 He enlisted in the U.S. Navy from the state of Massachusetts and served during the Spanish–American War as a crew member of the gunboat .On May 11, 1898 he took part in a small boat operation that cut the underwater telegraph cable off Cienfuegos, Cuba, and received the Medal of Honor for his conduct during the action (the Battle of Cienfuegos).Miller's younger brother, Harry Herbert Miller, was also awarded the Medal of Honor for the same action, making the two men one of only eight pairs of brothers to be awarded the medal.