Evening star., 1925-05-15
Notable Fighter Famed in
Military History of Ma
ton for Years.
COMMANDED DIVISION
IN CIVIL WAR WHEN rs
Subdued Hostile Indian Tribes.
Disappointed When Unable to
Serve in 1917.

Gen. Nelson a Miles, retired. who
commanded the American Army in the
war with Spain. and who won fame
as a soldier in the Civil War and In
dian campaigns. died of angina pee
toris Mt the Barnum & Bailey and
Ringing Bros. circus today.
The end came without warning,
when he collapsed in his seat. He was
Sc years old.
He was retired in 1903 His resi-
dence here was at the Rochambeau
apartments
End Came Suddenly.
Gen. Miles was sitting in the third
row with Mrs. W. B. Noble. 1861 y
street, whose daughter married the
generals son. and they were accom-
panied by their grandchildren. Just
after the completion of the opening
pageant, Gen. Miles fell over back
wards into the arms of DR.. y. +.
Craig, 1880 Thirtieth street.
He was removed Immediately under
meath the seats and outside the tent,
1ut his heart had failed before aid
could be given.
The illness came 50 suddenly ard he
was carried out SO quietly that Mra.
Coolidge. who was sitting nearby, and
the thousands of other spectators knew
nothing OF the tragedy.
Afterward he was removed to
Casualty Hospital.
Gen. Miles lived at the Rochambeau
apartments here with 4 daughter,
Mrs. Samuel NJ. Refer, wife Of Col.
Samuel Keber, u. S. A. retired. He
spent most OF his time at the Army
and Navy Club, however, and only
recently returned to the Rochambeau,
where he has been living alone.
Boy General of Civil War.
Lieut.. Gen. Miles was one of the
"boy generals" of the Civil War. At
the age of % he had risen from the
rank of first lieutenant OF Volunteers
to that of major general, and Was conn
manding an entire army division of
%. 900 men.
Gen. Miles, who at the peak of his
military career was commanding gen
eral OF the Army, was one of the few
high ranking officers of the regular
establishment to attain his position
without West Point training, and also
enjoyed the distinction OF being among
the still smaller group TO be honored
From a clerical position in Boston
business house, he entered the Army
at the age of p, participated IN more
than 80 of the SevereSL engagements
of the Civil War, was four times at
the point of death from wounds, and
emerged from the great struggle the
poSsessor of many enviable citations
for bravery and distinguished serV-
ice Continuing in the Army, he
nd N1,rs1In1 Indians the
great plains for more than 20 years,
led the army of occupation in Porto
Rico during the Spanish American
War, and although long retired when
the United States entered the World
War, he was ready and eager to par
ticipate once again in the service to
which his life had been devoted.
Sought World War Service.
1t was the saddest disappointment
of long ard adventurous career
when, despite his best efforts, Gen.
Miles was not recalled to active serv-
ice in 1917. He had been retired in
1903 upon reaching the age limit, but
when the United States entered the
European war ne asked to be sent to
Siberia with the American troops. 1t
was decided, however, that an eX-
ception could not be made in his
case. hence his last military service
was in 1916. when he presided over
the medal of honor board. which re-
viewed the list of officers and men who
had been honored by the Nation with
that decoration.
Gen. Miles received his first military
training at the hands of former OIL
Ger of the French army who eked out
a livelihood in Boston by teaching Il
number of young men the tactics en-
hIy ha Erenph II
quite natural that his ambitions should
center on the army, for he spranS
from a long line of fighting colonists
on the paternal side. The family
traced its ancestry back to Rev. John
Myles, a fighting parson, who, upon
the outbreak of king Phillips War,
in 1915, girded on his sword and led
the colonists against the Indians.
Capt Myles' home was fortified by
the pioneers, and from there he led
many subsequent forays against the
red men.
Ancestors at Yorktown.
Daniel Miles and Joab Miles, great
grandfather and grandfather. respec-
lively, of Gen. Nelson a. Miles, fought
in the Revolutionary War and were
lin at the death" when Yorktown
fell. His father Daniel, also was a
fighter.
The elder Daniel Miles at one time
possessed a large landed fortune,
which he had built up through long
years of unremitting toll. Just as the
rountry was settling back after the
War of Independence, Daniel Miles
was one of those who reposed enough
confidence in the Government he had
aided in establishing to convert his
farms and treasure into Colonial cur
rency. There was d great wave of
counterfeiting sweeping the land at
that time, however, and hardly had
the Miles fortune been counted out in
paper money when the Government
suddenly repudiated the entire Issue,
and the family, along with many 9TH
ers, was reduced almost to poverty.
Young Nelson himself was a fighter
and Indian vanquisher from his earl
lest youth. While at school he was
never so happy as when leading his
comrades against imaginary "In-
dians," who were always uppermost in
the young soldiers mind. His elder
brother, Daniel. who taught him in
school, used this military prediction
10 calm the boys pranllish moments.
He was sore pressed to discipline Mel
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