New-York tribune., 1911-11-11

N1hN w 4hoHncNiAuS'ANS III iP'--
record OF the Mieses in the War OF In
dependence, added TO the deeds of the
fighting parson, early aroused in their
young descendant an interest in mill
tary matters At sixteen he went to
Boston to enter upon business career.
The irrepressible conflict was already
throwing its shadow before il. and the
youth. determined to serve his country
should ii call him, began industriously
to read books of military history trea-
tises on strategy and tactics. and dubbed
together with a number of others to
take lessons in military matters from a
French veteran, Colonel Salignac. This
club of youngsters afterward furnished
ments, some of them destined to win
distinction during the war. AS the ten
sion between North and South grew,
Northern militia companies began TO
be recruited to their full complement,
while voluntary organizations were
formed by young men, who were drilled
either by veterans Of the Mexican War
or by cx-officers of the French army,
who had more recent experience at
Magenta or Solferino. The imperial
forces being then at the acme of their
glory, the author tells us, 'Zouaves'
and "chasseurs" and their uniforms be-
came vastly popular among the Ameri-
cdA volunteers. In 1861 young Mr..
oil ha In tho world
and an additional borrowed $500 to
equip a company to be known as the
Warren Guards, in honor Of the hero
who fell at Bunker Hill. Elected cap
tain, Miles was duly appointed by the
Governor. but under political pressure
that official almost Immediately after
ward directed him to return his commits
sion, Offering him lieutenancy instead.
Thus began the brilliant career of
Lieutenant General Nelson A. Miles, U.
S. A. He was in the midst of the fight
ing from the very first. and talks OF II
interestingly, OF battle and carnage, of
the glory and the horror of them, of the
lighter side OF war; of the great fields or
Fair oaks, the Wilderness, Malvern
Hill, Fredericksburg Charlottesville.
Spottsylv3nia, and Of the bloody lane
at Antietam. The four serious wounds
he received in the course Of the
war he treats as part of the soldiers
day's work. stopping. however, to re-
member how it feels to be wounded:
While riding down the line at Chancel-
lorsville one of the enemy's bullets struck
my metallic belt plate. This caused a
slight deviation as it entered the Dody.
The result was an instant oeathiy slckeh-
ing sensation; my sword dropped from my
right hand my scabbard and belt dropped
TO the left; | was completely paralyzed
below the waist. My horse seemed to
realize what had occurred; he stopped,
turned and walked slowly back-I holding
TO the pOmmel of the saddle with my
hands.
After being mustered out as brigadier
general of volunteers at the end of the
war General Miles was appointed a
colonel and brevet major general of the
regular army, and assigned to the dis
trict Of North Carolina in 1866 being
transferred three years later to the COM
mand of the 9th United States In
fantry, then stationed at military post
in the unsettled portion of Western Kan
sas and Colorado. His service on the
last frontier was about TO begin, and, as
has already been said, it has yielded
some of the most vividly interesting
pages of the book. General Miles proves
himself a warm friend and admirer OF
Custer, and pays tribute to the cavalry
leaders, widow, who by her writings did
so much to keep his memory green. So
far as the Indians are concerned-and
they were very much concerned, indeed
in the events of the period-the author
is certainly their friend He knows that
there were good Indians as well as bad
ones al that time, and he speaks frankly
on the subject of the nations treatment
of its wards. The white man did his
best TO earn the hostility of the Ameri-
can natives
Spotted Tail was a strong character
according TO General Miles. a wise and
really great chief; Crazy Horse was the
incarnation of ferocity; Sitting Bull the
type of the Indian who stunned our civ
ilization and ever advocated war.
Geronimo was the most ruthless Of them
all. Chief Joseph was the highest type
of Indian | have ever known, handsome
kind and brave" Picturesque tales,
these, of arduous campaigning, whose
lie no other military force has prob
ably ever known. When starting on the
campaign against the Sioux:
1t was found that the troops had every
thing that the regulations required. After
leaving the military post they soon pre-
pared for serious campaigning. All use
less impedmenta were discarded .
swords bayonets. knapsacks, cartridge
boxes We're regarded as obsolete. What
the troops really needed were strong cloth
ing. good food, rifles, and plenty OF am
munition i'm cartridge belts. The eXpe-
rienced soldier relied on his rife.
The Indian. our expert Indian fighter
says, was a dangerous enemy within 200
yards the range at which he was ac-
customed to kill game Beyond that
when he had to estimate distances, ar
range rife-sights. etc, he was markedly
inferior to the soldiers. Raiding and
fighting in summer were pastimes to
lHcll, bul d NIItNI pun iSuIl tie%t mover
let up took the heart out of them. The
great scouts, Buffalo Bill at their head
arc not forgotten, neither are the pow
vows" that punctuated the stages Of
the campaigns And there was romance,
the romance, for instance, OF white
women rescued from the enemy.
In 1880 General Miles was promoted
to the grade OF brigader general and
assigned 70 the command Of the Depart
ment of ne Columbia. Nine years later
he was transferred again. TO the Depart