Dixon
S. Miles, born in Maryland in 1804, was admitted to West
Point in the summer of 1819, at the age of 15. Among
his classmates were Dennis Hart Mahan - the legendary West
Point instructor - who ranked first in the class.
At his graduation in 1824, Miles ranked 27th in a class
of 31, and was assigned to the infantry. His first
assigment was Bvt. Second Lieut., 4th Infantry, July 1,
1824, and Second Lieut., 7th Infantry, July 1, 1824..
After serving as adjutant for five years, he was commissioned
as captain, 8 June, 1836, and held a staff appointment as
quartermaster during the Florida war and until the beginning
of the war with Mexico.
During the War with
Mexico, he was engaged in the Defense of Ft. Brown, May
3-9, 1846. He was brevetted. Major, May 9, 1846, for
Gallant and Distinguished Conduct in the Defense of Ft.
Brown, Tex. He was engaged in the Battle of Monterey
Sep. 21-23, 1846, and the Siege of Vera Cruz, May 9-29,
1847. Miles was given a Bvt. Lieut.-Col., Sep. 23,
1846, for Gallant and Meritorious Conduct in the Several
Conflicts at Monterey, Mex.. Promoted to Major, 5th
Infantry, on Feb. 16, 1847, he was in command of the City
of Vera Cruz, Aug. 11 to Dec. 23, 1847.
At the close of the
war, he returned to garrison at East Pascagoula, Mis., 1848,
and was on frontier duty at Ft. Gibson, Indian Territory
(1848) and Ft. Washita, I. T., 1849-51. He was promoted
to Lieut.-Colonel of the 3d Infantry on Apr. 15, 1851.
During the 1850s, Miles
was posted at Ft. Fillmore, N. M., 1851-53; Albuquerque,
N. M., 1853; Fillmore, NM., 1854-56; and Ft. Thorn, N. M.,
1856-57. From May 1 to July 26, 1857, he was in command
of the Southern column of Gila Expedition, being engaged
in the combat of June 27, 1857 on Gila River, north of Mount
Turnbull, NM. Miles returned to Ft. Fillmore,
N. M. 1857-58; and was in command of the Navajo Expedition,
N. M., Sep.-Dec., 1858. After another posting in Albuquerque,
N. M., 1858-59; he was in garrison at St. Louis, Mo., 1859-60.
He
was made colonel of the 2nd infantry on 19 January, 1859,
was on duty at Ft. Kearny, Nebraska (1860-61) and Fort Leavenworth,
Kansas (1861)/ After the beginning of the civil war,
he was ordered to the east, taking part in the defence of
Washington, and commanding the reserve at the battle of
Bull Run. After several months' leave of absence, he was
given charge of a brigade guarding the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad in March, 1862. In September he was intrusted with
the command of the post of Harper's Ferry. He asked for
re-enforcemen(s, but they were not sent. After Maryland
heights had been evacuated by the force that was posted
there, and when the enemy opened fire from commanding positions
in two quarters, he offered no further resistance, but surrendered
the post with 11,500 troops and arms, ammunition, and supplies.
On Sept 16th, 1862, Col. Dixon Miles was mortally wounded
by a piece of shell at Harper's Ferry and died shortly afterwards.
