I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and will have a happy New Year. It is hard to believe that we are about to enter 2025. Better yet, the Chiefs secured their number one seed in the playoffs after their dominating win against Pittsburgh. The Chiefs are now 15-1, with our only loss to Buffalo. If we play them again, we will have a home-field advantage. I'm really looking forward to Liberty’s bowl game against Buffalo (the college). Despite the challenges with many Liberty players entering the portal, I'm feeling optimistic about our chances. Liberty basketball is also a thrill to watch, especially now that they are 12-1 entering conference play. Only Louisiana Tech comes close with a record of 11-2.
Over Christmas, I received a fascinating gift from my sister and brother-in-law about the life of James H. Wilson. Edward Longacre wrote this book, and one central theme that I find truly remarkable is that James Wilson was only 23 when the war broke out. It is truly awe-inspiring to imagine a young man of 23 navigating battles, politics, and relationships with officers in such a turbulent time. Wilson was concerned early on in the war that he would not see the elephants, but little did he know that he would partake in twenty engagements during the American Civil War. This service excludes his time in the Spanish-American War and the Boxer Rebellion in his later years.
Wilson is a figure who deserves more recognition for his strategic prowess in navigating the difficulties of the war, starting off as a lieutenant. He formed strong friendships with various officers, including Horace Porter, Charles Dana, James McPherson, Ulysses Grant, and William Rosecrans. His professionalism and intelligence placed him in important positions in various armies, such as being a part of Grant’s staff during the Siege of Vicksburg as a topographical engineer. He then served ably in Eastern Tennessee during Burnside’s defense of Knoxville. In his raid into Alabama, he would defeat Nathan Bedford Forrest, the Wizard of the Saddle. Wilson was a force to be reckoned with during the American Civil War. His friendship with Grant placed him in significant positions throughout his tenure during the Civil War. He may have exaggerated some aspects of his success in his memoirs years later, but rising to the rank of general in the American Civil War and later serving in two more wars was no simple task. He never achieved fame or glory like that of George Custer, but he was arguably a greater tactician, politically astute, and tactful.
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