Recently, when doing my daily blog surfing, I came across this post about “black Confederate” Levi Miller at Richard Williams blog. As with every “black Confederate” that pops up on the radar, I was skeptical. However, Miller received a pension under one of the acts that granted veterans pensions (Miller’s was filed under the act of 1902, not the body servants pension act from the 1920s; according to the LVA scan, the pension was prepared and received in 1907).
I’ve already made clear my stand on the loose interpretation made by some about body servants, cooks, applicants of the body servant pensions, etc. being labeled as soldiers (see 1 and 2). I’ve also made it clear that I am aware of blacks who were actually on the muster rolls (see another post and the different links that lead to more information about my discovery in Charles Brown of Co. K, 10th Virginia Infantry). So, without going into all that again, this post is an effort to satisfy my own curiousity about Miller, and an example of my method (of course, it’s not the only method that I employ to find answers to history-related questions).
First I tried to access the link to a scan of Miller’s Confederate pension at the Library of Virginia site, but was unable to access the site at the time (since then, I was able to access it… note that he applied while residing in Frederick County. Oh, and for those who were not aware that these pensions were online, don’t get excited. The quality of the images are usually so poor that one can hardly read most of the handwriting on the scans). So, I started “Googling” and found a link to Ervin Jordan’s book about Black Confederates (more specifically, the Google Book pages for Jordan’s book, on which Levi Miller is mentioned).
The story goes that Miller, a slave from Rockbridge County, Virginia, went to war with his master, who was in the 5th Texas Infantry. I’m a bit confused as to the details of how a slave from Rockbridge County went to war with a master in a Texas unit, but that doesn’t mean it’s not possible (I’ve seen stranger things in historical research). I’m also confused over why Virginia granted a pension to a body servant who served in a Texas unit (I really think the legislation was clear that pensions were to go to soldiers who served in Virginia units… I’m going to have to look this up again). Still wanting to know more, and not wanting my information to come from unreliable sources on the Web (I won’t name them, just rest assured, they are out there…), I wanted to find a reference to Levi Miller in the Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Database, but I couldn’t find him. Remembering many of my own situations, where initials were used instead of first and middle names, I checked the database again. In this effort, I found a L.W. Miller in Co. G, 5th Texas Infantry. However, this seems contrary to the facts surrouding the story about his master Capt. John J. McBride. According to the database, McBride was a member of Company C, not Company G. It seems that Miller should be a member of Co. C. I did some more work on Google and found a link to the obituary (transcribed) for W.A. Nabours, a first sergeant from Co. B, 5th Texas Infantry. In this same obit, there was the mention of two comrades, one being L.W. Miller. Yet, this L.W. Miller appears to have been residing in Milam, Texas. It didn’t match-up as Levi resided in Virginia, in Frederick and Rockbridge counties, in the years after the war. So. if this L.W. Miller is not Levi Miller, why doesn’t Levi show up in the military rosters? The stories go, that he not only served, but fought… and was “enrolled as a full-fledged soldier” by “unanimous vote of the Texans.” Yet, he isn’t on the muster rolls.
Like I said earlier, the Library of Va scans are horrible(!!!),especially pages 4 & 5 of Levi Miller’s pension record. I really would like to see these. If anyone has better scans, please send them my way. Nonetheless, the pension cleared the county board before being sent to Richmond, and though he did not secure an “Affidavit of Comrades” or ”Affidavit of Witnesses, not Comrades,” he did receive a “Certificate of Camp of Confederate Veterans,” signed by G.W. Kurtz (formerly a captain in Co. K, 5th Virginia Infantry and, at the time of the pension, Commander of the Turner Ashby Camp, U.C.V.), and a “Certificate of Ex-Confederate Soldiers”… all of this is on Page 3 of the pension. However, Page 6 of the pension indicates that there was a problem with the pension as filed. In fact, it appears that there was probably no verifiable record among the combined service records for Confederate soldiers in Washington, D.C. (by experience in dealing with Virginia Confederate pension records, I know that the pension clerk in Richmond had regular correspondence regarding confirmation of service in available Confederate service records in D.C.). This made it necessary for Miller to get a letter from the last captain of Co. C in support of his pension. It’s not clear how long since Miller and Capt. Anderson last saw each other, perhaps they had not corresponded since the end of the war? (Of course, I’m just speculating). In any event, this captain sent a letter, and the contents of this letter satisfied the state pension clerk, L.O. Scott.
