▁ ▁Legisl ator ▁and ▁lawyer ▁ ▁Miller ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁South ▁Carolina ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 3 , ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁ 2 2 ▁years ▁old . ▁ ▁Miller ▁was ▁a ▁native ▁of ▁York ▁County , ▁South ▁Carolina ▁and ▁worked ▁as ▁an ▁att orney ▁in ▁York ville , ▁the ▁county ▁seat , ▁for ▁several ▁years ▁before ▁the ▁war . ▁ ▁Civil ▁War ▁ ▁Miller ▁volunte ered ▁for ▁military ▁service ▁for ▁the ▁Confeder ate ▁States ▁of ▁America ▁at ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁Civil ▁War , ▁and ▁organized ▁a ▁volunte er ▁inf antry ▁company . ▁Initial ly ▁serving ▁as ▁a ▁captain ▁in ▁the ▁Army ▁of ▁Northern ▁Virginia , ▁he ▁commanded ▁a ▁unit ▁of ▁sk irm ish ers ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 1 8 6 2 , ▁during ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Anti et am ▁( called ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Sh ar ps burg ▁in ▁the ▁south ), ▁assigned ▁to ▁locate ▁Union ▁Army ▁positions . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Freder icks burg , ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁colon el , ▁and ▁assigned ▁to ▁command ▁the ▁ 1 2 th ▁South ▁Carolina ▁Infantry ▁after ▁the ▁previous ▁commander ▁res igned . ▁This ▁unit ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁Colonel ▁Ab ner ▁Mon roe ▁Per rin ' s ▁First ▁Brigade ▁of ▁a ▁division ▁commanded ▁by ▁General ▁William ▁Dor sey ▁P ender . ▁Miller ▁first ▁led ▁this ▁unit ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Chan cell ors ville , ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁after math ▁of ▁this ▁significant ▁Confeder ate ▁victory , ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁March ▁ 2