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This tells us a bit about the man. His argument has few if any flaws.
General Wilson wrote the following to his brothers on April 3, 1861:
"Briefly, then, I am for the Union, one and inseparable, now and forever, as a blessing paramount to all others known to the American people. This is the primary principle, the basis of our National honor and prosperity, and above all of our National strength and glory. It is a legacy we are bound in honor to transmit to posterity, as it was transmitted to us. We of this day and generation have no right to decree its dissolution or to join in its destruction, for it concerns not us alone but posterity. The “right of secession” is a transparent inconsistency, totally inadmissible and at variance with the first idea of stable government. But there is even a stronger reason for denying its validity. The Constitution (Art I, Sec. X par. 1 and 2) specially provides that “No state shall enter into any treaty, alliance or confederation,” and the tone of that whole instrument is opposed to the idea of secession. “But the cotton states have seceded,”, .. Yes, but secession is rebellion and it may be claimed, rebellion is revolution, and the right of revolution is inalienable. Here we stop, for whoever revolts against constituted authority is guilty of treason and must pay the penalty, if that authority is strong enough to enforce the law. And, further, it is the duty of all constituted authority, whatever be the form of government, to conserve its powers by enforcing the laws."
General Wilson knew where he stood and what he believed. He risked his life and fortune to prove his cause. The same could be said of the men of the South.
Many of my southern cousins and friends who are members of the Sam Davis Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans frequently discuss and praise (deservedly so) the exploits of renowned Cavalry leader Nathan Bedford Forrest. He, however, wasn’t the only cavalry leader in town and was forced to share the road, mostly Columbia Pike or Franklin Pike as we call it in Nashville, with one James Harrison Wilson, a fine officer in his own right.
Part of Wilson’s story is in order here since I’m writing about two ancestors. One of them [Whitfield Monroe Parker] rode for a few weeks with Nathan Bedford Forrest of which I am justly proud. The other [James Patterson Cockerham] was working so that the other men of Company H of the 10th Tennessee Regiment could ride with General Wilson. Wilson and Forrest were brought together by fate on the road from Nashville into Alabama and were to share their ride into history. It was Wilson who first attempted to slow the advance of the Army of Tennessee on their way north from Florence in November, 1864. Wilson was in the battle at Franklin and later at Nashville while Forrest was with my gg grandad Parker in Murfreesboro. After Forrest was ordered to the Duck River to assist in the protection of the Army of Tennessee on it’s movement, it was Wilson who soon met the Confederates at Richland Creek and hurried Forrest toward Pulaski. Forrest got points for the next two encounters between these antagonists at Anthony’s Hill and Sugar Creek, but Wilson was eventually to triumph. After Forrest made good the crossing of the Tennessee River, the mounted warriors of both sides briefly rested from their wounds. Forrest was at Tupelo, Mississippi and Wilson at nearby Gravelly Springs, Alabama. When winter paused, the race was on once again. Forrest had been ordered to remain in the Mississippi-Alabama area while the Army of Tennessee marched on to the east to meet their destiny. Having a great advantage in numbers and equipment, Wilson moved south with three divisions (13,500 men) to meet Forrest for the final time, exacting the surrender of Forrest’s army 4 Apr 1865 at Citronelle, Alabama, although many of the officers and men, including Forrest and Lt. Gen. Richard Taylor, escaped The war for Forrest and the Confederates was at an end. Wilson, a professional soldier, was to serve a while longer.
James Harrison Wilson was born near Shawneetown, Illinois 2 Sep 1837. He was the grandson of Alexander Wilson who is credited as being one of the founders of the state of Illinois and the son of Harrison Wilson, an ensign in the war of 1812 and a captain in the Black Hawk war. James was a graduate of the Unites States Military Academy at West Point, finishing high in his class ranking. He served in the Department of Oregon until June 1861 and received his commission as a lieutenant becoming chief topographical engineer of the Port Royal expedition until March 1862 when he was transferred to the Department of the South under George McClellan and was at the battles of South Mountain and Antietam. He worked his way through several appointments in engineering duties until he rose to brigadier-general of volunteers 31 Oct 1863 where he became U.S. Grant’s chief engineer and was placed in command of the 3rd Division of the cavalry corps in the Army of the Potomac, serving under Philip H. Sheridan from May until August 1864. In October 1863 he was assigned to the command of the cavalry corps of the military division of the Mississippi with 15,000 mounted men serving under Generals Thomas and Sherman. It was he who commanded the Cavalry Corps at the battle of Nashville including the 1st Division of Edward M. McCook, 5th Division of General Edward Hatch [which included Corp. James Patterson Cockerham, farrier of Company c of the 10th Tennessee Cavalry] His force in the early spring of 1865 managed to capture, Montgomery, Columbus and Macon including the surrender of Nathan B. Forrest and the capture of Jefferson Davis in north Georgia 10 May 1865. [That “honor” was claimed by the 13th TN Cavalry of Johnson County, Tennessee) On 20 Apr 1865 James was promoted to major general of volunteers. [In August, 1865 James Patterson Cockerham returned to this home in Wilkes County, North Carolina and resumed his role has father to his large family). James Harrison Wilson was mustered out of the volunteer service in Jul 1866 when he was commissioned lieutenant colonel of the 35th Infantry 28 Jul 1866 and brevetted to the grade of major-general, United States Army. He requested and received a discharge on 31 Dec 1870 and began work in railroad engineering operations.
