Civil War Medal of Honor winner

A Herd of Turtles ^ | 9/22/15

[LibWhacker]

Civil War Veteran Jacob Miller was shot in the

 forehead on Sept.19th 1863 at Brock Field at

 Chickamauga. He lived with an open bullet wound

 for many years, with the last pieces of lead dropping

 out 31 years after he was first shot !

[LibWhacker]

Yep, sorry about that. As soon as I posted it, I knew I had screwed up.

[shotgun]

I think I heard that on the PBS documentary series on the CW

[katana]

Guess that’s why the saying goes “TWO IN THE CHEST and one in the head is how you make sure they really are dead”.

[LibWhacker]

Although, in my defense, here are 160 army.mil websites that refer to "medal of honor winners."

https://www.google.com/search?q=%22medal+of+honor+winners%22&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8#q=%22medal+of+honor+winners%22+site:army.mil

I still don't like it. The whole time growing up as a kid, I don't know how many innumerable times I heard the phrase, so-and-so "won the Medal of Honor." IMO, people who say it ought to be taken out behind the woodshed and be given a lesson in military grammar. But, nevertheless, the phrase is stuck in my brain and many other veterans' brains, apparently never to be erased. :-(

[fini]

Wounds and a will to live cause unbelievable outcomes. I had an uncle who was in the German Army on the Eastern Front during WWII. He was shot in the eye. But the bullet must have lost a lot of energy before it hit him, because it settled behind his eye and in-front of his brain- though no one knew that when he was transported to the 1st aide station. Long story, but he credited his wound for saving his life, because his unit was almost all decimated and later surrender (none to return to Germany).

Due to the location of the bullet, they never removed it. One side effect was that if he leaned over for more than a few seconds, he would get a nose bleed.

Great guy, he was the eternal optimist. You could give him a crap sandwich and he would use it to fetilize his garden.

[fini]

Those guys in the picture (50 years after the war) were at least in their late 60s or 70s. Notice that not one of the old guys is fat.

[gorush]

Yup, that was long before processed food and countless hours in front of the TV.

[backwoods-engineer]

I think one of the villains in Smith’s “Wild Wild West” was based on this guy’s wound.

[If You Want It Fixed - Fix It]

While I am a second generation American, I reflect on the men in the plaques that I read about, that stood the line here and charged there as though they really are my ancestors, though they are’t, they are, by adoption. I pray for them amd thank them the same. It’s funny though, when a fellow onlooker recounts his family member, and I remember mine....is his! Both those on God’s side.

[ziravan]

It’s good. I’ve heard the same being in and around the military.

Still.

Thanks for posting

[RJS1950]

I’m not sure this is the same Jacob Miller who won the MOH. There was a Jacob C. Miller who won the MOH for actions in a charge at Vicksburg, but he was with the 113th Illinois.

This guy deserved a medal, but I’m not sure he received the MOH.

[vetvetdoug]

This is just a lesson in semantics but one earns The MOH, not wins it.

[Squantos]

My Great Grandfather was with the Michigan Brigade with Custer during the civil war and after the war deserted when they wouldn’t let him go home after the war was over. He was ordered after the souths surrender to western frontier’s district of the plains to the indian wars .......He was from Bath County Kentucky.

Said F’em an went back home to farming in Sharpsburg Kentucky was my grandfathers version of the story.....he said great grandfather was at Gettysburg as well as other battles that I can’t recall..... Beverly Gransville Perry was my Great Grandfathers name ......

[Chuckster]

Well, the man in the photo with the hole in his forehead is wearing the MOH. I think it is probably him.

[Fightin Whitey]

That’s pretty great.

Good thing he broke away from Custer when he did.

Got to be a rough ride for the Seventh Cav.

[yarddog]

Sounds like not sticking with Custer was a wise decision.

My GGrandpa lived in Florida but only a few hundred yards from the Alabama line. He and his Brothers enlisted at Elba, Alabama. His name was Martin Abel McDuffie. Some more of Mother’s family served with Laird’s Rangers but I know nothing of them.

My paternal ancestors enlisted in the First and Sixth Florida. They were organized in Pensacola and trained at Chattahoochee which is now the site of the state mental hospital.

[Squantos]

Agree..... history is my favorite past time. All my uncle’s, me, my brother served in the service as well as an aunt who delivered fighters during WWII ......

But this mans story is amazing ..... his drive to survive , just amazing

[Squantos]

Awesome historical and amazing all in one....... Bless em all for what they endured.

Stay Safe !!

[LibWhacker]

Yep, as even I myself have said in this thread, I believe and wish that were true and I wish that people, myself included, observed that fact more conscientiously. But it's difficult, a losing battle, when the official websites of the Department of Defense, the Army, Marines, etc., refer to "winners" of the MOH. I have an excuse. I'm old and I've been hearing about winners of the MOH since I was a small kid, and cannot get it out of my brain, no matter how hard I try. Sorry. :-(

[MinuteGal]

An absolutely gripping and fascinating thread. Thanks for posting...and thanks to all who are participating and sharing their wonderful anecdotes of family military history.

We should all be so proud!

Leni