Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-03-18
GEN. NELSON A. MILES.
some Facts About the Great In
dian Fighter.

Nelson A. Miles are evidently for q
purpose. Illustrating this is the re-
cent report telegraphed over the
country that great Indignation was
felt in army circ es at Washington
over the fact that the Congressional
delegations of the Pacific Coast, Dem
ocratic and Republican alike, mad re-
commended Gen. Miles for the pros
pectivc vacancy in the grade of Major
General in case Gen. Terry should be
placed upon the retired list of the
army, and asserting that General
Miles promotion heretofore had been
due to the influence of the Sherman
and Cameron families. The truth is,
when but mere boy Nelson A Miles
volunteered his services at Boston for
the Union army. The Governor Of
his State considered him too young
and inexperienced to be intrusted
with Captains commission, and the
one that had been awarded him was
revoked, and he was appointed as a
First Lieutenant of mis- company. In
that subaltern position he went to war,
where the merits and dement's Of men
are fairly tested.
In the great battles under Mcclellan
before Richmond, Lieutenant Miles
was recommended for a field officers
position, and Governor Morgan, of
New York, made him Lieutenant
Colonel. Governor Seymour alter
wards made him full Colonel OF the
Sixty-first New York Volunteers and
recommended his promotion to the
grade OF Brigadier-ieneral. On the
earnest recommendation of Generals
Hancock, Barlow Meade and Grant,
he was made Brigadier General and
Ma Jr General and at the age OF
twenty-five, held the largest and most
responsible command of any man OF
his years on this continent, in that or
any other war. In the rec rganiza-
ton OF the army after the war closed ,on
recommendation of Generals Humph-
reys, Hancock, Meade and Grant,
General Miles was made a full
Colonel, and Meade expressed de-
sire that he be made Brigadier- Con
eral in the regular army.
All Of these positions of trust and
responsibility and rank he had OBJ
tainei before he had ever met a single
member of either the Cameron or
Sherman family. Since that time he
has rendered twenty two years ser
vice, which is familiar to every one.
and has received bnt one promotion
to the grade OF Brigadier. General,
which occurred during President
Hayes's Administ alton after his very
successful campaign against the Sioux
and Nez Perces, and was made on the
highest military recommendations
like he following:
New York CITY June %, 1873.
To the Presideatof the United States:
SIR: | have the honor to recon-
mend that Brevet Major General N.
A. Miles, Colonel Fifth United States
Infantry, be promoted to Brigadier-
General in the United States Army.
Colonel Miles entered the volunteer
service early in 1861 as a Captain in
the Twenty-second Massachusetts
Volunteers, aud afterwards became
an officer OF the Sixty-iirst New York
Volunteers, and was Lieutenant. Col
onel OF that regiment when he first
came under my command in
the FIRST Division Second
Army Corps, Army Of the Poto-
mac, at Antie,am, September II 1862.
Previously he had Distinguished him
self at Fair Oaks and other battles on
the Peninsula. He remained under
my command as regimental, brigade
and division com uander until Nov
ember, 1864 when l was detached
from that army, and subsequently
commanded division in the same
corps under General !. A. Humph-
reys. His services with me embraced
Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chan
cellorsville and the Wilderness
campaign OF 1864, and in all
of these important operations he dis
play great ability, jealous devotion
to duty and most intre id yalor. Dur
ing the bloody assault on Mary's
Heights-battle of Fredericksburg
Dec. IS, 1868. he was conspicuous for
brilliant conduct in leading his COM
mand, (the Sixtv-first ard Sixty
fourth New York Volunteers consoli-
dated), against the celebrated "Stone-
wall' which defended that position.
He was severely wounded on that
field. 1 mentioned his services and
conduct on that occasion in my Off
cial report as follows:
"Col. N. A. Miles, seriously
wounded, commanding Sixty first and
Sixty-fourth New York Volunteers,
consolidated, conducted himself in the
most admirable and chivalrous man
ner. His battalion behaved wi h
steadiness unsurpassed by any troops.
The third commander during the ac-
ton marched the battalion off the
field, the other being disabled" He
was again highly distinguished at
Charlottesville, where he COM
manded an advanced portion of my
line, and held it against great odds
until he received wound which well
nigh cost him his life.
During the operations of the Army
OF the Potomac, commencing May 3,
1864, known as the Wilderness cam
paign, and embracing the battles of
the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold
Harbor, the assaults on Petersburg,
Va, and siege of that city; the oper-
ations at Deep Bottom, on the north
side of the James River; the battle of
Hatcher's Run, etc., Col. Miles took
a prominent part, and was distin-
tinguished throughout that historic
campaign for brilliant services and
able and gallant conduct, and was
highly commended by me for these
qualities in my official reports of these
operations.
Upon my recommendations and
those of others of his commanders, he
was promoted to the grade of Brig.
adler General of Volunteers, June 27,
1864, and to that Of Major General of
Volunteers October 26, 1865. He also
received the brevet rank of Brigadier
and Major-G General for gallant and
meritorious services on the field of