Miles Standish
Miles Standish (c.
1584 -
October 3,
1656), was an
English-born professional soldier hired by the
Pilgrims as military advisor for Plymouth colony. Arriving on the
Mayflower, he worked on colonial defense. Later, he served as Plymouth's representative in
England, and served as assistant to the governor and as the colony's treasurer. He was also one of the founders of the town of
Duxbury, Massachusetts in 1632. He is best remembered through
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's
The Courtship of Miles Standish. On
February 17,
1621 he was appointed the first commander of Plymouth colony.