The National tribune., 1909-11-25
CHARLIE MILLER, DiSp iTCu
BEARER.
Thru the Encmy's Country Nilb Mes.
sage 10 Grant From sfherman-Other
Adventures

of Charlie Miller, at Nerriman, Neb.,
about two years ago, recalls to mind
some of his many exploits Us q member
of Co. A, 18th Ky.
About January, 1861, Charlie. small
boy of IS years. came to Somerset, KY.
with the 35th Ohio from Cincinnati.
where he was born and raised. After
| the battle of Mill Springs he took up
with our company, and remained with
us until We reached Clifton, on the
Tennessee River. At that place Capt.
| Ham mustered him into the service as
member of Co. A, 18th KY, and he
remained with our company until the
end of the war.
During the siege of Knoxville, while
on picket. Charlie discovered a rebel
shooting uncomfortably close to him
from behind q tree. He watched h S
chance, and the next time the rebel
showed himself Charlie wounded him.
He escaped, but left his gun and equip
ments, which Charlie brought into
camp.
After the siege Charlie re-enlisted for
three years more, and was with Sher-
man to the downfall of Atlanta and
from Atlanta to the sea. Later on in
the campaign, while Sherman was in
North Carol ma, Sherman called on the
Twenty-third Corps for volunteer 10
take n dispatch thru the rebel lines to
Gen. Grant, who was about zoo miles
away and all of the way thru the
enemy's country. The Ole that de-
livered the dispatch was to receive
$4,000.
Out of the number that applied for
the job Charlie Miller was the only one
Sherman would risk with it. Sherman
questioned each applicant, and asked
how he would conceal the dispatch.
4, 4
that if caught with it the penalty would
likely be death
When Charlie Miller was called on, he
promptly answered that he would con-
ceal it in a small piece of tobacco, and
in case he was captured would chew ii
UP. Sherman said: Charlie, you win
do" So Charlie was given the cipher
dispatch on q very small piece of paper,
which he concealed In a chew OF to-
bacco. He was furn shed with liberal
supply of rebel money, and at once set
out on his perilous journey. When he
came to a river where a steamboat was
going up in the direction of Richmond,
he got on the boat and found it crowd
ed with rebels, most of them commits
stoned officers on their way to their
different commands.
Charl made fair weather with every
one and set up" the drinks literally,
and soon everyone was friendly to him.
He told them he belonged TO l COM
pany of rebel scouts and he was on
his lway to find them.
After remaining on the boat two Gays
and nights he concluded he had gone
far enough up the river, SO one night
he stepped off the boat and left his
jolly company. He was then within rs
or so miles of Grants army, and the
rebels were thicker than 'flees on a
coon dog" as he told it, so he had to be
very cautious.
He would get on the high points,
where he could see the campfres at
night and tell the position of the rebel
army. He Travelled mostly at night, and
kept concealed in the daytime. and Wis
tied houses for something to eat and to
get information. 4,.
Generally there was no one at homo
except women folSs-black and white.
He paid literally for what he ate, and
got all the information he wanted,
which was generally rel able.
Finally he concluded he had gone far
enough to be beyond the rebel lines, ex-
cept their outpOsts. so he waited until
night to get past the last picket post;
and after passing it he felt that he was
safe, and he expected to be halted soon
by Grants pictets. But he had mis-
calculated his position. and was halted
by a rebel outpost and captured. He
was put In the guardhouse with a lot of
Federal prisoners, and arnon~ the NUM-
ber was CAPITA n, who Charlie learned
was to be released the next morning
50 he confided his secret to the Captain,
and asked him if he would deliver the
dispatch to- Grant
He agreed and did deliver it, hut
Charlie never received the $2.50O, altho
an effort was made to collect IL The
war was soon over. and Charlie was
kept under guard several weeks before
he was released.
After the war was over the 12th Ky.
went home thru Cincinnati and stopped
few hours. Charles father found
him and spent short time with him.
TIE regiment then went on to Louisville
and was discharged. While in the lat
ter place Charlie Miller was employed
by company to go West to l:ill buffa-
loes. He was an expert rifle shot, and
the buffaloes were to be killed for their
pelts. The way they got several out Of
herd was this way: When they came
upon large herd they woul not shoot
until they found which was the leader.
If they succeeded in killing hrn, they
would get quite a pumner before they
got out of range
After serving three or four years with
this COMPANY Charlie went into The
business for himself. frrniss1ing buffalo
'-''"s W " Waddle. Co. \, 18th Ky,
Box 682, Somerset. Ky.