Sketches of Prominent Tennesseans
by William Speer, 2003
pgs 437-438.
Alexander B. Wilson, A.M.
GREENEVILLE
Alexander B. Wilson, the well-known attorney, is a native of Greene county, Tennessee, born February 26, 1838. He grew up in that county and has lived there all his life, excepting the winter of 1865-6, which was spent in Illinois. After going to various county schools, he attended the old Greenville College three years, graduating thence in 1858, under President John L. Lamson and Prof. A.J. Brown. After graduation he followed no special business until the war came up, when, being a Union man, he joined the Federal army as a non-commissioned officer in company F, Fourth Tennessee infantry regiment, commanded by Col. Stover, son-in-law of ex-President Andrew Johnson. Shortly afterward he was promoted to a second lieutenancy and again to a first lieutenancy, and served in Kentucky and Tennessee. His regiment was captured at McMinnville, Tennessee by Gen. Wheeler’s Confederate cavalry forces; was paroled and disbanded, but reorganized a few months thereafter, at Lexington, Kentucky; crossed the mountains into East Tennessee and served in that section until the close of the war. He was mustered out of service in August, 1865, at Nashville, Tennessee.