20-year-old Miley Fenwick was one of 18 slaves owned by Washington A. Posey, a tobacco farmer in Allen’s Fresh, Charles County, Maryland. He ran away from the Posey plantation and enlisted in the 19th Regiment at Camp Stanton on January 11, 1864, under the name of Mildy Finnick. He resumed using his Miley Fenwick birth name upon discharge from the Army.

    Washington Posey applied for $300 compensation for his enlisted slave, but was denied because the Government found him to be disloyal.

At the Battle of the Crater outside Petersburg, Virginia on July 30, 1864, Private Finnick was wounded and captured. He was sold back into slavery to Dr. Vaughn in Powhatan County, Virginia, about 30 miles west of Richmond. Nine months later, he escaped from Dr. Vaughn and found his way back to his regiment at Manchester (Richmond), Virginia. The regiment had just entered Richmond after General Lee’s army had fled the city. Finnick was promoted to Corporal on October 1, 1865.

    Corporal Finnick mustered out of the army on January 15, 1867 at Brownsville, Texas. With the Civil War over, he returned to Allen's Fresh, Maryland and resumed using his original name of Miley Fenwick. 

Two years after returning home, Fenwick married Alendia Ann Queenan on January 23, 1869 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Newport, Maryland, less than a mile from Allen’s Fresh. Father Vicinanza, a Jesuit, married the couple.

Miley Fenwick’s pension file contains the following deposition:

I am about 67 or 68 years of age; my post office address is 320 D Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. I was born in Charles Co. Md. I was born a slave to Washington Posey, a farmer. He had two boys, one a lawyer and the other a doctor, both living in Charles Co., Md. now. I ran away from my master when I was about 21 years old and went to a place called Bendick, Md and enlisted there in Co. K, 19 Maryland Infantry, They were called the U.S. Colored Volunteers. I enlisted - was not drafted. I think it was in the fall of 1863 that I enlisted. Was stripped and examined when I enlisted. We camped at “Benedick” until we were ready to go to Baltimore, Md. We were at Baltimore about a couple of months and were then brought to Washington, were taken across into Virginia and kept on down to the fighting point. The first battle we got into was a little skirmish called the Plank Road, - the next was Petersburg. We were there over a month preparing for the fight. I saw one of the Confederate forts blown up and was one of those that rushed in and got captured there. I never saw the regiment again until I made my escape from Dr. Vaughn, who bought me, and got back to Richmond. Found the regiment at Richmond. They had me marked dead, - I was on the “dead roll.” 

Colonel Ruggins was, I think, commander of my regiment. Welch was Lieutenant Colonel I think. My captain was named Stearns. Barkley and Patterson were my lieutenants. Barkley lives out at Beltsville or laurel and comes in on the train, - that is, he did last summer. Sergeant Mabury was Orderly Sergeant. After I returned to the regiment I was made a corporal. I was mustered out at Brownsville, Texas - got my pay and discharge paper at Baltimore, Md. I have my Certificate of Discharge at home. My pension certificate is also at home. Have never pledged my certificate for anything whatever.

My last attorney was Walter Middleton. He is the only attorney I have had. I never paid Middleton or any one else anything for helping me with my pension claim. I get my vouchers executed sometimes down there by the Police Court, but lately I have had them executed by a widow woman on 4th Street between F and G Streets N.W. She charges me 25 cents each time. Mr. White, cor. 3rd & C St. has cashed some checks, - sometimes I go to the Treasury, and different places.

I was married to Ann Quinnan about 3 years after I was discharged from the service; in Charles County, Maryland - Newport Church. Neither of us had been married before. 

I have five children under 16 years of age. Cecilia about 8 or 9; Gussie about 13; Clinton about 10; Romie about 7 or 8; Ellen about 6; my other child is grown and married.

I am 5 ft. 4 or 5 inches in height, my complexion, eyes and hair are black. I am by occupation an expressman.

I am pensioned under the new law at $8 per month for shortness of breath, scurvey in the legs, and pain in the side. I never made claim under the old law.

I have heard the foregoing read. I have understood your questions and my answers have been correctly recorded.

Mildy X (his mark) Finnick

Witnesses to mark: John Holton, Jackson Grasty

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 28th day of August, 1900, and I certify that the contents were fully made known to deponent before signing.

Charles S. Davis, Special Examiner

The next day, Special Examiner Davis included the following statement in the file:

Inv. Case 591,515 Mildy Finnick K 19 U.S.C. Vol. Inf. Washington, D.C., Aug 29, 1900 Hon. Commissioner of Pensions Washington, D.C. Sir: Herewith are returned all of the papers in the above cited claim together with my report therein.

The case came to me to determine the question of identity of the pensioner as the person who performed the service stated. The pensioner’s circumstantial account of his capture at Petersburg, Va., subsequent sale to Dr. Vaughn, escape and return to the regiment agrees so exactly with the records in the case that it leaves no doubt as to the identity of the person in question. He also informed me that he was slightly wounded at Petersburg, though that fact is not made to appear in his deposition. Pensioner had every appearance of being perfectly honest and straightforward in all of the statements he made to me. 

Very respectfully, Charles S. Davis Special Examiner

    On December 10, 1910, pension examiner H.G. Ellis deposed Mr. Fenwick again, with the same result. Ellis stated:

I certify that I have this day personally interviewed the above named & I am satisfied that he is the soldier & pensioner that he represents himself to be.

    The Government always paid Miley Fenwick’s pension using his Army name Mildy Finnick.