The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-06-23
A NOBLE HERO
Who Was Murdered by Order OF
Gen. F. P. Blair.
OF SERMAN'S ARMY.
A Lucid and Thrilling Account of One
OF the Many Uncalled for Crimes
of the Great Incendiary While
Maranding in this State
During the War.
OF SERMAN'S ARMY.
During the War.

To the editor OF The Sunday News:
have read with interest the articles
OF MIR. Ford and others in recent issues
OF The Sunday News, in reference to
the shooting Of James Miller by Sher-
mans army, in March, 1865, in retail
alton for the killing OF Federal sol.
dier by supposed bushv'hackars. Mr..
Miller livad near Jefferson. in Chester
field County, S O.. and knew mis-
brother, the late Major Jno. S. Miller,
and many OF his neiRhbors and friends
among them some OF those who partl-
cipated with him In the casting of lots
Some years ago newspaper was placed
In my hands by SON. In law Of James
Miller, in which was an account OF the
shooting Of Mr.. Miller, purportiDg to
have been written by an officer con-
nected with the affair and present at
his death. l have forgotten the name
or the Cnicer, and Of the newspaper,
which think was published, In Ian
caster or Chesterfield, S. c., ana re.
produced the article from a Western
paper. This paper was in my port
folio, which was mislaid, lest or stolen
about two years ago.
EXCUSE FOR MILLER's MURDER.
1t stated that the dead body of
Federal soldier, belonging to 4 West
ern cavalry regiment, l thiak from
Michigan, was found where he had ev-
Identity been murdered by bushwhack.
ers, that the Federal commander had
determined to resort to retaliation to
prevent such killings, and Gen Francis
Z, Blair, who commanded the 18th
army corps, issued orders for the cast.
Ing OF lots for one man to be put to
death for the killing of the cavalry.
man aforesaid
My informants did not know all who
participated in the casting Of lots. hut
among them were MIR. b. r.. Clantop.
now living IN Chesterfield County, Mr..
Robert Griffith and others who knew
James Miller. have talked with and
corresponded withsothers about ltha
cruel tragedy, and from them and f6tla
account by the Federal officer before
mentioned my information was OBJ.
tained.
DRAWING LOTS TO DIE
Ore or more of the participants said
1t came as great surprise to all who
were made to cast lots, and one of
them declared that he never before or
after found 1t such task to stretch
forth his right haad to draw little
| piece OF paper out of hat. James
| Miller drew the fatal lot. He was a
man between forty-tive and fifty years
G! age and had been captured g day or
Two before some distance west of Che
raw, while on his way home on fur.
Tough from Florence, S. O. where he
mad been engaged in guarding prison.
erS. lie protested that, while he svm
path'Zed with his State in her strup.
gle. ana mad given OF his means for
the support OF the Cause, he was over
age for active service, and had not fir.
ed a gun in the war. But he was told
that the order was imperative. He beg
ged to te allo. ed to communicate with
MS wife and children, but this privi-
lege was denied him. He then asked
to confer with such oi his neighbors
and friends as were cap,ives with him.
SELF. 10 those he gave directions for
his wife, asking that she be told he
was not Ginning home, and advising
iier about his farm ard about the Chill,
nren, just as II he were going { II on a
Journey to be absent for a time.
MlLLER'S LAST REQUESTS.
He then made some RI quests OF those
VINO were about to shoot him. He
asked, In the iifst place, that he be not
oound either hand or foot, saying lie
was not goirg to ron, that he was pre-.
pared, and hot afraid to die. He then
arked that he be not blindfolded, say.
ing ne wished to look into the eyes of
Gnose who were to shoot him. And
lastly, he begged that he be not shot
In The lace, declaring that God had
given him bis face, and that in all his
lie ne had never done anything OF
which he was ashamed His last wish.
es we're respected. He was marched
OH snort distance, The firing SQUAD
drawn up, the guns discharge d Us one
and James Miller lay dead, as much a
hero as II he had died at the cannon,s
mouth at Gettysburg, in the charge
up Snodgrass Hill at Chickamauga, OF
at the bloody angle at Spottsylvania
Don't shoot me in the face, for
God gave me that, and in all my lie
L nave done nothing to be ashamed
Of"
What sentiment, what model!
NILLERs HUMBLE GRAVE.
AT Five Forks Methodist Church,
In Chesterfield County, on the road
from Lancaster to Chesterfield Court
House, and half way between the two
Is the little mound that marks the last
resting place Of James Miller | have
passed there few times, but never
without dismounting and going softly
with uncovered head to the spot and
recalling the manner and cause OF his
death. Chesterfield County has pro
duced some Of the great men OF South
Carolina, but she never gave birth to q
purer patriot or more unostentatiously
brave man Than James Miller.
HOW a NEGRO SERVED HIS MASTER.
But the Federal cavalryman, fol
whose killing Mr.. Miller was shot, wa.
not killed by Confederate or bush
Whacker at all. Mr.. Gillian Sowell o.
kershaw County, owned a negro MAI
named Ephraim, and entrusted him tt
hide his horses and mules from the en-
emy while Sherman's army was pass
Ing and he was found In Lynches
Creek Swamp by soldier, who seizet
them and made the negro go with him
After they had gone some distance TIT