Allegheny County PA Archives-  Obituaries: Miller, John Henry, 12 Sep 1850

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by:
Martha Little, <littlegen03@hotmail.com>, Jun 2010

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from the Pittsburgh Daily Gazette dated Monday, September 23, 1850 (page 2):
 
DIED
 
At the residence of Dr David PORTER, at Rostraver, Westmoreland
county, on Thursday, 12th September, BREV. Major John Henry MILLER, of
the 4th U S Artillery. He was born on the 7th July, 1810, and had
therefore just entered his 41st year. His remains were interred at
Uniontown by the military, at a place indicated by himself, some weeks
before his death.
 
At the age of 14, he attached himself to a corps of civil engineers,
under the command of James SHRIVER, dec'd, then engaged in making
surveys under the Government of the U. States, with a view of
connecting the Potomac and Ohio rivers by canal. The next year he
accompanied the same corps, and was engaged in making surveys on the
Wabash and Miami rivers, in Indiana. Here his friend and relative, Mr
SHRIVER, fell a sacrifice to the climate and exposure, in that, then
then (sic) wilderness country. On his return from this exploration
and survey, he was in 1827 appointed to a Cadetship at the Military
Academy at West Point, where he graduated high in a very large class.
Immediately afterwards he was promoted to a second Lieutenancy in the
4th Artillery, and stationed at Fort ----- at the outlet of Lake
Huron. On the breaking out of the Florida war, he was ordered to the
seat of war and served there under Gen TAYLOR until the conclusion of
the war. He was immediately after the commencement of the war with
Mexico, ordered in the field, and sailed with the expedition against
Vera Cruz. Before that, however, a corps of troops under the command
of Col Da Russy (?), having been shipwrecked on the coast of Mexico,
and likely to encounter a large force of Mexicans, Major MILLER was
dispatched to his relief, with success. He was present and engaged in
the siege and capitulation of Vera Cruz. He advanced with the
invading army under Gen SCOTT, and was in the battle of Cerro Gordo.
His command was left to garrison the town of Pueblo, where he was most
an efficient and active participant in the defense of that place,
during its long siege. He was at the conclusion of the peace. He
returned immediately to the United States, paid a brief visit to his
family at Detroit, and was again ordered to Fort Wood, Louisiana.
Upon the indication of hostile movements among the Florida Indians, he
was again ordered into the wilderness and everglades of that region,
where he was engaged when in November last he was advised of a
catastrophe which struck a blow more fatal in the consequences than
the Indian or Mexican fire arms, or the missma of southern swamps and
everglades. He had escaped though a thousand perils, but this last
blow struck home to his vitals. It suffered no repose - unnerved and
unstrung the arm of the soldier. Since that event he has been absent
from his post under leave of absence, renewed again and again, by his
friend and commander, Gen SCOTT.
 
He was married in 1841, to a daughter of John NORVEL (sic), late U S
Senator from Michigan. He has left two children.
 
He died of Asiatic Cholera, which he contracted during a short visit
to the city of Pittsburgh. (Uniontown Democrat)
 
~~~~~~~~~
 
Marriage was to Isabella, daughter of John NORVELL.