"Born in Alexandria, Virginia, the son of a preacher, Wheat moved with his family to Louisiana as a young boy. Growing in size to 6 foot, 4 inches tall and weighing 240 pounds, Wheat's physical stature was impressive. He was elected a Lieutenant then later as a Captain in the First Tennessee Mounted Regiment under General Winfield Scott in the Mexican-American War. He left the military due to illness and returned to Louisiana where he was elected a representative of New Orleans to the Louisiana State Legislature in 1848. He was admitted to the bar in 1849. Subsequently, his wanderlust inspired him to undertake a series of international mercenary and filibuster adventures. He was commissioned a Colonel by Narciso Lopez in his Cuban filibustering expedition. In 1855 he joined the Juan \u00C1lvarez campaign against Santa Anna where he was commissioned a Brigadier General in charge of artillery by the State of Guerrero. He travelled to Italy to serve under Garibaldi but soon left when his state seceded from the Union."@en . . . . . . . . . . "Chatham Roberdeau Wheat"@en . . . . . "Born in Alexandria, Virginia, the son of a preacher, Wheat moved with his family to Louisiana as a young boy. Growing in size to 6 foot, 4 inches tall and weighing 240 pounds, Wheat's physical stature was impressive. He was elected a Lieutenant then later as a Captain in the First Tennessee Mounted Regiment under General Winfield Scott in the Mexican-American War. He left the military due to illness and returned to Louisiana where he was elected a representative of New Orleans to the Louisiana State Legislature in 1848. He was admitted to the bar in 1849."@en . .