JOHN MOULDER WILSON
WILSON, JOHN MOULDER, son of a lawyer; page in the United States senate for four years; cadet at the United States Military academy; active officer in the United States army for forty-one years from lieutenant to chief of engineers and brigadier-general, and a man of large public service; was born in Washington, District of Columbia, October 8, 1837. His father, Joseph Shields Wilson, was a lawyer, clerk, chief clerk and commissioner in the General Land office, an earnest student, a fine linguist, an authority on legal questions affecting the ownership of land and its conveyance, a man of remarkable memory, an orator and lecturer, strong in likes and dislikes. His mother, Eliza Uhler (Moulder) Wilson, was the daughter of John N. and Mary (Uhler) Moulder.
As a boy John Moulder Wilson attended school in his native city and when twelve years old became a page on the floor of the United States senate and held the position, 1849-53. He then took a preparatory and freshman course at Columbian college, and in 1854 made the trip to California, via the Isthmus of Darien (Panama) and continuing his journey from San Francisco to Puget Sound located in Olympia, Washington Territory, where he obtained employment. In the spring of 1855 he was appointed a cadet to the United States military academy; and he was graduated and assigned to the artillery July 1, 1860. He was transferred to ordnance October 9, 1860, and served in Fortress Monroe and at Washington, District of Columbia, 1860-61. He was commissioned second lieutenant and transferred to the 2d artillery, January 28, 1861. Promoted first lieutenant, May 14, 1861; he was engaged in the battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861, and in the defense of Washington, District of Columbia, up to March, 1862, when he was transferred to the Army of the Potomac and took part in the Peninsular campaign, March to August, 1862. He was transferred to the topographical engineers, July 24, 1862, and to the corps of engineers, March 3, 1863. He engaged in the battles of South Mountain and Antietam, September 14 and 16, 1862; was superintending engineer of the defenses of Harper's Ferry, No-
