The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-18

also over an academy in his Massachusetts
town, this energetic c~oloaist commanded
a company in King Phillips war and his
house was known as Miles Garrison. 1.-THE
Rev. John Miles son, Samuel, was the
rector of Kings CHAPEL for nearly thirty
years. The descendant Of Samuel. both
his son and his sons sons, were Revolu-
tionary soldiers.
Nelson Appleton Miles, born in 1899, is
a native of Westminster, Mass, and the
son of Daniel and Mary Curtis Miles. The
bero's boyhood was just such an unevent-
full one as tails TO the lot OF any farmers
boy, and to complete the humdrum OF the
sCene, at Us years Of age, young Nelson
entered a Boston retail house as clerk.
Surely nothing could be less indicative of
the future destiny OF this commander OF
q nations army.
Major-General Miles says quantity al be-
gan as O captain reduced 10 a lieutenant"
Ihe circumstances thus briefly summed
up are these; AT the outbreak Of the civil
war, Gen. Miles, who had already had
military training, with 1900, given him
by his father and an additional 1880
loaned him by a wealthy relative, fitted
out Company Il of the Twenty-second
Massachusetts Infantry and was made its
-dH+y commissions a-eaPtatff.- btt OFT the
very eve OF departure for the battlefield,
cautious Governor Andrew sent a request
~ hL0 IOtAAAlhA 1AINuAh ~ ElN0 UP has
rank ana title ''to an older man, Nat
urally enough the newly made captain
protested, but his patriotism was deeper
Than his personal pride, ard he stepped
gracefully down into the place of hrst
lieutenant.
1t soon became evident hat the first
lieutenant of Company f. was not likely
long 10 give place TO Older men his youth
was no hindrance TO energy ana skill.
At Fair Oaks the death of an officer
placed him at the head of a regiment, and
he won official mention for his success.
This was but the beginning of a series of
brilliant and daring successes, the out
come OF which was as unique as 1t was
deserved-the appointment OF Nelson A.
Miles by Governor Morgan TO the position
OF observation-disclosures OF the SiNty-first
New YORK. Ia Governor Morgan's y
words, "lt was an unusual proceeding to
take a lieutenant from another State and
thus promote him over the officers OF the
regiment, but my action was more than
iustilsH by the brilliant career OF General
Miles,
AT hut little over ,wenty-three years OF
age, Miles was promoted TO the RAM Of
colonel of the ~Sixty-first New York.
Ii Is in just this position OF his army
service that the general seems TO have
made his personal collection of bullet
wounds,Nnd he did so with n Zest that
rGme near proving fatal in at least two
instances. His first wound, a bullet hole
I'm the foot received at Fair Oaks,
amounted to comparatively little. at
Fredericksburg, however, n wound in the
throat sent him back to the field hospital,
and left an ugly scar which he will wear
for life. A Chancellcrville bullet came
still nearer to ending his career. But after
much probing the offending bit Of lead
was discovered and removcd-though not
until II had caused sufficient harm to
justify General Hancock's provision in the
following sentence from n letter Of his NJ
the time: IF Colonel Miles lives he will
be one OF the most distinguished officers
I'm the service" To complete the list, zen
eral Miles last wound. the fourth, was re-
ceived later at Petersburg; this proved
slight and during the remainder of his
service the general was SO fortunate as to
escape injury.
From the rank OF colonel for his bravery
at S~pottsylvania and in the Wilderness,