BMG Miller, John Franklin

John Franklin Miller Sr.​

Born: November 21, 1831

Birthplace: South Bend, Indiana

Father: William Miller 1809 – 1879

Mother: Mary Martin 1811 – 1884

Wife: Mary Wickersham Chess 1836 – 1890

(Buried: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia)​

Children:

Mary Eudora Miller Clover 1860 – 1920​

(Buried: Arlington National Cemetery Arlington Virginia)​

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John Franklin Miller Jr. 1871 – 1878​

(Buried: Arlington National Cemetery Arlington Virginia)​

Education:

1852: Graduated from New York Law School​

Occupation before War:

Attorney in South Bend, Indiana​

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Attorney for a short time in California​

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1860 – 1861: Indiana State Senator​

Civil War Career:

1861 – 1864: Colonel of 29th​ Indiana Infantry Regiment​

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1862: Served in the Battle of Shiloh, Tennessee​

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1862: Served in the Siege of Corinth, Mississippi​

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Led his regiment in Northern Alabama, and Tennessee​

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Wounded in the neck during the Battle of Stones River, Tennessee​

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1863: Wounded losing left eye at the Skirmish at Liberty Gap​

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1863 – 1864: Medal Leave of Absence from the Union Army​

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1864 – 1865: Brigadier General of Union Army, Volunteers​

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1864: Garrison Commander in Nashville, Tennessee​

1864: Led his men in the Battle of Nashville, Tennessee​

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1865: Brevetted Major General for his service in the War​

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Declined Commission as Colonel in the United States Army​

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1865: Resigned from Union Army on September 29th​​

Occupation after War:

1865 – 1869: Collector of Customs in San Francisco, California​

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1869 – 1881: President of Alaska Commercial Company​

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1869: Part Owner of Rancho Yajome in Napa Valley​

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1878 – 1879: Member of California Constitutional Convention​

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1881 – 1886: United States Senator from California​

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1881 – 1883: Senate Chairman to Revise the laws of United States​

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1885 – 1886: Member of Senate Committee on Foreign Relations​

Died: March 8, 1886

Place of Death: Washington, D.C.

Cause of Death: Bright's Disease of Kidneys, edema and heart failure

Age at time of Death: 54 years old

Original Burial Place: Laurel Hill Cemetery, San Francisco, California

Burial Place: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, since 1913

 

[Pollaco]

It's somewhat odd that he went from freeing slaves as a Union General then went to passing anti-Chinese and exclusion laws as a Senator.

 

[gentlemanrob]

 

[Pollaco]

That skirmish at Liberty Gap (June 27, 1863) where he lost his left eye was part of the Tullahoma Campaign, it was an early example of mounted Infantry using repeating Spencer Rifles.

As a Senator he was a proponent of several bills to limit the influx and influence of Chinese immigrants. He also sponsored his own bill which would have suspended Chinese immigration for 20 years.

When Miller died in office there were about 5 months left of his term. It was filled by George Hearst, the father of William Randolph Hearst.