My Civil War Service Albert Miller
I will begin a short history of my Civil war service.
I was born in a log cabin in Indiana Co. Pa. on January 29, 1843. When I was
about 8 years old our family lived in the town of Mechanicsburg Indiana Co. Pa.
I enlisted in Co. B, 67th Regt in Philadelphia on the 28th of Feb 1862. Left
the city on a boat, landed in Annapolis Md 3rd of April. The Regt did guard
duty in the city in camp parole. Company B did guard duty of the railroads
between the city and Annapolis Md. Left for Harpersferry Feb 1863 on duty there
a short time then moved to Berryville Virginia to take care of Col Mosby. We
had several scraps with him and were in Berryville until June 13. We drove part
of Gen Lees cavalry. There at Winchester we met our army under command of Gen
Milroy again met with Gen Lee army on their north on the 14. The battle of
Winchester was fought on the morning of the 15th of June. All of Gen Milroys
army was captured except the cavalry and all on horse back. Our Col went with
them our Major was thrown from his horse and was captured. As prisoners we were
marched up the Shenandoah Valley to Staunton. There we were put on a train in
box cars packed in so closely we had to stand all night. Next morning we were
in Richmond Va. then to Libby for a few days. "Libby Prison, one of the
famous institutions of the South. This was a large brink bldg. that had been
used as a manufacturing establishment." Then over to Belle Island. On
Belle Island we were put
in stockade built with poles stood up and down with platform above for the
guards. The guards could see over the prison and the dead line. Any one
stepping over the line would be shot.
There were six of us boys bunched together we got a
piece of canvas and four poles and made a shade for ourselves. We were made to
march every day. I don’t know why. The sun shone hot, also had to stand in line
for an hour or two at a time. We were marched from one side of the island to
the other. We always took our four poles and canvas with us. On our way was a
small stream of water with a narrow footbridge across it, which we crossed
single file a long procedure. For to eat they gave us enough bread and black
bean soup, boiled in water from the muddy James river. The quotes in this
writing were taken from the Perry Chief under the title, Perry Personalities,
by Rev Peter Jacobs. "They were next placed in stockade at Belle Island.
Paroled in July they were moved to Parole Camp at Annapolis, Md. there to await
exchange which in his case occurred Oct. 11, 1863.
"The most distressing features in these prison
camps were the lack of good food shelter and 'blaybacks.' The World War I boys
called them 'Cooties' but the critters are no less disturbing. When the Union
army left the Shenandoah Valley, this great granary of the South, they burned
the grain stacks. Mills took all horses cattle and sheep and everything that
might supply provisions for the Confederates. Mr. Miller took part in the siege
of Richmond. His forces captured the forts around Petersburg. Their most
important engagement was at Saylors Creek April 6 three days later the southern
Gen. Lee met the terms of Unconditional Surrender to gen Grant. Mr Miller was
mustered out at Halls Hill Va July 14, 1865. The nearest he came to being
wounded was in the skirmish at Fishers Hill when a bullet grazed his left hand
and a second ball struck just above his
head."
(AA Miller) When the prisoners were released
from Libby prison those whose names began with letters from the first of the
alphabet were released first. Fathers name came about the middle of the
alphabet. Then names from the other end of the alphabet were called, they came
back , however, and his name was called. When a prisoner was released he would
call good-bye to the ones left. So happy was he to get out he tried to jump a
little fence about 2 ft high but was too weak and fell. After Gen Milroy defeat
Gen Sheridan who had only the cavalry was given the infantry as well. Gen
Sheridan army was about a mile away from Appomattox Court House, where father
was located, when Gen Lee surrendered to Gen Grant. Part of his army was still
fighting after the surrender not knowing about the surrender. Father was in the
US Army about 3 1/2 years. His parents were both born in York Co Pa, married
there moved to Indiana Co Pa. After the Civil war father visited cousins in
Mich. Came to Boone Co Peoples Twp
Iowa 1867 where his father and family later lived on a farm. Father was a
carpenter and worked for Ben Campbell in Perry Iowa. After his marriage to
Ellen M Mowrer June 26, 1879 they lived on a farm in Peoples Twp Boone Co Iowa.
Father built his own house before he married. Before moving to Iowa grandfather
John Miller worked at the shoe makers trade.
