James Miller (Medal of Honor)
James Miller | |
---|---|
![]() James Miller | |
Born | Denmark | September 21, 1836
Died | March 4, 1914 | (aged 77)
Place of burial | |
Allegiance | United States of America Union |
Service/ | United States Navy Union Navy |
Rank | Quartermaster |
Unit | ![]() |
Battles/wars | American Civil War |
Awards | Medal of Honor |
James Miller (September 21, 1836 – March 4, 1914) was a United States Navy sailor and a recipient of America's highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the American Civil War.
Biography
[edit]Of Norwegian descent, Miller was born in Denmark on September 21, 1836, and enlisted in the U.S. Navy from Massachusetts. He served aboard the steam gunboat USS Marblehead. During the Battle of Legareville on John's Island (near Legareville, South Carolina) by the Stono River on December 25, 1863, he continued to take soundings while under fire. For his conduct on this occasion, Quartermaster James Miller received the Medal of Honor and promoted to Acting Master's Mate.
Miller died on March 4, 1914, at age 77 and was buried in Philadelphia. The destroyer USS Miller (DD-535), which served in World War II and the Korean War, was named in his honor.
Medal of Honor citation
[edit]Quartermaster Miller's official Medal of Honor citation reads:
Served as quartermaster on board the U.S. Steam Gunboat Marblehead off Legareville, Stono River, December 25, 1863, during an engagement with the enemy on John's Island. Acting courageously under the fierce hostile fire, Miller behaved gallantly throughout the engagement which resulted in the enemy's withdrawal and abandonment of its arms.[1]
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ "United States Medals of Honor - Miller, James, Quartermaster, USN". Medal of Honor website. United States Army Center of Military History. 2007-07-16. Archived from the original on 2009-02-23. Retrieved 2007-09-15.
References
[edit]This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Naval History and Heritage Command.
- "US People - Miller, James, Quartermaster, USN". Online Library. Naval History & Heritage Command. 2003-06-10. Archived from the original on 2006-10-26. Retrieved 2006-11-20.
- "James Miller at the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum". Retrieved September 29, 2010.
- "James Miller". Hall of Valor. Military Times. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
- 1836 births
- 1914 deaths
- United States Navy Medal of Honor recipients
- Union Navy sailors
- People of Massachusetts in the American Civil War
- Quartermasters
- Foreign-born Medal of Honor recipients
- Danish emigrants to the United States
- American people of Norwegian descent
- American Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor
- United States Navy personnel stubs
- American Civil War biography stubs