Lieutenant-Colonel William Miller (1785-1815), 1st Foot Guards, in civilian dress, 1814 (c)

Silhouette portrait in pen and ink and watercolour on card, artist unknown, 1814 (c).

William Miller (1784-1815) was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel of the 3rd Battalion, 1st Regiment of Foot Guards, on 3 March 1814. Miller, a veteran of the Peninsular War, was actually wounded at the Battle of Quatre Bras on 16 June 1815. He immediately sent for his friend, Colonel C Thomas (himself killed two days later at Waterloo), and stated 'I feel I am mortally wounded, but I am pleased to think it is my fate rather than yours, whose life is involved in that of your young wife.' After a pause, he went on: 'I should like to see the colours of the Regiment before I quit them for ever'. Miller died of his wounds in Brussels the following day.