John Miller Srodes (July 17, 1809 – September 30, 1882) was a Union Army officer during the American Civil War.

John Miller Srodes was born on Grant's Hill in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania on July 17, 1809.

His granddaughter Lida Olive Bickerstaff remembers him telling her stories about when he lived with the Indians and teaching her their language, life, and customs.

In the Civil War, John served as captain of the Ram Lioness of the Mississippi Marine Brigade from April 28 to July 16, 1862, when he was discharged.

So he took his idea directly to Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, who gave Ellet permission to build and command the fleet.

Charles Rivers Ellet was escorted to shore by Srodes aboard the Lioness, which was the last ram to arrive on the scene because it was hauling coal for the fleet.

Charles Rivers Ellet, who had joined the fleet just five days earlier on his nineteenth birthday, took a rowboat ashore along with three other Union soldiers and demanded the surrender of the city from Mayor John Park.

Ellet, however, demanded that they be permitted to hoist the American flag over the post office as a symbol of the fall of Memphis.

The people of the city, noticing the Union flag, began to yell and fire shots at the men of the roof.

The Lioness had no guns, though: to give a show of force, Srodes sent all of the ship's marines ashore armed with carbines and hand grenades.

They had seven children: William Quinn, Sarah Ann, John Q., Ellen Hood, Margaretta Pugh, Mary Alwilda, and Anna Eliza.