*** Welcome to piglix ***

Francis P. Blair, Jr.

Francis Preston Blair Jr.
General Francis Preston Blair.jpg
General Blair during the Civil War
United States Senator
from Missouri
In office
January 20, 1871 – March 4, 1873
Preceded by Daniel T. Jewett
Succeeded by Lewis V. Bogy
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Missouri's 1st district
In office
March 4, 1861 – June 10, 1864
Preceded by John R. Barret
Succeeded by Samuel Knox
In office
June 8, 1860 – June 25, 1860
Preceded by John R. Barret
Succeeded by John R. Barret
In office
March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1859
Preceded by Luther M. Kennett
Succeeded by John R. Barret
Member of the Missouri House of Representatives
In office
1870–1871
Personal details
Born (1821-02-19)February 19, 1821
Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.
Died July 8, 1875(1875-07-08) (aged 54)
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Political party Free Soil (1848–1854)
Republican (1854–1866)
Democratic (1866–1875)
Spouse(s) Appoline Alexander
Alma mater University of North Carolina
Princeton University
Transylvania University
Profession Lawyer, soldier
Military service
Allegiance  United States
Service/branch United States Army
Union Army
Years of service 1846–1848; 1862–1865
Rank Union Army major general rank insignia.svg Major General
Commands 1st Bde, 4th Div, XV Corps
2nd Div, XV Corps
XV Corps
XVII Corps
Battles/wars Mexican-American War
American Civil War

Francis Preston Blair Jr. (February 19, 1821 – July 8, 1875) was an American jurist, politician and soldier. He represented Missouri in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, and was active in preventing the state of Missouri from being absorbed into the Confederacy at the beginning of the Civil War. Blair was instrumental in appointing Nathaniel Lyon as the new military commander of the Western Department of the U.S. Army. He assisted Lyon in securing help of the St. Louis' Home Guard in moving over 20,000 rifles and muskets from the St. Louis Arsenal to Illinois. Missouri secessionists considered this event as breaking of informal truce established in the state. This set the scene for the Camp Jackson Affair and continuing guerrilla activity by outraged pro-slavery elements.

In 1862, Blair joined the Missouri volunteers, being promoted major general, commanded a division at Vicksburg under Sherman, took part in Sherman's March to the Sea and ended the war as a corps commander. In 1868, he was Horatio Seymour's vice-presidential candidate, but his dramatic speeches about the dangers of black emancipation were believed by some to have cost the Democrats the election. He suffered a paralyzing stroke in 1872, but continued to be active in state politics till his death.

Blair was born in Lexington, Kentucky. He was the third and youngest son of newspaper editor and politician Francis Preston Blair, and Eliza Violet (Gist) Blair. He was the brother of Montgomery Blair, a Mayor of St. Louis and Postmaster General under Lincoln, and the cousin of B. Gratz Brown, a U.S. Senator and Governor of Missouri. Blair attended schools in Washington, D.C., was matriculated in Yale and the University of North Carolina, but graduated from Princeton University in 1841, and then studied law at Transylvania University. After his admission to the Kentucky bar in Lexington, he went on to practice in St. Louis in 1842 with his elder brother; in 1842-1845, he worked in the law office of Thomas Hart Benton.


...
Wikipedia

...