Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Colonel Nelson Appleton Miles received the Medal of Honor for his actions between May 2 and 3, 1863 in Chancellorsville, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with 61st New York Infantry. Miles was 23 years old.
11 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on July 23, 1892, 29 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Lieutenant General Ret..
Miles was born on August 8, 1839 in Westminster, Worcester County, Massachusetts. His Medal of Honor is credited to Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Miles died on May 15, 1925 in Washington, District of Columbia, at the age of 85. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. His medal is held by National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC.
Miles is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 265 credited to Massachusetts.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Distinguished gallantry while holding with his command an advanced position against repeated assaults by a strong force of the enemy; was severely wounded.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
How he died
- Manner of death: natural causes
- Cause of death: myocardial infarction
- Age at death: 85
- Resting place: Arlington National Cemetery
Cause and manner of death: Wikidata.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: American Civil War, Spanish–American War, American Indian Wars.
Life beyond the battlefield
- Offices held: Commanding General of the United States Army; Governor of Puerto Rico
- Occupations: politician, lieutenant general
- Education: Taylor University
Source: Wikidata.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Massachusetts →
Timeline
- August 8, 1839Born in Westminster, Worcester County, Massachusetts
- May 2 - 3, 1863Act of valor — Chancellorsville, VirginiaAge 23. 61st New York Infantry
- July 23, 1892Medal of Honor presented
- May 15, 1925Died in Washington, District of ColumbiaAge 85.
- Resting placeArlington National CemeteryArlington, Virginia
Biography
Nelson Appleton Miles (August 8, 1839 – May 15, 1925) was a United States Army officer who served in the American Civil War (1861–1865), the last stages of the American Indian Wars (1840–1890), and the Spanish–American War (1898). From 1895 to 1903, Miles served as the last Commanding General of the United States Army, before the office was transformed into the current Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army in 1903.
From the Wikipedia article “Nelson A. Miles”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
