Randolph County, Indiana - Chapter 7: Officers, 1914 (part 4 of 4)

"Mr. Marsh stated that he had his eyes on a man in the audience who was so lazy that Hood's entire army couldn't make him run at the battle of Franklin. Of course the audience knew by the description that he meant Col. M. B. Miller, and in response to calls that gentleman worked his way to the stand. He said that somebody had to be the laziest man and that it might as well be him as anybody else. He had by steady adherence to his rules acheived the reputation and he wasn't going to injure his reputation by making a speech. The Col. managed to get some fun out of his laziness and created a great deal of merriment, both at Marsh's and his own expense, before closing. But we want to say that the Col. laid everything aside and worked early and late to secure the monument and deserves credit for it.

"We failed to state that Miss Minnie Ryan recited, 'I am the Son of a Veteran' in good style and I. P. Watts sang, 'Marching through Georgia', and both were heartily applauded. This closed the regular programme, and I. P. Watts responded to calls with one of his usual happy talks. Fremont Garrett talked for the Son's of Veterans, Watts sang, 'The Battle Hymn of the Republic', Rev. D. S. Davenport pronounced the benediction and it was nearly half past ten o'clock when the camp fire was extinguished, and yet the large audience seemed loath to disperse."

To every citizen of the county is due a portion of the great credit in the erection of this monument in the memory of Randolph county heroes, but especial mention should be made of the untiring efforts of J. W. Macy and Col. Martin Miller. Mr. Macy engineered the circulation of the petition and it was largely due to his personal influence that the matter was pushed to such a glorious end. This monument stands today one of the finest in the state, an honor to one of the most loyal counties in the state.