Saturday, October 31, 2009

George O. Miller

George O. Miller was born in 1842.

George was 19 years old and probably living with his family in Kent County, Michigan, when he enlisted with his parents’ consent in Company A on May 13, 1861. George W. Miller, also of Company A and a tentmate in the winter of 1861-62, described George O. Miller “as different from me as day is from dark. He is a pretty wild fellow.” George O. was detached as a teamster from August of 1862 through April of 1863, and supposedly deserted on May 19, 1863, at Washington, DC, but in fact he was admitted to Armory Square hospital in Washington, DC, on May 2, 1863, possibly suffering from tonsillitis.

He was again absent sick, presumably in Washington, from October until he was transferred to the Veterans’ Reserve Corps on March 31, 1864. (The VRC was made up of men who while ambulatory were generally incapable of performing regular military tasks due to having suffered debilitating wounds and/or diseases and were assigned to garrison the many supply depots, draft rendezvous, camps, forts, prisons, etc. scattered throughout the northern cities, thus freeing able-bodied men for regular military duty.)

There is no further record.

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