The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-09-30
GENERAL NELSON A. MILEa

fields probable successor. While General |
Miles was the senior major general of the
army, and one of the most popular, per
sanally, with his subordinates, it ives re-
ported that he was, for some reason, per
soma non grata to the president, and that
the fact that he had no diploma from West
Point might weigh against his chances.
General Ruger was the principal rival for
the appointment mentioned.
There was also an impression in some
quarters that the office of general of the
army might be left vacant for some time,
as there is no requirement of law for such
position and as there are precedents for
leaving it untitled. Only once since the
army was organized however, has the pre-
sident failed to appoint the senior general
to the command of the army.
mere :, Ile'i 1871 t''9Iiles VS.. " 90eh ny a 'rS
So 'uef OF Uhe AsSOclaUeu Press at his head
rters on Governors Island, ne spok,
Fprlse ny of his appointment
Their y informant" " said the general, ''wa,
Nes Of aly Lamont, whom l met by specl
W the tmenC at the Metropolitan club il
4 VocOrk last Friday. Naturally, 1 wa.
nv Mr. ratified. In sense, however, .l.y
aP rh len6 is not a promotion rs the
graz lieutenant general became extinct
WIN Ihe retirement Of General ,5choneld
WINES " upon my new duties with as
little Mir. ans possible; in fact, as soon as
6ne secs. Ki, Of war issues the order an
nounclNand Asuccession.
In lea buoh bore l will do so with many
& REGRETS. (orge is the pleasantos5 post l
ever mad Y'7, ,aough in the very heart of
civization "; MA much retired as if it were
hundreds aKricis away instead of being
within guhillian3f the metropolis. Then,
100, the peoplSA. lew York ard Brooklyn
nave Deen iNomasspitable and l shall
leitVe them WlJAyieldy social Obligations" 3"
General Miles \ asked whether he will
recommend any q res in the admins
Vr"tlon OF the alnAuthGe replied that if he
50 contemplated it(e cad hardly be proper
TO discuss them at thd SINE.
me general WouldOace &c no direct reply
to the question whS he thoupbt The
grade Of Lieutenant ge Lal might be re-
viyed by gress in hisnce as in that Of
General Schoheld. plf
When asked whether Ger's,al Ruger will
succeed him ia commau&- the Ganart-
ment Of the east General MSS rapijed
"That is the general impAs Non; but. of
course, / cannot speak authNiAtivoIv -
The rank OF lieutenant geAl.I expires
with General SohCGeld's retiANenr as il
is q grade created only by spack acts of
congress in recognition Of disti6ruished
services. It iias been bestowed Aupon six
generals-Wa Washington, Scout Grant. Sber-
man, Sheridan and Scho1eld.
General Niles has received all hisimili-
ta1y training on the field cf oxpmaAnca
instead of IN the schools He VIII beuhe
INST general Tor many years who WA not
a West Point graduate, ana as the West
| Pointers are reputed 30 esteem themselves
/ the aIiuocracy Of the arms it has been re-
/ ported chat his volunteer antecedents
/ would milituOe against his appointment.
| SO far as the influence OF the army circle
hau 10 do with it. General Winfield Scott
was the lest commanding general who
/ was not West Point man.
General Miles Is q native Of Massacbu
setts, having been born in Westminster
on Aug 8, 1889. In 1861 he Joined tbe
| Twenty second Massachusetts, and served
throughout The rebellion with great dis
tinction. Hs distinguished himself early in
his career in The Army of the Potomac. and
took part in every engagement, except one
up 10 Lees Gcrrender at Appomattox. Gen
eral Miles distinguished himself in partieu-
lar at Spottsy Attacking the bloody
angle on tho right, he broke the enemv;s
line, routed Linn and captured Lieutenant
uehefdl busutod Johnson and his diVi-
sion. At Five Forks Miles saved the dav
by corning TO the rescue of Sheridan's cav
airy and Waren's fifth corps.
General Miles promotion was narl,o7
by somewhat exceptional rapidity, only
about year elapsing before he was made
lieutenant colonel of the Sixtv-Grst Nav,
York infantry, and month later he was
made IA colonel Of the same regiment In
1864 he atoained the rank of brigadisr
general Of volunteers In 1866 he v,as
mustered out Of the volunteer service and
placed in command Of the Fourth United
Stntos infnntrY IN Nlhich he te..,ni,...l ~ |