John M. Wilson

John Moulder Wilson (1837-1919) - Born 8 Oct 1837 in Washington DC. A career U.S. Army officer, engineer, Medal of Honor recipient, Superintendent of the United States Military Academy and U.S. Chief of Engineers. Died 1 Feb 1919 in Washington DC.

General John M. Wilson at White House Medal of Honor Ceremony 7 Nov 1910, extracted from larger group photo

He served at age 12 as a page on the floor of the United States Senate (1849-1853). He traveled, in 1854, to the Washington Territory around the Isthmus of Panama and was appoint to the United States Military Academy in the spring of 1855 from there. He was the very first cadet appointed from the Pacific Northwest. He entered the United States Military Academy 1 Jul 1855 and graduated 1 Jul 1860 in the Class of 1860 ranking 12th out of 41.

He served as a Union officer in the U.S. Civil War and received the Medal of Honor for his actions at Malvern Hill on 6 Aug 1863. He rose to the permanent rank of Captain and the brevet rank of Colonel for his actions at Spanish Fort and Fort Blakeley near Mobile Alabama in the spring of 1865.

After the U.S. Civil War he served in various engineering posts and on historic projects in and around Washington DC. He served as Superintendent of West Point (1889-1893), as Chief of Engineers (1897-1901), and rose to the rank of Major General before his retirement from the U.S. Corps of Engineers on 30 Apr 1901.

He died on 1 Feb 1919 in Washington DC and was buried in West Point Cemetery in March 1919 with full military honors.

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Father: Joseph Shields Wilson (1808-18??)

Mother: Eliza Uhler Moulder (1810-18??)

Marriage:

• Augusta Bertha Waller (1839-1902) married 5 Nov 1861, born May 1839, died 17 Jun 1902

Children:

• Francis Waller Wilson - only child, died in infancy at age 6 months.

Assignments:

• (1855-1860) Cadet, United States Military Academy (five year program)
• (1860-1861) Bvt. 2nd Lt. (1 Jul 1860), Fort Monroe Arsenal, Virginia
• (1861-1865) U.S. Civil War
  • 1st Lt. (14 May 1861) 2nd U.S. Artillery
  • Bvt. Capt. (27 Jun 1862) Battle of Gaines's Mill, Virginia
  • Bvt. Maj. (1 Jul 1862) Battle of Malvern Hill, Virginia
  • Capt. (1 Jun 1863) U.S. Corps of Engineers
  • Ltc. (26 May 1864) U.S. Volunteers Staff
  • Bvt. Col. (26 Mar 1865) U.S. Volunteers Staff, Mobile Alabama Campaign
  • Bvt. Ltc. (8 Apr 1865) U.S. Army - Capture of Spanish Fort (1) Alabama
  • Bvt. Col. (8 Apr 1865) U.S. Army - Capture of Spanish Fort (1) and Fort Blakeley Alabama
• (1866-1871) Maj. (3 Jun 1867) U.S. Corps of Engineers, Improving Hudson River
• (1871-1875) U.S. Corps of Engineers, Superintending Engineer Fort Ontario and Fort Niagara, New York
• (1876-1878) U.S. Corps of Engineers, Improvements of Willamette, Columbia, and Snake Rivers in the Northwest
• (1878-1882) U.S. Corps of Engineers, Harbor improvements on the great lakes
• (1882-1886) Lt. Col. (17 Mar 1884), Col. (1 Jun 1885) U.S. Corps of Engineers, Assistant to Chief of Engineers, Washington DC
• (1885-1889) U.S. Corps of Engineers, In charge of Public Building and Grounds, Washington DC
  • Improvements over the grave of Thomas Jefferson
  • Monument at George Washington's birthplace
  • Reconstruction of Ford's Theatre in Washington DC
  • Monument to General Hancock in Washington DC
  • President Garfield statue
  • Army Medical Museum and Library
  • Monument at Washington's headquarters, Newburg, New York
  • Completion of the Washington Monument
  • Improvement of the Water Supply of Washington DC
• (1889-1893) Superintendent of United States Military Academy at West Point, New York
• (1893-1897) Col. (31 Mar 1895) U.S. Corps of Engineers, Division Engineer of the Northeast Engineering Division of the U.S.
• (1897-1901) Brig. Gen. (1 Feb 1897) U.S. Corps of Engineers, Chief of Engineers
• (30 Apr 1901) Retired at his own request after more than 40 years of service

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Sources:

• Wikipedia - John Moulder Wilson
• Cullum Register - John M. Wilson
• Find a Grave - John M. Wilson
• Men of Mark in America - - John Moulder Wilson (408-411)
• Biography