Railroad Brigade (Harpers Ferry) Dixon Miles

 

Dixon Miles

Dixon Miles Quotes

Last Updated January 16, 2010

With quotations by Miles first followed by others in alphabetical order of the person making the quote

“a great talker who gave his vivid imagination a loose rein.  Colonel Miles had the energy and willingness to assume any responsibility, but needed near him a man like Lane [Lieutenant William B. Lane 3rd Inf Regiment adjutant] with sound judgment and who enjoyed the confidence of everyone, in order that misdirection and eccentricity might be prevented.”

Averill, William W.

Late 1850s

Lt Averill served with Miles in New Mexico in the late 1850s and had this to say about him.

Mason, Jack C.  Until Antietam The Life and Letters of Major General Israel B. Richardson, U.S. Army. Carbondale IL:  Southern Illinois Press, 2009 pg 67

“In my opinion, Colonel Miles was a drunkard, a coward and a traitor, and if I had the power I would have had the United States buttons taken from his coat.”

Elble, Sigmund

Elble, an officer on the frontier knew Miles well in the 3rd Infantry and says this.

Mason, Jack C.  Until Antietam The Life and Letters of Major General Israel B. Richardson, U.S. Army. Carbondale IL:  Southern Illinois Press, 2009 pg 109

“When I entered the works of the enemy, which was only a few moments after the white flag had been shown, there was apparently no organization of any kind. That had ceased to exist.”

Hill, AP

Hill reporting on the condition of the Harpers Ferry garrison upon its surrender.  Miles commanded the garrison.

unk

“Colonel Miles, your troops are all in confusion, or you have no plan of battle! You are relieved from your command!

McDowell, Irvin

July 21 1861

McDowell’s relief of Miles at Bull Run

Mason, Jack C.  Until Antietam The Life and Letters of Major General Israel B. Richardson, U.S. Army. Carbondale IL:  Southern Illinois Press, 2009 pg 102

“Colonel Miles is continually interfering with me, and he is drunk, and is not fit to command.”

Richardson, Israel B.

July 21 1861

Richardson to McDowell when questioned about troop dispositions

Mason, Jack C.  Until Antietam The Life and Letters of Major General Israel B. Richardson, U.S. Army. Carbondale IL:  Southern Illinois Press, 2009 pg 102

“I cannot effect any arrangements of the line of battle as long as I am interfered with by a drunken man.”

Richardson, Israel B.

Mason, Jack C.  Until Antietam The Life and Letters of Major General Israel B. Richardson, U.S. Army. Carbondale IL:  Southern Illinois Press, 2009 pg 102

“I will not obey your orders sir.  You are drunk, sir”

Richardson, Israel B.

July 22 1861

At First Battle of Bull Run

Tidball, Eugene C.  No Disgrace to My Country. Kent:  Kent State University Press.  2002 pg 213

“He was neither a coward or a traitor, but too strict a constructionist of one of General Halleck‘s silly orders.”

Tidball, John C.

Tidball, Eugene C.  No Disgrace to My Country. Kent:  Kent State University Press.  2002 pg 521

“No, he could not listen to any such proposition; he was ordered to Hold Harpers Ferry at all hazards”

Trimble, William H.

Oct 20 1862

Testimony of Colonel Trimble to Harpers Ferry Military Commission

Carmen, Ezra.  The Maryland Campaign of 1862. Ed. Joseph Pierro.  New York: Routledge, 2008 pg 125

“You will not abandon Harpers Ferry without defending it to the last extremity

Wool, John

Sep 5 1862

Message from Wool to Miles regarding the retention of Harpers Ferry

Teetor, Paul R.  A Matter of Hours Treason at Harpers Ferry. London:  Associated University Presses, 1982 pg 49

“I do not think he had the capacity to embrace so large a command as he had there but he appeared to be very zealous”

Wool, John

Record of Harpers Ferry Military Commission, October 30, 1862, reprinted in OR, vol 19, pt. 1, 792

Carmen, Ezra.  The Maryland Campaign of 1862. Ed. Joseph Pierro.  New York: Routledge, 2008 pg 101

“Colonel Miles incapacity, amounting to almost imbecility led to the shameful surrender of this important post”

Report of Harpers Ferry Commission

Teetor, Paul R.  A Matter of Hours Treason at Harpers Ferry. London:  Associated University Presses, 1982 pg 238

“Miles had not only the voice of a trumpet but the eye of a hawk and, striking at once upon a direct line of march, he promptly reached the main ridge”

an officer in Mexico who served with Miles

Miles conduct during the Mexican War at the Battle of Monterry.  Smith, Justin Harvey.  The War with Mexico.2 vols. New York:  The Macmillan Company, 1919

Teetor, Paul R.  A Matter of Hours Treason at Harpers Ferry. London:  Associated University Presses, 1982 pg 16