The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-21
GEN. MILES IN THE CIVIL WAR.
One Famous and Brilliant Incident or his
Service I'm tho ARMY OF the Potomac.

| -, A. .-hi,h Tup S,-N diacri mi Z
| ;n.,. -, IL
| H. hsa,,no ~ tho grant I-nion successes
~ "" "e, - S.,arsh,,r, an Tint memorable
ID ~ IVA, ,Oss ~ben the Confederate lines
49,, 60 IT, 49, 'uO'' ,ra,ad hv the I.nion army.
| -. -. Sno,,;nr, d.sn,,cb m the
! a..I, % - -. ~ Tho poton,ac.
! ,.,I- -. ,,,,,n, ,,r, 1896
| - uNnNi 10 ~. 80" ~, ,h,ng ~ n
.s.'."', S,-s.., ,r.,s. ,,r ,hc ne r,inacl,y
Nth 49,, ~ ',,'.s ~ rho .n.mv mnti he wruna
fror, h,, y,c,orv As the cavalry was coming dowr
IN. Cor and Rivcy roads am very much In hope,
we will hear tn nlrht of the capture OF the balance
OF Heth's and Wilcox divisions. think cavalry
force has been thrown to the very bridge ove'
| which they expected to escape In advance
U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant General
Such was the opinion on the spot of the
| surname victor Of the civil war Of Miles q
| performances on n div of amazing successes
| all along the line IL was an hour OF victory.
| yet Miles's brilliant performances compelled
| this spacjal commentary from the General
| in-Chief His praise was unreserved. and
! the history Of the event which called it forth
| proves that il WAS deserved. In fact the
! Official records OF the fall OF Petersburg show
that Gen. Miless operations on that day made
! a profound impression on the ablest soldiers
| there engaged lie was praised by Grant.
| Meade, Sheridan and Humphreys.
Although then only a few months over "a
years of age, Miles was already a brevet
| Major General of Volunteers. in command
| OF the finest division in the army. approx
| in,ately seven Thousand strong After night
| fall on April this division had been tempo
rarly detached from the Second Corps up
the White Oak road to the support OF Gen.
| Sheridan. then near Five Forks, where. late
| in the afternoon of that day he had smashed
! up and scattered the Confederate Gen
| Pickett's forces. the beginning OF the end.
This victory of Sheridan was the signal for
the Anal movements which next day cul-
minated in the fall OF Petersburg and the
last march of Lees Army OF Northern Viz
ginia. Grants tactics were fine Fifteen
miles to the west Sherdans cavalry, under
Merritt was to push northward to the South
side Railroad. with right wheel toward
Petersburg, the common centre on which
all the Union masses were CONVEX ging-
from the south east and west.
While his superb cavalry was thus NOV
ing in the grand concert OF the Second. Sherl-
DIM. in person, with two divisions of the
rect d.. ard N;Ies.s division of the SEQ
F"v'' W. 20 "''N -, 49, WI. al. -
ohd' was 10 sweep uo"n mo mh'e oaN loau'
The Sixth. Ninth and Second corps were 10
attack the Petersburg lines in their several
fronts AT daylight.
i'oiitS az way IeU 1870. .,. =. ooo 4,
WIN uHe I"opS Ha'heh' "N''' A''' "
fantry. Sheridan moved down TO the attack
early on the morning Of the I'd. Miles leading.
A, -. intarssction Miles left the White Oak
~. AZ ny, "a raovaJ northward on tho Cl,iborne
roau a hu lhoNeu hoi VI "a v" Wv ~
road toward Sutherland station on the
Southside Railroad. Sheridan rode with
Miles The distant guns about Petersburg
MI. ,S,, $500
were Already a-roar'
ing to attack with Milss's division. the
run r'a.n Doap pd , eup no,a from, Gem
rue Wy aiiu " o'e"ou n, -.
Meade, requesting the return OF NJ Hess de-
tached division to join Humphreys for an
a',acN uoMh ,''e n , aoau. . S,-,l,.
now MhtS h"u oe"ii aolH0he' '" ohei "'"h,
order of Lieut. Gen Grant. Sheridan was
therefore, under no obli legations TO respect an
on4a. ,,,,oh iss. = rsn,,ss, ~ sn Meade hi,
-" ,uE .Hu a,n.n,., hs ri.d.d md w,tbon, dis'
cussion turned over the division to Hum:
TO be handled hy Humphreys. Sheridan now
s sSt Upon other roads farther north leading
toward Petersburg, ana there TO oeSin anew new
Three distinct Union armies were that day
operating against Petersburg. all under sep
arate commanders, but the whole directed by
Gen. Grant. present in person: humphreys,
only corps commander, was in a guandary:
He wanted back his division, but he.knew that
Gen. Grant ) order detachlng IL TO sheridan
was supreme, and that the request FOR its
return from his own immediate army COM
mandeT. Meade. had no force. and In fact
might disArrange important plans OF the
Lieutenant-Generalc commanding
The upshot was that Humphreys, In the
circumstances. declined to receive back
Miies,s division and he. too, rode on to other
Thus Miles was left alone. Sheridan was
gone; Humphreys was gone. He was in
difficult position. with his single division.
The Confederates were apparently strong in
his front He did not know what he was fac
ing up the Claiborne road. Toward Peters,
burg the steady roar OF Wright's heavy battle
for the Confederate intrenchments was heard
with Increasing volume
An ordinary division commander of "a years
would have hest; ated and then withdrawn,
with the usual stereotyped excuses for failure
But Miles was an extraordinary soldier He
determned to fight lust the same as II Sheri-
dan and the Fifth Corps were still at his back
He knew that il was vital to the game to get
upon tie Southside Railroad as quickly aa
nppssihie -'
Denloyed in battle front across the Clai-
borne road he pushed northward for the goal
Of Sutherland station The Confederates
under Gen Cook slowly fell back eventually
taking a strong position, about midday, in
front of the station. After examining the
ground Gen, Miles attacked impetuoIlsly,
but WINS rcpulsed with considerable loss one
Of hiS briet,Ie commanders being wounded.
Then n second attack was made which
vns also repulsed and another of his briga-
diers wounded Things began TO look serious
But Miles wns on his mettle. After a strong