Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-05-16

and when the company wasYcom-
pleted and the funds still failed to
materialize, Miles took the = only
thousand dollars he had in the world
and by borrowing $4,000 more, paid
the men their bonus. He was never
reimbursed by the forgetful Etown
council.
Although only "a years OLD, miles
had become famous in army circles.
and Grant, Meade, Burnsidee Nc
Clellan, Hooker and every siother
field officer under whom he served
urged his promotion. He continued
his record at the Wilderness. and at
Spottsylvania he led his men with
such bravery that he soon received
Lis commission as Brigadier General.
He was later honored with the
brevet of Major General, with the
citation, for gallant and meritorious
service at Spottsylvania".
In the campaign around Peters,
burg the young general participated
in nearly every important action.
Here he received his fourth wound
and won another brevet as Major
General, bestowed in the fall OF 1865,
for highly meritorious and distin-
guished conduct throughout the
campaign and particularly for
bravery and valuable services at
Reams Station.
His last service in the war was to
pursue Lees forces to their sur
render at Appomattox, winning
Grants highest praise. He was then
given command of eastern Mary
land and Virginia and at Fortress
Monroe was given the custory OF
jefferson Davis, after the plot which
t,, he
coin. Several unpleasant duties re-
suited from this task, which brought
sharp criticism at the time from
southern statesmen who charged him
with having used unduly harsh
measures to safeguard the prisoner.
among which was the shackeling OF
Mr.. Davis. '
His Indian service began in 1870.
He then embarked on campaigns
which were to bring to close the
Indian wars which had lasted
through all the history Of the coun-
try. He won the thanks of the legis-
satures of four western states, and
the ranks, in succession, of Briga-
der and Major General in the regu-
lar army.
Miles tactics in treating with the
Indians had their mild as well as
bloody phases. He advocated kind
ness to them and always made 1t a
point to place in charge of their
agencies and reservations officers
noted for their integrity, to guard
the Indians from thefts and other
depredations. So successful was his
system that it was quite generally
adopted by the government upon his
recommendation. =.
al r.
the historic Chicago railroad strike.
He handled the crisis with such tact
and executive ability that he won
furter renown.
President Cleveland rewarded tho
Generals distinguished services by
appointing him commanding general
of the United States army. He was
then Sc years old. During his ten
ure of office he represented the army
as observer in the Turko- Grecian
war, and at Queen Victoria's dia-
mond jubilee in 1897.
When the war with Spain broke
out, Miles found he had several in
fiuential foes in the admipistration.
and it is said they prevented his
taking active command in the field
in Cuba. However, he was sent to
close the campaign at Santiago and
then went to Porto Rico.
At the age of so he was raised to
the rank of Lieutenant General, the
sixth army officer to bear that rank.
Political enemies were now rife in
the army. Miles was in opposition to
the administration. He was declar-
ed to have taken the stand that ~
commander of the army he was the
supremen military power of the
country and was therefore unwill-
ing to take orders from the admins
tration. Forgetting. it was said, the
powers of the President as comman-
der-in- chief, the fiery war horse was
constantly quarreling with the
President and Secretaries of War.
He quarreled with President Cleve-
mont; with. Mckinley and Secretary
Alger, and with Roosevelt and Root.
He was officially reprimanded for
publicly endorsing Admiral Dewey's
report in the Schley case, and be-
cause of strained relations with
Roosevelt, ne was sent, shortly be-
fore retiring, to make tour Of the
world to inspect armies Of other
powers. On his 64th birthday, hav-
ing reached the age of retirement,
but yet never an aid man, General
Miles was retired from Office with
out the appreciation and praise Gus
tomary toward retiring commanders.
General Miles married Miss Mary
Hoyt Sherman. neice of the famous
Civil War leader, in 1868, while
serving with western troops. Two
children, son and a daughter were
born to them. The son, Colonel
Sherman Miles, established an envi-
able record in the World War. and
was later sent to Constantinople as
an observer for the United States
when the Turkish army defeated
the Greeks in 1922 and reentered
Europe. The daughter. Cecelie Sher-
man Miles. married Colonel Samuel
Reber, U. S. A.