In 1863, Jacob Miller, a Union Army soldier from the 9th Indiana Infantry, miraculously survived being shot in the head during the Civil War. He participated in several battles, including Greenbriar in West Virginia, the siege of Corinth, Perryville in Kentucky, and Stones River. Despite being declared dead by his captain, Miller regained consciousness after the battle of Chickamauga and described his experience to a newspaper in 1911.
Miller vividly remembered the moment when a Confederate soldier aimed at him, pulled the trigger, and the musket ball struck his forehead between his eyes. Initially believed to have suffered a fatal wound, Miller surprised everyone by sitting up and assessing the damage. He discovered that his left eye had been dislodged from its socket, and he carefully maneuvered the crushed bone to realign it. Using his bandana as a makeshift bandage, he did his best to secure the injured eye.
Despite the severity of his condition, Miller displayed remarkable resilience. He crawled amidst the lifeless bodies and embarked on a grueling 15-mile journey to reach a field hospital. Along the way, he encountered a compassionate man on horseback who offered him a ride. At the hospital, doctors opted to remove only a third of the musket ball, fearing that a complete extraction would prove fatal. Although the remaining portion eventually fell out naturally over time, Miller’s wound never fully healed.
Jacob Miller lived a long life, defying the odds stacked against him. He passed away in 1917 at the age of 88, leaving behind a captivating photograph taken in 1911, which serves as a testament to his incredible story.
By Rachael Shieley
