The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-08-19

Came Home from the Southland
Without a Scratch from Bull Z
let or saber. 1,~s .x-
Special to The Journal.

special TO Line journal.
Gladstone, Mich, Aug. 1s-Living in
had remarkable civil war record. They
were all members of Wisconsin regi-
ments, and-here is the remarkable part
Of it-not one Of them was even
scratched by a missile while fighting for
his country. They seem to have borne
charmed lives. Quite the opposite Of
human magnets, they, perhaps, repealed
shells of the enemy.
The brothers, names, chronologically
arranged, are Levi, Charles, William,
Alexander, Aaron and Franklin Miller.
In hope Of finding some explanation for
the bullet-proof phenomenon Aaron
Miller, more Familiarity known as
"Dad' Miller, of Gladstone, was inter-
ever, in the case of the oldest brother,
Levi, no reasonable explanation could
be discovered. It is possible that some
may be superstitious enough to think
that the seventh brother, who stayed at
home, was able to exercise some absent
siles of the enemy.
/ Three in One Regiment.
Franklin, the youngest of the broth
ers, just now acting as chef for party
OF Chicago campers across the bay from
| Gladstone, enlisted when mere boy in
the Eleventh Wisconsin. In the same
regiment were Aaron and William.
Aaron is at present storekeeper in
| Gladstone, and William, nearly 80 years
of age, lives at Barron. Wis, and IS not
actively engaged in business The three
other brothers are not living.
| Aaron enlisted in January of 1864
and remained till the end of the war,
the regiment in which were himself and
two brothers, taking part in the charge
at Fort Blakely, the afternoon of April
| 9, in ignorance OF the fact that Lee had
| surrendered that morning.
Aaron Miller asserts that in this bat
tie bullet came within an inch of his
chin, and that the bullets were flying
all over his head like bumblebees. Both
Aaron and William acted as cooks for
the regiment, Aaron being. pressed into
the service somewhat against his will.
a. safer occupation than fighting, but
Mr.. Miller secuted the idea.
| EWe had to carry the boys grub to
the front, right thru the thickest Of
the shells and bullets,' he said.
He seemed pleased that while faith.
upon to show all the courage Of the
fighter, he was thus enabled to avoid
killing man or even trying to.
Fight at Bull Bun.
! Aaron's twin brother, Alexander, en-.
listed in the Second Wisconsin and was
in the first battle of Bull Run. His
company was cut all to pieces, only
fifty nine or sixty being left alive. But
/ Alexander Miller was one of the for
i tunate ffty-nine or sixty. His relatives,
! on hearing the news of the disaster,
supposed him dead, but were rejoleed
/ to receive a letter from him in which
he said:
! "We had a bully run. You could
HAY have eopp t4yHla game OF SsVen'up on
The small remnant of his company
was afterwards put on provost duty.
Alexander re-enlisted, serving In all
four years and four months. He died
four or five years ago in Hillsdale,
Wis.
In Time for Good Fighting.
Charles, the next to the oldest
brother, wanted to enlist. but his wife
towards the end of the war, serving
only about a year. But he had plenty
of fighting, being right in the front,
under Sherman. He was a member Of
the Forty-eighth Wisconsin
"Then you were really all exposed
to bullets7'' the old man was asked.
"You haven't yet spoken Of Levi
Where was he under fre3'
i A droll smile puckered up the cor.
ners of "Dad' Miller's eyes, and
played around his mouth as he hest.
tateed moment and then said:
"Waal, Levi; Levi, you see, us boys
used to say he was in the white kid
glove regiment. ~
"And what did you mean by that9n
"Waal, he was in the Thirtieth Wis
consin, and that was a kind Of q
:! picked regiment, the governor IS favor
tie. So he kept 'em with him, pick
/ ing up drafted soldiers and such like.
I guess Levi was sent out of the state
once, after the war was over, down to
Memphis, On some duty or other, but
he was a little too late for the bull
/ let's. -