The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-04-22
GEN. NELSON A. MILES.
The Successor to the Late Gen.
eral Crook.
a LIFE OF GREAT ACTIVITY.
Division Commander o. the second Corps
In the Virginia Campaigns-His
Indian Experiences.


Springfield Republican.
The nominstion Of Brigadier General
Nelson A Miles to the vacancy created by
The death OF Major General George Creek.
and of Colonel Benjamin H Grierson 10
the vacancy OF hrigadier general, occasioned
by that promotion. accords with public ex-
pectation. General Miles is the senior cfti-
Ger In his grade and has served under his
present commission more than ten years.
For two years also he has held the cont
mand OF major general. that of the mill
tary Division of the Pacific, on the rank
and pay of the grade below. In addition
70 his claims OF seniority his services dur
ing and since the civil war have been of q
most distinguished and valuable character.
Entering the volunteer army in 1851 as .
company officer of Massachusetts, infantry.
he became the next year lieutenant-coi-
onel and colonel of the Sixty-first New
York, and in 1866 had reached the rank OF
major general The following summer he
was made colonel of the Fortieth infantry
IN the regular army. was transferred in
lsta to the Fifth, and on December IS,
1880, was promoted to be brigadier
general. While in the army OF
the Potomac he participated in
nearly all its battles from the Peninsula
and Antietam to Appomattox. Three
times he was wounded in action. His COM
mission OF brigadier general of volunteers
was expressed to be for distinguished SER
vices during the then recent battles of Old
Wilderness and Spottsylvania Courthouse.
His breyets OF brigadier general and major
general in the regular army were for gal
liant and meritorious services at Chancei-
louisville and Spottsylvania, and his brevet
Of major general ,f volunteers 'for highly
meritorous and distinguished conduct
throughout the campaign and particularly
for gailantry and valuable services in the
battle of Ream's station" As . division
commander OF the second corps in the vir-
ginia compaigns General Miles achieved q
lasting reputation.
In the regular army he gathered new
laurels from service on the frontier. As
colonel OF the Fifth infantry. he overthrow
the Cheyennes, Kiowas and Commanches
at the Staked Plains in 1875 and the fol-
lowing year he defeated the hostile Sioux
in Montana and drove the famous Sitting
Bull and others, with their followers. into
Canada. A third exploit of remarkable
skill and success was his defeat and capture
of the Nez Perez band of Chief Joseph
just as the long retreat of that able warrior
promised TO result in his escape across the
northern border. In 1873 Colonel Miles de-
feated and captured band of Bannocks.
Such record Of four years of Indian cam
paign Is indeed extraordinary. and the star
awarded to him in 1850 was well earned.
His new rank carried him to the command
Of the Department of the Columbia, but on
the threatened occurrence OF trouble with
the Cheyennes and Arrapahoes Of Indian
territory he was summoned to the COM
mand of the Department of the Mis-
souri,, and thence was transferred to
that of Arizona, where he crowned his
Indian campaigning after hard labor by
forcing and receiving the surrender
of Geronimo. Various Western legislatures
passed votes OF thanks to General Miles
for Kidding the frontier of this scourge.
and the citizens OF Arizona presented
him with a sword. While already the
third officer In rank in the army. General
Miles, in the ordinary course OF events.
will before many years be the first. as Gen.
eral Howard retires in lss4. leaving General
Miles to succeed General Schofield as COM
mander of the army on the latter's retire
ment In 1895. His career during the last
thirty years has certainly been most re-
mari able. carrying him. as il has. through
q series of brilliant and memorable achieve
ments from civil life up to his present high
rank.
Colonel Grierson was. like General
Miles, technically an appointee from civil
life, or, in other words, from that great mil
itary academy which nurtured so many
soldiers-the civil war. He. too, is the
senior in his present grade and senior
colonel of the whole army. lire and staff
He entered the volunteer service as major
OF the sixth Illinois cavalry and finished an
a major general. having meanwhile been
commissioned as q brigadier for dis
tinguished services and also brevetted In
the regular army, both as brigadisr
and major general. for gallant
and meritorious services IN his Mis-
sissippi raids OF 1853 and 1864.
On the 18th of July. 1886. he was made
colonel of the Tenth cavalry. q coiored regI-
ment in the regular army, and has so re-
manned ever since, serving nearly twenty
four yeats without promotion or change.
During this time he has seen others pro-
NOTED over him, and he viii not long enjoy
his new rank in active command. as he
must be retired for age on the 8th Of July
next. The suggestion has been made that
this latter fact night debar him now from
promotion, as be would have so short
time TO serve under his new
commission. That. however. would be
doubly unjust, since his early retirement.
coupled with the fact OF his long lack of
advancement. should be an additional
argument for his nomination. Besides. 10
happens that the breyity of his remaining
time on the active list makes no difference.
since he Is now exercising a brigadier gen.
erals command, that OF the department. OF
Arizona, and viii need no transfer or
change in his arrangements. There are
many other worthy and competent line
colonies. but, presumably, not one OF them
will grudge Colonel Grierson his iong-de-
Iayed star, since three months hence they
can all renew the contest when bis retire
ment occurs.
Clever Mot