 1862). He shifted to command the Calvary Brigade of Polk’s Corps, Army of Tennessee and Cavalry Brigade, Hardee’s Corps, Army of Tennessee. During his time leading the Cavalry Corps, Army of Tennessee, he was promoted to Major General on Jan. 20, 1863, at the age of 25. He commanded the cavalry during Gen. Braxton Bragg’s invasion of Kentucky, during the Battle of Murfreesboro and the Chattanooga Campaign. His raid at Bridgeport in the Chattanooga Campaign was one of the boldest undertaken by the Confederates. He opposed Gen. William T. Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign by harassing communications while commander of the Cavalry Corps, Department of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida (Fall 1864-March 1865). I added the word “while” before “commander” in order to join two sentences. Did I introduce a mistake, or is this still accurate? In the Savannah Campaign, Wheeler’s command came under criticism for lack of discipline; however, Wheeler was promoted to Lieutenant General on Feb. 28, 1865 and put in command of a corps in Hampton’s Cavalry Command March-April 26, 1865. In his farewell speech to his men, Wheeler said, “You are the sole victors of more than two hundred severely contested fields; you have participated in more than a thousand conflicts of arms; you are heroes, veterans, patriots; the bones of your comrades mark the battlefields upon the soil of Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi; you have done all that human exertion could accomplish.” He was captured in Georgia in May, 1865, and released June 8. After a short residency in New Orleans, he moved to Wheeler, Alabama in 1868 and served eight terms in the U.S. Congress, beginning in 1881. Wheeler returned to service as a major general of volunteers for the Spanish-American War and commanded a cavalry division under Gen. William Shafter’s command in Cuba, landing at Santiago and carrying the heights of San Juan Hill with his dismounted troopers. Whenever possible, Wheeler was at the front with his men. On his 64th birthday, Wheeler retired from military service as a brigadier general of the regular army. He died in Brooklyn, N.Y., Jan. 25, 1906, and was buried in the National Cemetery at Arlington.

Teaches: Chargers (13), Brave (2), Organized (24), Blasted (15)

Start date: 43

Gil,
It would appear that his change to that department came after the split of armies when Hood went north and Wheeler stayed in the army opposing Sherman's main thrust and this split happened after Atlanta fell in September 1864, so rephrasing it in that way would be incorrect. His command during the Atlanta Campaign was Commander Cavalry Corps, Army of Tennessee, which he held from March 16, 1863, until the fall of 1864.
Hope that clarifies the situation.
I hope to have some additional generals done during the next three days. I actually have some time off from work!
Thanks,
Battleline

So what would be the best way of phrasing that? I'm slightly confused.

How about this:

Lt. Gen. Joseph Wheeler, CSA (b. 1836 d. 1906) Few soldiers enjoyed a career in the military as long and distinguished as Fightin’ Joe Wheeler. Born Sept. 10, 1836 in Augusta, Ga., Wheeler graduated with the U.S. Military Academy Class of 1859 and commissioned in the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant of mounted rifles. He resigned that commission April 22, 1861. In just 21 months, Wheeler ascended the ranks to become a major general and commander of cavalry of the Army of Tennessee. Wheeler’s start in Confederate service was as a first lieutenant of artillery. He was made colonel of the 19th Alabama Infantry Sept. 4, 1861, just short of his 25th birthday. After fighting at Shiloh with this unit, he transferred to mounted units and was made chief of cavalry in the Army of Mississippi July 13, 1862. He made his career with cavalry, engaged in countless battles and being wounded three times. He had 16 horses shot out from under him during the war and 36 staff officers fell by his side. His promotion to brigadier general was confirmed Oct. 30, 1862, during his stint commanding the Cavalry Brigade, Left Wing of the Army of the Mississippi (Sept. 14-Nov. 20, 1862). He shifted to command the Calvary Brigade of Polk’s Corps, Army of Tennessee and Cavalry Brigade, Hardee’s Corps, Army of Tennessee. During his time leading the Cavalry Corps, Army of Tennessee, he was promoted to major general Jan. 20, 1863, at the age of 25. He commanded the cavalry during Gen. Braxton Bragg’s Invasion of Kentucky, during the Battle of Murfreesboro and the Chattanooga Campaign. His raid at Bridgeport in the Chattanooga Campaign was one of the boldest undertaken by the Confederates. As commander of Cavalry Corps, Army of Tennessee, he opposed Gen. W. T. Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign by harassing communications. Following the fall of Atlanta and the splitting of Confederate forces, he became commander of the Cavalry Corps, Department of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida (Fall 1864-March 1865). In this role during the Savannah Campaign, Wheeler’s command came under criticism for lack of discipline, however Wheeler was promoted to lieutenant general Feb. 28, 1865 in command of a corps in Hampton’s Cavalry Command March-April 26, 1865. In his farewell speech to his men, Wheeler said, “You are the sole victors of more than two hundred severely contested fields; you have participated in more than a thousand conflicts of arms; you are heroes, veterans, patriots; the bones of your comrades mark the battlefields upon the soil of Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi; you have done all that human exertion could accomplish.” (The Confederate Military History, Volume 1, Officers of Civil And Military Organizations) He was captured in Georgia in May, 1865, and released June 8. After a short residency in New Orleans, he moved to Wheeler, Ala., in 1868 and served eight terms in the U.S. Congress, starting in 1881. Wheeler returned to service as a major general of volunteers for the Spanish-American War and commanded a cavalry division under Gen. Shafter’s command in Cuba, landing at Santiago, Cuba. His dismounted troopers carried the heights of San Juan Hill. Whenever possible, Wheeler was at the front with his men. On his 64th birthday, Wheeler retired from military service as a brigadier general of the regular army. He died in Brooklyn, N.Y., Jan. 25, 1906, and was buried in the National Cemetery at Arlington.

Does that work for you?

Looks good.

I just added a mention of the significance of the date April 26: "however, Wheeler was promoted to Lieutenant General on Feb. 28, 1865 and put in command of a corps in Hampton’s cavalry command until April 26, 1865, when Gen. Joseph E. Johnston surrendered to Sherman."

Looks like we've got a final version here.