The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-09-08
\ TRIBUTE TO GENERAL MILES
From Fourteenth Connecticut Man
 Who Served Under Him in the War

the War of the Rebellion, writes to the Springfield Republican concerning Gen. eral Miles as follows:
 Tn conversation with several persons, among them several old soldiers, have noticed that some of them have con- founded the name of General Nelson A. Miles with Colonel Dixon S. Miles, who surrendered Harper's Ferry to the enc my September 15, 1862, two days before the battle of Antietam, Having served under General Nelson A. Miles, and having often seen him in the army and under almost all conditions and know ing his standing in the army at the time, I would like to make the state nlent that General Nelson A. Miles nev- CT surrendered.
 His record in the civil war was pecu- liar as well as brilliant as will be seen as we look into his career. General o. O. Howard seems to have been the first general officer to notice the worth of Lieutenant Miles by appointing him on his staff as aide. The first we notice of Lieutenant Miles is at Fair Oaks, talk ing portion of the Eghty-frst Penn sylvania, whose colonel had been killed, and leading them on and holding the
 
 the advance of the enemy from that di- rection. This, I think, was his first ex- perience under fire. Nelson A. Miles was lieutenant in the Twenty second Massachusetts and for his eminent ser vices on the Peninsula was appointed by the governor of New York as colonel of the Sixty-first New York. At Fred ericksburg we find him leading the Six ty-first and Sixty-fourth New York, charging the stone wall at Marye's Heights. His men moved in with arms at right shoulder" They crossed the telegraph road and came to front with their left resting on the road. Here Colonel Miles was wounded in the throat, and came back to General Couch and asked permission to lead a new charge. But the situation was hopeless and the request was not grant, ed.
 At Chancellorsville we find Miles in command of the skirmish line in front of Hancock 5 men. These skirmishers were about three paces apart and with this light line of men Colonel Miles sev- eral times turned the enemy back, and at a time when it would have compli- cated the movements of the army, as at that time Jackson had the Eleventh corps at a disadvantage. So delighted was Hancock at the behavior of the skirmish line, after the repulse of the enemy, that he exclaimed, Captain Parker, ride down and tell Colonel Miles he is worth his weight in gold" Gen. eral Couch said to the major generals commanding two of his divisions, T tell you what it is gentlemen, shall not be surprised to- find myself some day serv- ing under that young man"-certainly no small tribute, coming as it did from the senior major general of the army and veteran of two wars. Hancock's line was the left of the army, and all through the fight finds Miles with the skirmishers and at last, on the eve of the last days fight, after miraculously escaping injury, this young officer, who had so long conducted this gallant de- fense, was shot through the body and carried from the field, his bearers pass ing near Couch and Hancock, who had with delight watched his behavior through the day.
 At Bristow Station General Miles commanded the first brigade, second division, Second corps. At Mine Run. three miles beyond Hope Church, the first resistance was encountered by Miles. Miles line charged and broke the enemy, which retreated to their breastworks seen in the rear. As well known, General Warren, after looking over the field, would not charge the works unless he received renewed or ders from General Meade, and by so refusing closed the campaign of Mine Run.
 Tn the Wilderness at Todd's tavern and Pc river Miles and his men were engaged, and at Spottsylvania (May 12. 1S64) Miles brigade was In the front line and led that famous charge which resulted in the capture of 4,000 prison CTS, General Edward Johnson, General George H. Stuart, thirty colors and eighteen cannon Colonel Miles was made brigadier general after this en- gagement. At Cold Harbor and Pters- burk Miles was engaged several times, and at Deep Bottom we find him again in personal command of the skirmish line General Miles, taking the advan- tage afforded by the ground, protect ing and concealing his advance threw the line forward against the breast works. So skilfully was this move made, although the lines were protected by both infantry and artillery, the works were carried by the skirmish line alone. Some prisoners were taken but the best was to capture four twenty four pound Parrotts, with their cais- sons. The enemy being strongly rein forced, we were not permitted long to hold the works. General Morgan says: "This movement was conducted with skill and coolness, and in this manner General Miles fought his way back to Deep Creek, never permitting the ene- my to move them until they were pre- pared to receive and repel them by a second line"
 August 25, 1864. at Reams Station, we find General Miles engaged in tearing up the railroad. A line of works had been constructed which crossed the railroad and was soon attacked by the enemy and hard fight was on. The Union line was broken. General Miles was disappointed by the behavior of some of the troops, called up portion of his old regiment and threw it across the breastworks at right angles and commenced to fight his way back, lead ing the men in person. His horse was shot under him and his bridle rein cut At this time the troops under his com