Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1891-07-03
IN THE LOCAL FIELD.
DUMMERSTON.
a Dummerston veteran aud his Part I'm n
sad An6ir before Richmond.

a DunmerstOn Veteran aud his Part In
sad Anair before Richmond.
John Miller is a veteran soldier of the
late war whose health is not good enough
to allow of his working on a farm, but hav-
ing a mechanical turn of mind. he invested
in a $500 steam engine. and with its aid
does considerable light work in his steam
mill. such as saving shingles and stove
wood. punching up shingles was the most
troublesome work he had to do. but his
inventive genius was equal to the emergency
and he accordingly arranged gang of six
small circular saws, so that the shingles are
now made of uniform widths of two. three,
four five and six inches. THAT methol,'
he says. takes the grief all out of bunch
ing shingles
A writer in the New York Weekly Trib-
ume of June Il. 1891 describes a sad event
which took place in front of Richmond
during the early days of the rebellion. in
which Mr.. Miller had prominent part.
A soldier enlisted in the 18th New Hamp-
shire some time in 1862. He was then in
the army of the Potomac. He got sick of
it and in some way got away and back into
the state of Maryland and again enlisted
in the 9TH Maryland volunteers. at that
time down in the army of the James.
Time went on and the troops were shifted
from one place to another until the 18th
New Hampshire, the 9TH Maryland. the
9th Vermont. the Goth and the 11Sth New
\ Ork were brigaded together, bringing the
two regiments together that the soldier had
belonged to. This soldier was carrying
luncheon out into the picket line and had
TO pass some of the 18th that were on the
line. They saw him, and knew him, and
talked with him. He went back with his
empty pals. and that night tried to escape
to the rear, but was caught down at the
river while trying to secure a boat to cross
with and was brought back to headquarters
cOurt-martialed and sentenced to be shot
A short time after the entire brigade
was ordered to turn out in light marching
order. None of us. saws the writer
''could imagine what this was for They
were marched out through the breastworks
and formed hollow square with one side
open, behind some timber in front and par
allel with our own lines. They were or
dered to stand, resting on their guns. They
stood thus for II or 20 minutes, when they
saw approaching a small body of men and
otficers-l2 men with fixed bayonets. Di-
rectly behind them came a man with bowed
head and hating gait. an officer on one
side and chaplain on the other, with some
field officers on horseback in the rear As
they came up, one side of the square was
opened to let them pass through and then
closed again after them. On they went
through the centre and up to a newly made
grave, with rough board coffin that stool
parallel with the grave. The II men with
fixed bayonets, of whom John Miller was
one, halted when about y or IL yards from
the grave. the officers and chaplain march
ing the soldier forward while his legs seem
ed so weak he could hardly move along.
lie finally reached the coffin and was set
down upon it, The officer placed a white
cap of cotton material over his eyes The
chaplain remained with the soldier a few
moments, and then stepped to one side.
Silence reigned for moment. when the
officer in low tones ordered the guard /:
Take aim. Fire. and the poor fellow
paid the penalty of desertion. Near the
spot where his body lies are quite a number
OF graves of similar kind.