Miles
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
NELSON APPLETON, an rican military officer; born in West- American minster, Mass., Aug. 8, 1839 Entered the service as 1st lieutenant of the 22d Massachusetts Regiment in October, 1861; and distinguished himself at the battles of Fair Oaks, Charles City Cross Roads, and Malvern Hill. In September, 1862, he was commissioned colonel of the 61st New York Regiment, which he led at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, where he was severely wounded. He commanded the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, MILAZZO (mē-lät'sō) (ancient Mylæ), 2d Army Corps, in the Richmond cama fortified seaport of Sicily, on a promon-paign, and was promoted Brigadier-General, May 12, 1864; and brevetted Major- General for gallantry at Ream's Station in December, 1864. At the close of the war he was commissioned colonel of the 40th United States Infantry. He was promoted Brigadier-General in December, 1880; Major-General in April, 1890; and succeeded Lieut.-Gen. John M. Schofield as commander of the army in 1895. He took a prominent part in the wars with the Indians in 1874 and thereafter. On July 13, 1898, he assumed personal command of the army around Santiago, Cuba; and after the surrender of the Spanish army commanded the expedition which left Guantanamo Bay, July 21, landed at Guanica, Porto Rico, July 25, and was marching on San Juan, the capital, when the armistice stopped hostile operations. On the reorganization of the army in 1901 the grade of Lieutenant-General was revived and he was promoted to it. Retired Aug. 8, 1903. Publications "Personal Recollections" (1896); "Military Europe" (1898). MILES O'REILLY. See HALPINE, CHARLES GRAHAM.
What Has Changed in the Last Century
When Collier's wrote this in 1921 Miles was still living, retired at 82; the entry simply stops at his 1903 retirement. He died on May 15, 1925, in Washington, reportedly collapsing at a circus while the national anthem played, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. What the account calls "a prominent part in the wars with the Indians" is now the most closely examined part of his career: the pursuit that ended in Chief Joseph's surrender in 1877, the capture of Geronimo in 1886, and his command of the department in which the Wounded Knee killings occurred in December 1890 — an act Miles himself denounced as a massacre and for which he pressed, unsuccessfully, to have Colonel Forsyth held to account.
Written for this edition, 2026.