PETER MILLER, NAVAL CADET, USN
Peter Miller '82
Peter Miller was admitted to the Naval Academy from Kansas on October 1, 1878 at age 18 years 7 months.
Prior to the publication of the Lucky Bag in 1894, most portraits of officers and midshipmen of the Naval Academy were captured in yearly photo albums. The album for 1882 is available in the collections of the Naval Academy's Digital Collections.
Special thank you to historian Kathy Franz for identifying this resource and then extracting several dozen photographs for this site.
Prior to the publication of the Lucky Bag in 1894, most portraits of officers and midshipmen of the Naval Academy were captured in yearly photo albums. The album for 1882 is available in the collections of the Naval Academy's Digital Collections.
Special thank you to historian Kathy Franz for identifying this resource and then extracting several dozen photographs for this site.
Loss
Peter died on April 3, 1883 of injuries sustained the day before when a steam pipe burst aboard USS Tennessee (1865).
Other Information
From Proceedings of the United States Naval Institute, 1884:
Naval Cadet Peter Miller. Born, Stockholm, Sweden, February 5, 1860. Appointed a Cadet Engineer, October 1, 1878. Graduated from the Naval Academy, June 8, 1882. Ordered to the Tennessee, July 26, 1882. Died on board the Tennessee, April 3, 1883, at Key West, Florida, having been severely scalded the day previous by the bursting of a steam-pipe while on duty in the fireroom. Sea service, one year, four months; shore duty, three years, one month; total service, four years, six months.
From The Daily Commonwealth on April 17, 1883:
Death of Midshipman Miller.
Almost every citizen of Topeka who resided here eight or ten years ago knew Peter Miller, son of Dr. N. Miller, veterinary surgeon. Peter lived in this city from quite a lad, went to our public schools, where he was first in his classes. He was a very bright, active Swede boy, although born in this country. The writer of this well remembers when the young man came to him a few years ago, soliciting his influence with Hon. Thos. Ryan to an appointment at the naval school at Annapolis. He received the appointment, and there as here stood at the head of all his classes. A year or two ago, after he had concluded his studies, he visited his home in Topeka, and we were all proud of his manly bearing and the excellent record he had made.
This young man is dead. His father yesterday received a letter from a shipmate of Peter, dated on board U. S. S. Tennessee, off Port Royal, S.C., April 10th, stating that the ship started from the Mississippi river jetties on the 2d inst., and soon after one of the steam pipes burst, fatally scalding Peter. This was at 5 o’clock in the afternoon. He bore his sufferings cheerfully, being perfectly conscious until he died at 7 a. m., April 3d. The steamer stopped at Key West, Florida, where he was buried with military honors. His comrade writes a very feeling letter to Dr. Miller.
From researcher Kathy Franz:
In May 1882, Peter was designated as a “star” of the first class of midshipmen having obtained an average of 85 per cent in his studies. In June he ranked #5 of the graduating cadet engineers.
Per The Daily Commonwealth, April 26, 1883:
Through the recommendation and assistance of Hon. Thomas Ryan, young Miller became a candidate for a cadetship in the United States naval academy at Annapolis. He passed his examination at Annapolis in September 1878. There were one hundred and fifty applicants, of whom twenty-five were to be taken – and of the twenty-five, Miller stood number thirteen.”
He exhibited a degree of industry, enterprise and manliness that promised much for the future, if his life had been continued. He was a favorite of that faithful teacher and excellent gentleman, Prof. L. A. Thomas, and he will be kindly remembered by his schoolmates, and by the young people of the city.
During his last visit to Topeka it was suggested to Miller that, on account of the weakness of his eyes, he had better resign his position, but he promptly replied: “The United States government has given me an education, and I am bound in honor to render what return I can.” He did make return – he gave to his country all that he had – his services and his life.
It seems but just and proper that this public recognition should be made of the integrity and fidelity of this young man who, but for his sad and untimely death, would have reflected honor on Topeka and on Kansas. F. S. U.
Father was Neil, mother Emma, brothers Oliver and Magnus, sisters Katy and Mary -- all born in Sweden.
Peter is buried in Key West, Florida.
The "Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps" was published annually from 1815 through at least the 1970s; it provided rank, command or station, and occasionally billet until the beginning of World War II when command/station was no longer included. Scanned copies were reviewed and data entered from the mid-1840s through 1922, when more-frequent Navy Directories were available.
The Navy Directory was a publication that provided information on the command, billet, and rank of every active and retired naval officer. Single editions have been found online from January 1915 and March 1918, and then from three to six editions per year from 1923 through 1940; the final edition is from April 1941.
The entries in both series of documents are sometimes cryptic and confusing. They are often inconsistent, even within an edition, with the name of commands; this is especially true for aviation squadrons in the 1920s and early 1930s.
Alumni listed at the same command may or may not have had significant interactions; they could have shared a stateroom or workspace, stood many hours of watch together… or, especially at the larger commands, they might not have known each other at all. The information provides the opportunity to draw connections that are otherwise invisible, though, and gives a fuller view of the professional experiences of these alumni in Memorial Hall.
July 1881
January 1882
January 1883
Memorial Hall Error
Peter is listed in Memorial Hall as a "Passed Midshipman." The contemporary report of his death above, as well as the Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps of 1884 which lists his death, has "Naval Cadet." "Passed Midshipman" does not appear in any Officer Register after 1862.
Peter is one of 4 members of the Class of 1882 on Virtual Memorial Hall.
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
