Nelson Miles: America's General

The extraordinary career of General Nelson A. Miles is a reflection of the country he served for so long. He fought in her Civil War, earned a Medal of Honor and put Jefferson Davis in chains. He fought in the Indian Wars, and later advocated strongly for Native Americans. He eventually became the leader of the U.S. Army as the country prepared for the Spanish-American War. In 1900 he became the 10th and last Lieutenant General of the U.S. Army, and even volunteered his services for the Great War.

Individual objects with this type of legacy and provenance are far and few between. To have an assortment of them is all but unheard of. Nelson Miles' Winchester 1895 and presentation sword are oustanding and well-preserved pieces of American history.

RIAC Lead Historian Seth Isaacson puts it best, "Nelson Appleton Miles is one of the most underappreciated and yet significant American military commanders of the 19th century."