Bio of McMillin, William Harvey (b.1839) Wabasha Co., MN
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This bio comes from "HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY" 1884.
Check out Barbara's site for more great information on this book:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio/wab1.htm
There are also some pictures and information from descendents for some 
of the bios on her pages.

McMillin, William Harvey, barber, Lake City, is the third son of James M.,
and was born September 30, 1839, at Wilkesville, Ohio, and was but three
years of age when the family removed to Illinois. After he was eighteen
years old he cared for himself and worked at butchering three years. He
came to Minnesota in 1859, and assisted his brother in farming at Bear
Valley, attending school there one winter term. Returning to Illinois he
was among the first to respond to the call of his country in its hour of
danger. Entering Co. B, of the 13th Illinois Vols., he saw a great deal of
hard service in the western army. The following endorsement, which is
found in red ink upon his discharge, explains itself: "Said W. H. McMillin
was with the command in the actions at Chickasaw Bayou, Arkansas Post,
Jackson, May 14 and July 10-16, 1863, siege of Vicksburg and assault May
22, 1863; Tuscumbia, Lookout Mountain, Mission Ridge and Ringgold; has
marched over thirty-five hundred miles and faithfully performed the duties
of a soldier." Among other notable engagements in which he participated
may be named Wilson's Creek, Pea Ridge, Buzzard's Roost, Snake's Gap and
Milligan's Bend. He was detailed in the Mississippi scouts, and for five
months commanded a squad of seventy-five mounted men, doing excellent
service, losing only three men while passing through many hot skirmishes.
At one time, after being driven seven miles under the spur, his party of
ten men was driven over a steep bluff, where the horses slid down on their
haunches, killing one man and a horse. After thus excaping, Mr. McMillin
laid an ambuscade, and killed or captured nearly the entire force of rebel
pursuers, eighty in number, being reinforced by two companies of infantry.
After this he was detailed with nineteen comrades as body guard to Gen. P.
J. Osterhaus, where he served till the close of the war. At Chickasaw
Bayou his colonel, John B. Wyman, was killed by a sharpshooter, and "Sandy
Bill," as our subject was best known to his comrades, crept through the
bushes for fifteen rods and picked off the sharpshooter. Mr. McMillin was
never wounded by a bullet, but was knocked down the bursting of a shell in
front of Vicksburg, and his head and neck partially paralyzed so that he
was not fit for duty for some time. He was laid up with dropsy in the old
marine hospital at St. Louis for three months at another time. Was never
in the guardhouse or under arrest. While serving as body guard to Gen.
Osterhaus he acted most of the time as dispatch-carrier. While on this
duty on one occasion, he rode half a mile under galling fire, and thus
saved two thousand comrades from captivity and the pangs of hell in Libby
prison. Another time, with three companions, he charged over the rebel
pickets, gained the bluff across Chickamauga creek, and after running a
half-mile gauntlet, gained a covered bridge; here they placed their horses
across the entrance of the bridge, and by firing beneath their bodies kept
the rebel cavalry at bay until artillery and reinforcements were brought
to bear. In this movement the Union forces did not lose a man. Returning
to Minnesota at the close of the war, Mr. McMillan engaged in farming a
short time; removed to Lake City and worked in a butcher-shop three years;
for past nine years has kept a barber shop-last two with a partner.
February 22, 1865, he was united in marriage with Miss Caroline Culver,
who was born in Walnut, Illinois. They have one adopted daughter, Bertie,
born July 16, 1880. Mr. McMillin is district G.D.M.W. in the A.O.U.W. He
is chief of the Lake City Hook and Ladder Company, and has had many narrow
escapes in the pursuit of his duty.
War of Rebellion (Civil War)