The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-08-09

Lieut. Gen. Nelson Appleton Miles,
who is commanding general of the
United States army, retired from &C
tive duty Thursday, Aug. 8.
During the past year his aides, under
the direction of Col. Whitney, have pre-
pared a synopsis of the career of Gen.
Miles from the date of his enlistment as
a captain in the Twenty second Massa-
chusetts infantry on Sept. 8, 1861, I'M
til the concentration of troops in Chi
cago in 1894, at the time of the great
railroad strikes. From 1894 to the
present reference is made to the pub
lished reports of Gen. Miles.
The synopsis was not written by the
aides, but was compiled from official
documents at the war department, Or
ders from generals under whom Miles
served and, in part, from reports Of
Gen. Miles made of his various cam
paigns, not only in the Civil war but
in the Indian wars, against Sitting
Bull, Geronimo and other famous war
riGIs. 1t tells in the calm official Ian
guage of men who were reporting to
the secretary of war of the courage,
daring and military genius of Gen.
Miles. Every word of it is from the
records, but is as interesting as a skill
fully written tale of military adventure,
and tends to show the great services
Gen Miles has given his country.
The Glib e herewith presents, in
narrative form, some of the stories of
the stirring events in the military life
of Cen Miles, condensed from this
synopsis prepared by Gen. Miles aides,
as peculiarly fitting at this time, when
Gen. Miles is laying aside his sword.
Gen. Miles in the Civil War.
Gen. Miles was enrolled as captain
of Company E, Twenty second Nassa-
chusetts volunteers, on Sept. 8, 1861.
He was then twenty-five years old. His
first active duty came on Feb. 4, 1862
when he went out with detail on
scouting expedition in Fairfax county,
Virginia. He captured several scouts
and located the enemy's cavalry and
picket line. He was in the siege Of
Yorktown at the battle of Williams
burg.
1t. was at the battle of Fair Oaks on
June 1, 1862, that Gen. Miles, then an
aide on the staff of Gen. Howard, first
saw real fighting. He took the left
wing of Towards troops, collected the
scattered companies and fought all day
in the open. He was wounded in the
foot. 1t was a severe and holly con-
tested battle, and Miles was commend
ed in the report of his commanding
officer.
On June 20, 1852, he TODD an active
part in the Seven Days battles He
was a captain then, and of him the
commanding officer said: His activ-
ity was incessant. On Sunday he VOL
unteered to cut q road through the
woods from Aliens farm to Savage
Station, and, collecting aXmen from
various regiments, soon made road
practicable for artillery, which was
undoubtedly the means of saving three
batteries"
At the battle of Fredericksburg, from
Dec. IL to Is, 1852 Miles was a colonel
in command of the SiXty-fourth regi-
ment, New York volunteers. He had
twenty-saven officers and 408 men.
During the fighting three officers were
wounded and 105 enlisted men were
killed, wounded or missing. Miles re-
ceived a severe wound in the throat in
this engag ement, and was recommend
ed by Gen. Hancock for promotion to
a brigadiership He received many
CONNIE datiOns for his conduct in the
battle of Antietam, but it was left to
the Charlottesville campaign to bring
out his real qualities as a soldier.
Gen. Caldwell, of the First brigade,
in his report, spoke of the troops COM
prising the picket line on May as
follows: Gel. Miles skirmished all day
long with the enemy, and at 8 p. m.
repulsed with signal loss a determined
attack made in two columns on each
side of the road. [ do not doubt that
this repulse of the enemy, which kept
them from our main line, was due prin-
cipally to the skill and gallantry of
Col. Miles, who, with a single line Of
skirmishers, deployed at three PAGES
and repealed a determined attack of the
enemy made in columns, feat rarely
paralleled."
Miles was severely wounded in the
abdomen on the next day. 1t was
thought he would die. While he was
IN, oil Hancock
recommended his promotion TO briga-
dier. and later he received that COM
mission.
Gen. Miles took part in the Gettys-
burg campaign, where he had an I'M
Dortant command, and in the Mine Run
campaign from Nov. 26 to Dec. 2, 1858.
He was actively engaged in the cam
Daign of the Wilderness from May II
10 June 4, 1864, and had many fights
with the enemy He received his COM
mission of brigadier general of volun-
teers on May p, 1864, after every Of
ficer under whom he had served had
recommended him to the secretary of
war. He was in the Richmond cam
Daign from June Is to July 81, 1864,
and commanded the First brigade of
the First division of the Second army
corps This campaign included the
Petersburg mine operations. He con-
tinued through the Richmond cam
paign from Aug. to Dee. 81, 1854.
At the battle of Ream's station Gen.
Gibbons was repulsed. In his report
Gen Hancock said: affairs at this
juncture were in a critical condition,
and but for the bravery and obstinacy
on the part of the First division and
the fine conduct of their commander
(Gen Miles,, would have ended still
more disastrously. Gen. Miles SUI ca d.