Kossuth Niles was born in Belleville, Illinois in 1849 and receive an appointment to the Naval Academy in 1865.  In 1869 he graduated and served on the USS Sabine until being commissioned an Ensign.  From 1870-71 he served on the USS Pawnee and Achieved Master.  The following year he served on the USS Terror.  He was then assigned to the Naval Torpedo Station at Newport, Rhode Island where he was promoted to Lieutenant.  From 1873-74 he served on the USS Frolic and then was transferred to the U.S. Coast & Geodesic Survey Office.  From 1877-78 he was assigned to the USS Michigan, USS Swatara, USS Constellation, and the USS Ticonderoga.  These were slow years for promotion and he would serve on six more ships before promotion to Lieutenant Commander in 1898 while assigned to the Naval Station at Newport.  His next fleet assignment was to the USS Massachusetts (BB-2) where he was promoted to Commander.  He was promoted to Captain and given command of the USS Boston in 1905 and transferred to the Bureau of Ordnance in 1906.  In May of 1908, he was given command of the USS Louisiana, the Flagship of the Third Division during the second portion of the cruise around the world.  Afterwards, in September 1909 he was promoted to Rear Admiral and served on the Naval Examining Board.  In 1911 he retired after 42 years of service, and died in December 1913.  He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.