The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-08-08
THE HUMAN PROCESSION


 Lieut.. Gen. Nelson Appleton Miles, retired, former cornmander-in-chief of the United States Army, being his seventy fifth year to-day, having been born in Westminster, Mass, August 8, 1889. He retired just ten years ago to-day, and has since traveled widely and written many articles for maga- zines and reviews. He recently vis- ited the Balkan States to view the battlef1e1ds and gain the material for military review of the war. In this work he will have the assistance of his son, Maj. Sherman Miles, who has been military attache with the Balkan
 The venerable but active warrior holds pronounced opinions of many military matters of moment He be- heves that the abolition of the can teen in the United States army was 9 mistake, and that 1t should be restor clares, the canteen would tend to inn prove the health, discipline and eff ciency of the service.''
 Gen. Miles is decidedly against com pulsory military service, and denoun- ces any scheme tending to the Ger manization' of the United States. He advocates a, standing army for the United States. and for all European countries as well, of one soldier to each 1000 inhabitants.
 Gen. Miles served through the civil war with Massachusetts and New York infantry, rising to the rank of major-genera1 of volunteers. He con, tinued his military career as colonel of the Fortieth regiment of infantry. He conducted several campaigns against the Indians on the western frontier, notably those directed against Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, Chief Jo- seph, the infamous Geronimo and While in 0u0lling the warlike instincts of Fthe redskins he made the acquaintance of Col Co., dy, Buffalo Bill," and the two have ever remained firm friends.
 Gen. Miles first visited the Balkans as the United States military represen- tative at the seat of the Turco-Gre- clan war He also represented the United States army at the Queen Vic toria Jubilee celebration. He. was senior officer commanding the army from 1895 until his retirement in 1903
 :: The former chief of Uncle sam's fighters has an international reputa- ton as a military authority, and his books. Military Europe and Ob- servations Abroad" published fifteen years ago, were read and discussed by army officers all over the world.
 In his memoirs Gen. Miles has giv- en theworld a valuable record of In dian warfare. He pays a high trib- ute to many of the redskin leaders, and declares that the injustices of the government agents were responsible for many of the uprisings. Of Chief Joseph of the Neg Perces he says: "He was the highest type of the Indian en the world a, valuable record of In 1ous, braVe-'' It was long the boast of the Neg Perees that they had never killed a. paleface, but they were driv- en to desperation when the great white father ordered them to leave their reservation in the land of their fathers. Chief Joseph surrendered to Gen. Miles only after hard fight and siege. Gen. Miles advocated the maintenance of an Idaho reservation for the vanqufshed Indians, but, he writes, orders were received sending them to the Indian Territory, where fifty per cent. Of them died of low nalaria1 fever.'' Of Geronimo, the Apache, Gen. Miles said, There has seldom appeared g. more ruthless ma rauder. He had the most determin- ed face and piercing eye that I have ever seen.''