The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-10-06
GEN. NELSON A. MILES
HE TALKS ABOUT HIMSELF AND
POSSIBLE ARMY IMPROVEMENT.
Tells How He Became a soldier ana
Gives "reminiscences OF Grant and
LincoIn-Late War I'm the East.

NASf11NG1ON, OCl. t-Itu. nelson n.
Miles is writing his memoirs. / visited him
him surrounded by manuscripts and docu-
ments. Photographs of famous Indian
chiefs, OF Alaska and OF the unknown West
were scattered over his library table. and
the General was sitting with a number OF
typewriter chapters before him. giving
them the last revision before going TO the
printers. He has been writing at the book
for months. working at IL early and late,
and he has 1t now almost completed II
will contain about 10000 words. and will be
profusely illustrated by Frederick Reming-
ton and other well-known American art
lists. II VIII comprise about 600 pages, and
will contain forty chapters. Its title viii
be From New England to the Golden
Gate" and In IL will be found perhaps the
most remarkable series of adventures ever
given to the American public. I have not
read the manuscript. but the plain facts OF
General Miles's career read like a novel;
His whole life has been a sensational ro-
nance. many sentences OF which throb with
danger; and his memoirs ought 20 be one
of the most absorbingy interesting books
of the kind ever penned. Where will you
find a life like IT.? The great generals OF
the past have risen to their prominence
through special training. Napoleon was In
tended and educated for a soldier: Caesar.
brought up in the family OF his uncle Ma
rius. the greatest general OF his time, was
sucked on military milk Grant had re-
ceived his West Point education. and until
he was thirty-nine had risen no higher than
to a captaincy. and Sherman. that other
great West Pointer. at this age
was hardly known to fame. These men
were pushed, as it were. into the army
General Miles had TO force mis- way there.
He began his life as a farmers boy. His
West Point was a c~rocskery store In Boston.
One OF his rich uncles offered to make him
financially independent II he would give up
his ambition TO be a soldier. and IL was
only by taking all the money he had saved
and all he could borrow that he was able.
at the age Of twenty-one, to raise the COM
pany which enabled him TO go 10 the army
as a first lieutenant. This was at the be
ginning OF the civil war, and from that as
a starting point at the short space of four
years his wonderful military genius ele-
waited him with lightning rapidity from one
position to another until. at twenty-five. he
had become a major general, and had risen
to the highest lineal rank in the army.
Think what the ordinary boy is between
twenty-one and twenty-five. and you get
some lQtd OF lut ItIldIhdoit N&IEtI Va ~-@9
ex-crockery clerk. What a story he can
tell of the Army Of the Potomac. He was
in every one of its battles except that OF
Gettysburg. where he could not be on ac>
count OF the desperate wounds which he
had received at charlottesville. and which
the surgeons had said would cost him his
life. He was always I'm the thickest OF the
fight, and all OF the generals from Grant
to Burnside recommended him many times
for promotion. He was wounded again and
again, and be ceased his hghting only when
his hurts were so great that ne was unable
to keep his place upon his horse. At one
time. when shot through the neck, he put
his hand over the wound and was anxious
to again lead his troops into battle stin.
he never wantonly risked the ives OF hts
men. and HIS coolnsss in scenes where other
men lose their hsals. and his ability 20 take
advantage of every change Of POSITION on
the part Of the eneny. made the other ON
GERS consider this boy gczera, a valuable
ally.
And then think of the Indian s.ories ~
can tell, The hook will be frii CT them
When the war was over. Gem raj Mites re-
NAMED in the service and continued to seek
duty in the midst OF the fray. His lite from
1865 until now mas been one ~ruad OF sue
cesses based on bravery and skill
He has made himself noted We most
famous of the worlds Indian hsn, srs. He
is the only regular army cJicer who has
conducted a systematic indian campaign.
and he has managed eight, every one Of
them successful. No other commander in
our history ever forced So large a band
OF Indians TO surrender In battle as he.'
None have been in 50 many Indian en-
and none have won In fights
more desperately contested. Some Of his
Indian campaigns have been flied with adj
ventures which would make books in them
selves. They have been at all extremes Of
climate. His first and last were in lands
so hot that his men. crazed with thirst,
opened the veins in their arms IN order
that they might moisten their lips with
their own blood. Others were among the
Arctic snowstorms OF a northern wi1Sm
where the men were so clad IN furs TINT
they could not be told one from another.
He run down the gigantic Messiah conspir-
acy. which promised 10 involve all the In
dan tribes and make an Indian war greater
than any we have yet had. Then. leaving
this border warfare. he came TO Chicago
during the Debs strike. and with the iron
hand OF military rule he grasped that body
OF rioters and told them that the laws OF
the United States must be obeyed.
General Mne4 was a broad-gauge man,
and his book viii abound In valuable 90
servations. II VIII tell the story OF the
conquest Of the great West and OF thu
building up of the empire beyond the Mis-.
sissippl. He is. perhaps. the best author.t,
on the Indian question now living and 9
part OF the book will treat OF matters ~
garding the Indians. The chief danger as "a
its great interest may come, l believe. from
General Miles's modesty. He is 30 simple
in his makeup that he does not seem "a
realize that his life has been more than
/, commonplace. and In his private talks about
! TIE things OF which he has been 80 grea<
a part he puts himself In the background.
During my chat with him about his book
Z 1 asked him many questions az to his
life. and i had 10 ask again and again
/, TO get at his real part In the actions he de-
t scribed. Ny talk with him was more OF {
. social chat than a Fixed interview. but II
!, contained so much OF interest that 1 VIII
] give some parts Of 1t just as they %
; CURED.
: HOW HE BECAME A SOLDIER.
I AS was looking over the contents a
3 the book at one time during the evening.
: reviewing. as I. were. General Miles,
I career, 1 thought how wonderfully ne wa
2 fitted by nature for the work he has done