William Black Miller was born on June 12, 1846 at Strathaven, Lanarkshire, Scotland. Miller’s life before his induction into the military remains unknown, except for his birth and place of origin. Records, however, reveal he supposedly enlisted as a private into Company D, 26^th Pennsylvania Infantry on June 1, 1861. Other records reveal a William Miller enlisted on May 5, 1861 in Company H, 26^th Pennsylvania at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He may have first went into Company H and then into Company D and if so the June 1 date may have been his mustered in date. Due to the confusion at the time and the poor record keeping, one cannot be sure what transpired.

Records then reveal William Miller deserted, on June 23, 1861, having received clothing to the value of $21.58, at Camp Adler, Washington, D.C. He was not apprehended. But that person may not have been the same as William B. Miller of the same regiment in Company D, which states that he was enrolled 1 June 1861 to serve three years and transferred to Company C of the 99th Pennsylvania on 30 May 1864 as a veteran and was mustered out on 1 July 1865 as a veteran.

William Black Miller served in Company G, 14th U.S. Infantry in the Wyoming Territory doing escort duty and other duties. He was then assigned to Company H, 45th Regiment of the U.S. Infantry and was transferred to Company G of the 14th U.S. Infantry in July 1869 by a consolidation of the regiments.

The muster roll for December 31, 1870, reported him as present but sick in Omaha, Nebraska. The muster roll for December 31, 1871 reported him as being discharged at Fort Fetterman, Wyoming on November 12, 1871 by expiration of service; reduced at that time to a Private.

He then enlisted in Company D, served with that Company on the Wyoming frontier doing garrison and escort duty as Corporal, Sergeant and First Sergeant and transferred to Company F with Sergeant Dexter of that Company joining Crook's expedition in May 1876 and was engaged in battle with Indians at Tongue river; on June 9th, 1876. They camped at Pine Creek doing picket during June 1876, returning to Post Fetterman in July 1876. There he was treated for haemorrhage contracted while in the line of duty, by Dr. James Gibson at Post Fetterman, and was under his treatment for a period of some two months.

Miller applied for a military invalid pension, affidavits being signed stating that he was suffering from bleeding piles. His pension was approved on February 18, 1892, at a rate of $14 a month. Reasons given for his eligibility was that he had been treated for a haemorrhage inflicted while serving with General Crook in 1876 and a medical affidavit revealed he suffered from piles and was no longer able to do manual labour.

Of William and Elizabeth’s six children, they lost their oldest, 14 year old Alexander to low fever in August 1892. The surviving children were; Jane, Mary, Bella, William and Ellen.  William Miller was regarded as a highly respected resident of Union Hill, Creswick and a backbone of the community. William Black Miller died on September 8, 1913. A death certificate for William Black Miller, #9035, shows him at age 67 and as a United States Army pensioner having died of an intestinal obstruction which had lasted for seven days. He was buried at the Creswick Cemetery on September 9th, in the Presbyterian compartment, grave #1499, Section 12. As it was what was called a common grave, the plot could not be purchased and as such no memorial could be erected. There was a statement that he was placed in the grave of Alexander Miller, 14 years, buried on August 2, 1892; and on January 30, 1924, Elizabeth Miller, at age 77 was also placed in the same grave. His widow applied for a pension on January 9, 1914 and again on October 8, 1917. 

When the fact was discovered in 1991that he had no headstone, a marker was obtained from the American Veterans Administration in Washington DC and placed on his gravesite.

Over the years the surname “Miller” changed from W.B. Miller to Millar and his daughter married a “Shields”; their daughter then married a “Millar”; they then had two boys and one girl; all descendants of William Black Miller. Phil Millar of Daylesford, Victoria is a fifth generation direct descendant.

Postcript:-

William Black Miller’s story is one surrounded in controversies and questions; until he arrives in Australia. Several individuals have tried to reconcile the information and are receptive to any information that would further clarify the question as to if his information has been contaminated with that of yet another William Miller; as there were scores of William Millers who served in the conflict. It is generally believed William Black Miller was born on June 12, 1846 at Strathaven, Lanarkshire, Scotland. As stated, Miller’s life before his induction into the military remains largely unknown. Records, however, reveal he supposedly enlisted as a private into Company D, 26^th Pennsylvania Infantry on June 1, 1861. Other records reveal a William Miller enlisted on May 5, 1861 in Company H, 26^th Pennsylvania at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He may have first went into Company H and then into Company D and if so the June 1 date may have been his mustered in date. Due to the confusion at the time and the poor record keeping, one cannot be sure what transpired.