His writings included "China: Travels and Investigations in the Middle Kingdom" and "Life of Andrew J. Alexander" (New York, 1887); also, in conjunction with Charles A. Dana, "Life of General United States Grant" (Springfield, Massachusetts, 1868).
He returned to the military when the Spanish-American War began, then retired in 1901, with the rank of brigadier general in the Regular Army and. served as major general of volunteers in Puerto Rico and Cuba, and took part in the Boxer Rebellion in China in 1901, and was finally retired as a brigadier general in the Regular Army that year. Wilson died on February 23, 1925, at his home in Wilmington, Delaware, one of the last surviving Union generals.
Keith, all of that great argument you just made depended on the time frame and location on which you focus. Also a lot had to do with office and position at a given time. In early 1864 Wilson was just being sent to Nashville to report to Gen. Thomas. Wilson was in command of Gen. Hatch who did actually skirmish with (when he could find them) Wheeler and Forrest. After January 1865, Forrest and Wheeler were no longer formidable opponents. Thomas with a little help re-built his cavalry after the winter and was able to capture an Alabama and Georgia that was essentialy undefended. Even old Edward Hatch was still doing much of his work. Hatch was a fighter, Wilson was an observer and supervisor. Forrest and Wheeler would have tinkled on their boots, but lacked the energy, manpower and bullets to do so after January, 1865.
Larry - I see your point(s) and fully agree with you. (And the subsequent info you posted was most applicable, interesting, and appropriate.) Wilson's Raid only encountered remnants of regular troops, militia and local volunteers. Forrest's and Wheeler's commands were only ghosts of what they had once been. Had Wilson mounted this campaign and encountered Wheeler and, or even only Forrest, in their glory years, Wilson's cumbersome force would have been picked clean before even establishing a foothold in Alabama.
But Wilson (and Thomas) knew as they were planning their mission that such would not be the case. Their strength was far more than sufficient, almost overkill, to accomplish what they'd set out to do and that was the beauty of their plan IMO. They saw that they could do it, recognized that they needed to do it, and they did it. Even if they had to leave, what, 3500 - 5000?, mounted infantry at home because they weren't able to assemble the supporting wagon trains in time for departure; they still brought more than enough to the party.
Yep, the party was over. Three years too late. The Civil War was a horrible activity that wise men should never have allowed to occur. Over six hundred thousand men were erased from the earth along with thousands of horses, pigs and the poor chickens who bore the brunt of the activity. Thomas, Wilson, Forrest and Wheeler were all able to walk after the conflict ended in Alabama. Not many could make that claim.
Grant's Cavalryman. The Life and Wars of General James H. Wilson. Edward G. Longacre.
Under the Old Flag, a two volume autobiography by General Wilson, published in 1912. It's been about two decades since I read these books, but I recommend them. They are available on the web as e-books.
Wilson was a favorite of Grant. He used him in the east until Sherman moved on Savannah. He was sent by
Grant to take charge of Sherman's cavalry. Sherman decided he would be better off serving under Thomas at Nashville and left him there. Thomas sent him to accompany Schofield from Pulaski, Tn. and he had several run-ins with Forrest who gave him his first baptism of fire as a cavalryman. He was the blitz in Thomas' krieg against Hood at Nashville, and under Thomas direction mounted a force of 12,000 cavalry to attack Selma and Montgomery. He defeated Forrest at Selma and it was one of his units that captured Davis.
He was a proilific writer after the war and fought or had some duty in the Spanish American war.
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