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Colonel William R. Miles |
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Colonel William R. Miles was the commander of a regiment known as Miles' Louisiana Legion, organized in summer, 1862. Troops from this unit engaged Union troops under the command of General C. C. Auger at the Battle of Plains Store, a few miles outside the Port Hudson garrison, on May 21, 1863. On May 22, Miles was named commander of the Confederate units defending the right flank at Port Hudson, which included the Citadel. Being located close to the river and near where the Union fleet operated, his forces were subject to very heavy bombardment from the ships and other enemy batteries throughout the siege. During the Union assault of May 27th, they faced the forces of General Thomas Sherman. On June 14th, the Citadel was attacked by forces under the command of General William Dwight. I haven't found out a lot about William R. Miles. He was apparently born in Kentucky in 1813, and was living in Jackson, Mississippi at the time of the 1850 census, his occupation listed as attorney. By 1860, he was living in New Orleans, and must have been a very wealthy and prominent person. According to the census, his personal possessions had a value of $200,000, with real estate valued at $120,000 - a lot of money in those days. He had a French tutor for his children and a free white domestic in his household, as well as eight slaves. In 1870, he was back in Mississippi practicing law. My information states that he died in 1900 in Mileston, MS. Colonel Miles' Reports to Headquarters, of Operations May 21-July 7
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