IMHO, the best book on that battle is "The Battle For New York," by Barnet Schecter. There are several others that deal with the battle, but the aforementioned does the best job of handling the entire battle. Your distant relative is mentioned several times in the book.
Miles was captured in the Battle of Brooklyn. He was commanding the Pennsylvania riflemen that were protecting an area near the Bedford Pass. Howe, lead by some loyalist guides, had done an end around during the night, and marched the bulk of his troops through the Jamaica Pass, which was unguarded. Miles discovered Howe's troops in the morning. Unfortunately for him, he discovered the rear of Howe's troops, and when they noticed him and his man, they quickly overwhelmed them. (Well, many of them. Miles did send a scout back to the main lines to alert the Patriots, and many of Miles' men were able to escape back into the woods when the English troops captured Miles and the lead part of his riflemen.)
There was a lot of back and forth blame about how how the English were able to get through Jamaica Pass undetected. Some blamed it on Washington, Gen. Sullivan, and other leaders who elected to not guard that pass. Others felt that Miles and his men, who were the Patriot forces closest to the Jamaica Pass, should have discovered the English forces. Historians have read the various statements by participants in the battle, and been debating who is to blame for 200+ years.
Your distant relative did have some fame. There are a couple of portraits of him. I believe one hangs in the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
I'd call Miles the 2nd post-Constitutional mayor of Philadelphia. The US Constitution was ratified on June 21, 1788. Samuel Powell was selected mayor by the Council in 1789, and served until 1790. Samuel Miles was selected as mayor by the Council in 1790, and served for 1 year.
Miles is also famous as being the 1st "faithless elector" in the Electoral College. In 1796, he had pledged to vote for John Adams, but voted for Thomas Jefferson.
