Nelson A. Miles and the Twilight of the Frontier Army

Robert Wooster has picked an excellent subject (Nelson Miles) to show the transition of the US Army from the Civil War to WWI. General Miles was a man who seemed to be in the thick of things at just about every stage of the way. What was of particular interest for me in this book was the changes in the military brought upon by the end of the Civil War. Brevet officers full of past glory were suddenly fighting for junior officer posts and finding advancement almost non-existant. Through his stubborn perseverance, Miles slowly but surely rose in the ranks. Along the way he was involved directly or indirectly with the Civil War, the Great Sioux War, the capture of Chief Joseph, the capture of Geronimo, the Battle of Wounded Knee, and the Spanish American War. At times he seemed lucky, conniving, able, and inept. "General Miles and the Twilight of the Frontier Army" is a book that deals equally with both of its' title subjects. Wooster brings us both the glory of history and the drudgery of its' shadows. It leaves one with a rather melancholy feeling as a way of life drew to a close along with its' century.

When I read this book, I really wanted to focus just on Miles and his contributions to the Indian Frontier since he virtually closed it out. I learned far more about Miles, a highly skilled and brave field commander who rose all the way to command of the Army by the Spanish American War, than I expected. I was aware of his tremendous ego but I learned more about his political intrigues, compulsion for rank, rivalries with other officers and attraction to crowds and newspapermen. Wooster takes you rather quickly through Miles' youth and astounding CW achievements and spends a good portion on Miles and the Indian Frontier. He outlines quite in impressive detail Miles constant maneuvering for command and reforms, his controversies with Generals and Presidents including Teddy Roosevelt. Miles was involved in the Sioux campaigns, Sitting Bull, Grey Beard, Cheyenne, Nez Perce and Geronimo and the Spanish American War. After reading the book you will have a mixed feel for Miles. Did he want to be in the midst of the action just to participate in an intense challenge or was it always to as a platform to achieve rank? His politics later in life were anti-Catholic and anti-immigrant but he later worked to get the Indians a better deal and he preferred the emancipation of the Philippines after the Spanish American War. He is an important read, he was even in over all command but not the field officer at Wounded Knee. Miles saw many of the most famous Chiefs at their peak and literally escorted them to their final homes, the reservations. Wooster writes an incredibly objective book on a person who contributed tremendously to our history from 1860 to 1910.