Again, a critical piece of information is needed before going further… clear copies of pages 4 and 5. One of those is probably the transcription of Capt. J.E. Anderson’s letter.
This stuff is fun!
Mark
September 29, 2008
Wonderful blog! Discovered it in the comments section of Civil War Memory. You wrote a comment on a post about David Williams book “Bitterly Divided”. I just posted my review of that text on my blog, thought you might like to take a look. http://www.tipstorian.blogspot.com
Hope you enjoy!
cenantua
September 29, 2008
Thanks Mark! I see you have an interesting blog as well and have made a link. When I can get some time (hopefully soon), I’d like to read your review of William’s book.
Marc Ferguson
September 29, 2008
Robert,
I looked at the records on-line as well, and had a very difficult time making them out. What a great example you give here of the detective work of historical research. Instead of jumping to conclusions, you follow the threads and have the understanding of the historical context for the existence of these documents to ask penetrating questions. My thought upon reading the on-line documents was that Miller may indeed have been officially mustered in, against Confederate policy, because of the support of those in the ranks who were accepting of him despite his race and status as a slave. After all, many things happen in practice in spite of legal prohibitions. Another possibility, just speculation, mind you, is that he managed to get a corroborating letter and authorities were sympathetic to his request since he fit socially acceptable notions of how blacks were supposed to behave during slavery days and the war. I noted that he is referred to in one of the documents as “Uncle Levi,” which may or may not be significant, but is certainly consistent with how blacks who were seen as fitting acceptable stereotypes were referred to.
Anyway, your blog has become one of my regular stops on the net, and I appreciate your always insightful posts. Keep up the good work!
best,
Marc
cenantua
September 29, 2008
Thanks for the thoughtful comments Marc, and I appreciate the remarks about the blog and the methodology!
Also, I see you took note of the manner in which he was referred to as “Uncle Levi.” I meant to bring that up earlier, but it slipped through the cracks. Good catch.
You mention speculation… and this is a part of what these conversations are all about. When we announce a hypothesis, we aren’t bashing the South and the Confederacy, it”s part of the process that we have to take as historians. That is exactly what this post is all about… the process. We have to look at things critically and give serious thought to the information before we come to a conclusion. We’re looking for real answers, not just taking history in blind doses.
Thanks again!
David O'Neil
October 14, 2008
Greetings from the Camp Chaplain of Turner Ashby Camp. I was curious why your starting position on Levi Miller was “skeptical”. Regardless of whether the fellow was officially on a roll or not, it seems your skepticism is that a slave or former slave would fight for his southland? My ancestor John McConnell who represented Cherokee Co. Georgia to the secession convention, was a wainwright, and had “slave” that was a highly skilled laborer and assistant. This slave did some tremendous things to help save the homestead, protect the women, hide a Confederate officer, and hide food stores from Lincoln’s pillaging army. The victors write the history, and so there is much truth that is lost in the great unpleasantness. Good luck with your research, and keep an open mind.
cenantua
October 14, 2008
Thank you for your comment Mr. O’Neil. I started “skeptical” for good reason. First, if you will note from an earlier post, I am aware of blacks serving as soldiers, even to the point of being included on the muster rolls of a regiment. I’ve even found one in my own research of the 10th Virginia Infantry. If the root of my skepticism with Levi Miller is to be traced, it will likely lead to back to my dissapointment with those who like to mass African-Americans who “served whites in the army” under the classification “Black Confederates.” It is misleading and suggests something unverifiable regarding broad-sweeping motivation within the classification of men. Worse yet, there seems to be a trend with some to go further and consider them all “Black Confederate soldiers.” This is gross generalization that is little different from a generalization made by some when considering white Southerners and slavery. There is a need for skepticism in historical analysis and this is exactly what I did in regard to Levi Miller. I encourage you to take some time to review other posts within this blog to see my position on “Black Confederates” and other issues. Thanks again for your comment!
John McBride
October 25, 2010
Levi Miller and his mother and brother were owned by the McBride family, near Rockbridge, John J. (JJ) McBride, 2nd son, moved to Texas in the 1840′s, dying of consumption. He recovered and became fairly wealthy. He was elected a lieutennat in 5th Texas. When he arrived at Richmond he asked his brother for a body servant, and got Levi. Likely they already knew each other, having lived on the same farm until Levi was 6 or 8 and JJ 20-something.