Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 07.djvu/392

 MILES

MILES

MILES, Dixon Stansbury, soldier, was born in Miiryliind in 1804. He was graduated from the U.S. Military academy in 1824, and promoted 2d lieutenant, 7th infantry. He served on fron- tier duty in Indian Territory and Missouri, 18'2.3- 80 ; and as ailjutant of the 7th infantry, 1830-36. He was promoted first lieutenant, April 30, 1833 ; was captain of .staff and assistant quartermaster, 1839-45 ; iiarticipated in the Florida war, 1839- 42 ; was at Pensacola. 1843-45 ; in Texas, 1845-46 ; and served in the Mexican war, 1846-47. He was

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in command of the city of Vera Cruz in 1847 ; was bre vetted major. May 9, 1846, for gallantry at Fort Brown, Texas, and lieutenant-colonel, Sept. 23, 1846, for gallantry at Monterey, Mexico. He was promoted major of the 5th infantry in 1847, lieutenant-colonel of 3d infantry in 1851 ; com- manded tlie southern column of the Gila expedi- tion, 1857 ; the Navajo expeditions in 1858 and 1859, and was promoted colonel, 2d infantry, Jan. 19. 1859. He commanded the 5th division of McDowell's army during the advance to Bull Run, Va. ; and during the battle of July 21, 1861, the division wa^ held in reserve at Centerville, and covered the retreat of the army. In March, 1862, his brigade guarded the Baltimore and Ohio railroad. In May, 1862, he was ordered to Har- per's Ferry, and commanded the entire Federal forces in the defence of Uarj)er's Ferry, Sept. 14, 15, 1862. After the Confederates gained Mary- land Heights, General Miles, failing to receive re- inforcements, determined to surrender, and while waving a white flag was mortally wounded. He died at Har{x>r'8 Ferry, Va., Sept. 16, 1862.

MILES, Frederick, representative, was born at Goshen, Conn., Dec. 19, 1815 ; son of Augustus and Koxa (Norton) Miles ; grandson of Samuel and Sylvia (Murray) Miles, and a descendant of Richard Miles, who came from England in 1637. He was educated at the public schools and became a merchant in Goshen. In 1858 he removed to Salisbury. Conn., and engaged in iron manufac- turing. He was a state senator, 1877-79 ; and a Republican representative in the 46th, 47th and 51st congresses, 1879-8:^ and 1889-91. He died near Salisbury. Conn.. Nov. 20, 1896.

MILES, Nelson Appieton, soldier, was born in Wpstiiiinst'r. Mass.. Aug. 8. 1839: son of Daniel and Mary (Curtis) Miles : grandson of Joab, great-- grandson of the Rev. Samuel, rector of King's

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Chapel, Boston, and great'-grandson of the Rev. John Myles, the immigrant, who came from Wales in 1664, landed at Weymouth, settled at Swansea, was a Baptist preacher, a soldier in the King Philip war, and teacher in the first grammar and Latin school in Boston. He worked on his fath- er's farm and in a crockery store in Bos- ton, where he attend- ed night school and a military school con- ducted by M. Salig- nac, and in 1861 with the encouragement and financial aid of his uncle, George Curtis, he recruited 100 volunteers, the company being as- signed to Col. Henry Wilson's 22d Mass- achusetts volunteers. The regiment was mustered into the U.S. service, Sept. 9, 1861, with Miles as captain. Governor Andrews how- ever commissioned hitn 1st lieutenant. On pay-day the U. S. paymaster said, "You are a captain, get your pay and take command of your company." Colonel Wilson, when he found that the matter would involve a question of authority between the state and the United States, advised young Miles to accept a position on the staff of General Casey, who on Nov. 9, 1861. assigned him to duty on the staff of Gen. O. O. Howard, with whom he served in the Peninsula campaign. At Fair Oaks, May 31-June 1, 1862, General Howard, finding the 61st New York volunteers, Col. Fran- cis C. Barlow, sorely pressed, ordered Miles to lead a detachment to his support, under a heavy fire from the enemy. This exploit, mentioned in Barlow's report, secured his appointment as lieutenant-colonel of the 61st regiment, his com- mission to date from May 31, 1802. At Antietam, Sept. 17, 1862, when Colonel Barlow was carried from the field wounded. Miles took command of the regiment, and when Barlow was promoted brigadier-general, Miles succeeded to the com- mand of the regiment, his commission dating from Sept. 30, 1862. At Chancellorsville, May 3, 1863, he was shot from his horse, and the wound was pronounced fatal, but the ball was ex- tradited and he returned to the army on crutches. He fought under Grant in 1864-65, and was wounded for the fourtli time at Petersburg. He was promoted brigadier-general, May 12, 1864, and major-general, Oct. 21,1865, and was honor- ably mustered out of the volunteer service, Sept. 1, 1866. He commanded a regiment, a brigade, a division, and in February, 1865, the 2d array