Stewart Miller

As printed in 1908

COL. STEWART MILLER, a well known and highly respected citizen of Akron, residing in his comfortable and attractive home at No. 183 EUwood Street, is a worthy veteran of the great Civil War, throughout which he served with honorable distinction. He was born in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, February 7, 1834, and comes of the sturdy Scotch and German stock with which that section of the United States is largely settled. When Colonel Miller was a child of ten years his parents moved to Harrisburg, where he spent three years of his early life, at the end of that period accompanying them to Lancaster County, in the same State, where they settled on a farm. This furnished him with plenty of healthful occupation until he was eighteen years old. He then began an apprenticeship to the blacksmith's trade, at which he continued for three years, during this period receiving wages amounting to but $25 a year. After becoming proficient at his trade, and being confident of securing employment almost anywhere, in order to see something of his native country, he left home in 1860, journeying as far west as Mansfield, Ohio, where in August of that year, he began work in the blacksmith shop of the Mansfield Machine Works. Here he might have remained indefinitely, but for the breaking out of the Civil War. But the rebel attack on Fort Sumpter changed for the time being the even cv;rent of his life. He had a good position with an excellent concern, but to him his country's call was imperative. Putting aside all thoughts of self-interest, with loyal determination he stepped promptly forward to join the ranks of the Nation's defenders.

On April 13, 1861, Mr. Miller enlisted for a service of three months in Company I, First Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was mustered in at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, April 18th, being sent directly to Philadelphia. Ten days later the regiment went to Washington City, camping for drill along the Orange Run Railroad. From that point it was sent soon after to Vienna, Fairfax County, Virginia, where it had its first engagement with the enemy, sustaining a loss of ten men wounded. Its second w-as at Bull Run, July 21, 1861, and this closed Mr. Miller's first term of enlistment, which had been fairly strenuous. His second enlistment was on October 14, 1861, in the Sixth Ohio Independent Battery, and his third, for three years more, on December 12, 1863, his final discharge being effected September 1, 1865, at Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio.

During this long period of almost constant military activity Colonel Miller participated in the following engagements, being promoted from the ranks to one official position after another. As noted, his first two engagements were at Vienna and Bull Run respectively, after which he was on duty at Washington, D. C, until his discharge, August 3,

The Sixth Ohio Battery in which Mr. Miller re-enlisted in the following October, was organized at Camp Buckingham, Mansfield, Ohio. On November 10, 1861, Mr. Miller was made a sergeant of his company. On December 15, 1861, the battery was sent to Louisville, Kentucky and assigned to the Eleventh Brigade, Department of the Ohio. It remained at Camp Gilbert until January 12, 1862, when it transferred to the Cumberland River. March 18, it journeyed to Nashville, Tennessee, by steamer, marched with the Artillery Reserve, Army of the Ohio, to Savannah, arriving at Pittsburg Landing on the morning of the second day of the battle of that name, otherwise known as the battle of Shiloh. The siege of Corinth under Halleck, April 30, to May 30, followed, the brigade being under the immediate command of General James A. Garfield. On the evacuation of Corinth by the Confederates the brigade went into camp at Stevenson, Alabama, where it remained from June 18 to August 21. It then took part in the pursuit of Bragg to Louisville, Kentucky, until September 25.

As a part of the Artillery Brigade. Sixth Division, Second Corps, the Sixth Battery engaged in the pursuit of Bragg to Crab Orchard, October 1 to 15, subsequent movements being to Perryville, October 8, Harrodsburg, October 11, Stanford, October 14: thence to Na.shville, Tennessee.

The Sixth Battery was then made a part of the Artillerv Brigade First Division Reserves of the Fourteenth Army Corps of the Army of the Cumberland, and as such saw active service at Lavergne, December 26-27; Stewart's Creek, December 28; Stone River, December 28-31; January 1-3, 1863, Colonel Miller being wounded January 2d. The next service of the battery was at TuUahoma, June 24-30; Hoover's Gap, July 2-4-25; Lee and Gordon's Mill, September 11; Leet's Tanyard, September 12-13; Chickaniauga, September 18-21; Siege of Chattanooga, September 24-October 26; then in garrison at Fort Wood, where Colonel Miller veteranized.

Colonel Miller took part in all the engagements of importance in which his command participated in the Atlanta campaign, including the following: Tunnel Hill, May 7; Buzzard's Roost Gap, May 8; Rocky Face Ridge, May 8-11; Resaca, Mav 13-16; Adairsville, May 17-18; Dallas, Mky 25-June.24; Pickett's Mill, May 27; Kenesaw Mountain, June 17- July 2; Pine Mountain, June 14; Lost Mountain, June 15-17; Pine Knob, June 19; Gulp's House, June 22; Assault on Kenesaw, Jmie 27; Smyrna Camp Ground, July 3-4: Chattahoochee River, July 6-17; Peach Tree Creek, July 19-20; Siege of Atlanta, July 21-Au,gust 25; Ezra Chapel, July 28; Utoy Creek, August 5-6; Jonesboro, August 31- September 1; Lovejoy Station, September 2- 6; Pursuit of Hood in Nashville Campaign. November to December; Columbia, Duck River, November 24-28; Spring Hill, November 29; Franklin, November 30; Nashville, December 15-16; Pursuit of Hood to the Tennessee River, and Huntsville, Alabama.

Colonel Miller was on duty in the Department of Louisiana from July 3 to August 23. 1865, and was mustered out September 1, as before mentioned. During this long period of almost constant danger Colonel Miller was twice wounded — once seriously, through the arm at Stone River, and once slightly, in the abdomen, his life Being saved on this latter occasion by his having a notebook with family letters in his pocket. His wounds kept him in the hospital for over two months. The life-preserving book and papers he still keeps, naturally regarding them with tender sentiments. They will descend to those who come after him as precious relics of the day when, but for their opportune presence, a brave soldier's life would have been sacrificed.

At the close of the war Colonel Miller returned to Mansfield, where he resided until 1882. He then came to Akron, entering the rolling mills of the Akron Iron Company, in which he continued to work at his trade for thirteen years, after which he retired from active industrial life.

On December 15, 1864, Colonel Miller was married to Lizzie McCoy, a daughter of John and Jane McCoy. He and his wife are the parents of three children, namely: Mary S., wife of A. J. Wills, who has charge of the tire department of the B. F. Goodrich Company; Charles J., who is a traveling representative of Leggett and Company, of New York City, the largest wholesale grocery house in the world; and Harry C, who is a salesman for the B. F. Goodrich Company. Both Mr. Miller's sons are very able business men.

A man of firm political convictions. Colonel Miller has taken an active part in civic matters. He has held local offices at various times and for six years was assessor for the Second Ward at Akron. Army affairs, too, have always remained interesting to him, and the old veteran organizations have claimed much of his time and attention. He was the main organizer of the Union Veteran Union of Ohio, from which organization-his title of colonel was received. For the last thirty-two years he has been a member of the order known as the Knights of Honor, belonging to Acme Lodge, No. 35, Akron, Ohio.

As printed in Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens (1908). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.