Called a " brave peacock " by President Theodore Roosevelt , Miles nevertheless retired from the army in 1903 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 64 . Upon his retirement , the office of Commanding General of the United States Army was abolished by an Act of Congress and the Army Chief of Staff system was introduced . A year later , standing as presidential candidate at the Democratic National Convention , he received a handful of votes . When the United States entered World War I in 1917 , the 77-year-old general offered to serve , but President Woodrow Wilson turned him down
Democratic National Convention
1904 Democratic National Convention
Nelson A. Miles