BRINKERHOFF NOADIAH MINER -- 34th INFANTRYSON OF AN ABOLITIONIST PREACHER - Brinckerhoff Noadiah Miner was thegreat grandson of Pliny Moore who was a lieutenant under George Clintonduring the Revolution, and one of the founders of Champlain. His fatherwas Rev. Ovid Stone Miner, a preacher who helped introduce theabolitionist message in northern New York.When Brinckerhoff was 26 years old, he enlisted in the 34th Infantry inChamplain, and was mustered into Company D as a 2nd lieutenant to servefor 2 years. Almost immediately, he was detailed to the newly-formedSignal Corps. In February 1863, he returned to his regiment and wasmustered out with them on June 30, 1863 in Albany and returned toSyracuse where his father was working.Thefather of the U.S. Army Signal Corps was Major Albert J. Myer, an Armysurgeon with an interest in communications by sign language for the deafand then in signaling over long distances with lightweight, simple touse equipment. He invented a signaling system using a flag, or akerosene torch for nighttime use, that is known as wig-wag signaling, oraerial telegraphy. At the outbreak of war, Myer went to Washington toaddress the problem of having no signal personnel. His only option wasto persuade officers to be detailed from other assignments, which wasnot considered satisfactory by Myer or the officers themselves, whofeared loss of promotion opportunities. Nonetheless, Brinckerhoff wassent to the Signal Corps -- maybe he volunteered? Just before PresidentLincoln signed a formal bill for establishing a Signal Corps in March1863, Brinckerhoff was returned to his regiment.In 1870, he was living in East Poultney, VT, with his mother and sister,Harriet, and working as an insurance agent. He died in East Poultney onJanuary 16, 1871 and was buried in Syracuse, his wife, Ella Bate'shometown. He was buried next to his wife who had died in 1869 after 5years of marriage and two sons, both of whom died as infants. In 1890,the year before his father's death, his mother, Eliza Moore Miner,applied for and received a pension based on Brinckerhoff's service. Shedied in 1895. The family are all buried in the Oakwood Cemetery inSyracuse.
