细节
MILES, NELSON, Major General. Autograph letter signed ("Nelson A. Miles"), to Gen. Wm. T. Sherman, with long autograph endorsement signed of Sherman on verso of concluding page. Ebbitt House, 4 March 1879. 11 pages, small 8vo, written on rectos and versos of 3 folded sheets, some light spotting, otherwise fine.
Maj. Gen. Nelson Miles (1839-1925), winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor, was engaged in frontier Indian fighting (1869-1880), and led successful campaigns against Apache and Sioux tribes. In this detailed letter to Sherman, Miles recounts his successful campaigns against the Indians (mentioning Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, Lame Deer, etc.) and suggests his own appointment as Brigadier General ("or colonel") in command of one District of Montana.
"In accordance with your suggestion I will submit to writing a matter of very great personal interest to me. I presume it is admitted that when I was left on the Yellowstone in the Autumn of 1876 the Sioux Indians had absolute control of that country and with the exception of an engagement of troops under Mackenzie with a camp of Cheyennes no movements were made by troops except my own. Before the openig of spring...the followers of Sitting Bull Crazy horse and Lame Dear had been force to surrender or driven out of that country... Subsequently the Nez Percé & Bannock camps were captured and that the whole region of country cleared of hostile Indians for the last eighteen months. Not a single white man has been killed and citizens have moved unharmed and unmolested through that country from the British line to the southern boundary of Montana until within the least few weeks in accomplishing the above work the lives of many valuable officers and soldiers were lost. A condition of peace and security has been maintained in that country and I know can be continued although it is no easy task."
He continues: "In my opinion some officer in whom the government has full confidence should have charge of the important interests in that territory [Montana] and be responsible for results be his rank that of Brigadier General or Colonel..."
In response, Sherman refers the letter to Gen. P. H. Sheridan with a copy of his reply [not present], "both papers to be considered as Confidential, until further action."
Miles was appointed brigadier-general, United States Army, Dec. 15, 1880.
Maj. Gen. Nelson Miles (1839-1925), winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor, was engaged in frontier Indian fighting (1869-1880), and led successful campaigns against Apache and Sioux tribes. In this detailed letter to Sherman, Miles recounts his successful campaigns against the Indians (mentioning Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, Lame Deer, etc.) and suggests his own appointment as Brigadier General ("or colonel") in command of one District of Montana.
"In accordance with your suggestion I will submit to writing a matter of very great personal interest to me. I presume it is admitted that when I was left on the Yellowstone in the Autumn of 1876 the Sioux Indians had absolute control of that country and with the exception of an engagement of troops under Mackenzie with a camp of Cheyennes no movements were made by troops except my own. Before the openig of spring...the followers of Sitting Bull Crazy horse and Lame Dear had been force to surrender or driven out of that country... Subsequently the Nez Percé & Bannock camps were captured and that the whole region of country cleared of hostile Indians for the last eighteen months. Not a single white man has been killed and citizens have moved unharmed and unmolested through that country from the British line to the southern boundary of Montana until within the least few weeks in accomplishing the above work the lives of many valuable officers and soldiers were lost. A condition of peace and security has been maintained in that country and I know can be continued although it is no easy task."
He continues: "In my opinion some officer in whom the government has full confidence should have charge of the important interests in that territory [Montana] and be responsible for results be his rank that of Brigadier General or Colonel..."
In response, Sherman refers the letter to Gen. P. H. Sheridan with a copy of his reply [not present], "both papers to be considered as Confidential, until further action."
Miles was appointed brigadier-general, United States Army, Dec. 15, 1880.