Miles, Nelson Appleton, 1839-1925

Nelson Appleton Miles (b. Aug. 8, 1839, Westminster, Massachusetts-d. 1925, Washington, D.C.), Lieutenant General in the U.S. Army, was self-educated and began his military career in 1861 with the Massachusetts Volunteers. He rose swiftly in the ranks, was wounded four times, and was a veteran of almost all major battles of the Army of the Potomac. He was promoted to Major General of Volunteers in October 1865 at the age of 26 and gained a commission in the post-war regular army. He was later active on the Western frontier during hostilities with the Indians, including victories against the Cheyenne and Comanche, and succeeded in capturing the elusive Apache leader, Geronimo. In 1895 he became the Army's Commander-in-Chief, and in 1901 was promoted to Lieutenant General. He retired in 1903.

Soldier who fought in every important Civil War battle, except one, of the Army of the Potomac, and later participated in many campaigns against the Indians west of the Mississippi.

Union Army general; formerly a first lieutenant in the 22nd Massachusetts Volunteers

American general.

George Armstrong Custer was a famous cavalry officer during the Civil War and the Indian wars of the 1860s and 1870s. Elizabeth Bacon Custer, his wife, was the author of several works about Army life on the plains. After the death of her husband, she dedicated her life to defending his honor.

American General and cavalry leader. He served in the Civil War and in the campaigns against the American Indians.

Army officer.

Born to Daniel Miles and Mary Curtis near Westminster, Massachusetts, Nelson Appleton Miles (1839-1925) was educated at John R. Galt’s academy before working as a store clerk in Boston. During the Civil War, he enlisted in the 22nd Massachusetts Volunteer Regiment as a first lieutenant and was eventually promoted to be an aide-de-camp to General Oliver Otis Howard. In 1865, Miles was promoted to major general and received a medal of honor for gallantry. Following the war, he was assigned to Fort Monroe, Virginia, and managed the Freedmen’s Bureau. In 1868, Miles married Mary Hoyt Sherman, with whom he had two children. A year later, he was appointed a colonel in the 5th Infantry Regiment in the U. S. Army, later leading an expedition against Native Americans in the Texas Panhandle in 1874, and fighting in the Red River War. Miles later defeated Crazy Horse as well as the Nez Percé tribe in 1877. After advancing to the position of brigadier general three years later, he instigated Geronimo’s defeat in 1886 and became major general of the Division of the Missouri in 1889. Miles was promoted to general-in-chief in 1895, commanding the army during the Spanish-American War in 1898.

Source:

Steinbach, Robert H. Miles, Nelson Appleton. Handbook of Texas Online . Accessed July 14, 2011. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fmi77 .

Officer in the U.S. Army. Entered Union Army during Civil War (1861-1865) as a Lieutenant, commanding company of Massachusetts volunteers. Ended war as Brevet Major General in command of 26,000 troops. Received regular commission as a Colonel in the U.S. Army in 1865, given command of 5th Infantry in the Western states.

Defeated the Cheyenne, Kiowa and Commanche (1874-1875); successfully fought against the Sioux, led by Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse (1876-1880); overtook the Nez Perce and forced their surrender (1877); defeated the Apache under Geronimo (1886); and forced the final surrender of the Sioux at Wounded Knee, South Dakota (1890-1891). Promoted to Brigadier General in 1880; Major General in 1890; and Liutenant General in 1901. Appointed commander of the Army in 1895. Retired from active duty in 1903.

Born to Daniel Miles and Mary Curtis near Westminster, Massachusetts, Nelson Appleton Miles (1839-1925) was educated at John R. Galt's academy before working as a store clerk in Boston.

During the Civil War, he enlisted in the 22nd Massachusetts Volunteer Regiment as a first lieutenant and was eventually promoted to be an aide-de-camp to General Oliver Otis Howard. In 1865, Miles was promoted to major general and received a medal of honor for gallantry. Following the war, he was assigned to Fort Monroe, Virginia, and managed the Freedmen's Bureau. In 1868, Miles married Mary Hoyt Sherman, with whom he had two children. A year later, he was appointed a colonel in the 5th Infantry Regiment in the U. S. Army, later leading an expedition against Native Americans in the Texas Panhandle in 1874, and fighting in the Red River War. Miles later defeated Crazy Horse as well as the Nez Percé tribe in 1877. After advancing to the position of brigadier general three years later, he instigated Geronimo's defeat in 1886 and became major general of the Division of the Missouri in 1889. Miles was promoted to general-in-chief in 1895, commanding the army during the Spanish-American War in 1898.

Biographical Note

Elizabeth Cameron

J. D. Cameron

Nelson Appleton Miles

Sherman Miles

Officer in the U.S. Army. Entered Union Army during Civil War (1861-1865) as a Lieutenant, commanding company of Massachusetts volunteers. Ended war as Brevet Major General in command of 26,000 troops. Received regular commission as a Colonel in the U.S. Army in 1865, given command of 5th Infantry in the Western states.

Defeated the Cheyenne, Kiowa and Commanche (1874-1875); successfully fought against the Sioux, led by Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse (1876-1880); overtook the Nez Perce and forced their surrender (1877); defeated the Apache under Geronimo (1886); and forced the final surrender of the Sioux at Wounded Knee, South Dakota (1890-1891). Promoted to Brigadier General in 1880; Major General in 1890; and Liutenant General in 1901. Appointed commander of the Army in 1895. Retired from active duty in 1903.