Francis Preston Blair Jr.
| Francis Preston Blair Jr. | |
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General Blair during the Civil War
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United States Senator from Missouri |
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In office January 20, 1871 – March 4, 1873 |
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| Preceded by | Daniel T. Jewett |
| Succeeded by | Lewis V. Bogy |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Missouri's 1st district |
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In office March 4, 1861 – June 10, 1864 |
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| Preceded by | John R. Barret |
| Succeeded by | Samuel Knox |
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In office June 8, 1860 – June 25, 1860 |
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| Preceded by | John R. Barret |
| Succeeded by | John R. Barret |
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In office March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1859 |
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| Preceded by | Luther M. Kennett |
| Succeeded by | John R. Barret |
| Member of the Missouri House of Representatives | |
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In office 1870–1871 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
February 19, 1821 Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Died | July 8, 1875 (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
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| Service/branch |
United States Army Union Army |
| Years of service | 1846–1848; 1862–1865 |
| Rank |
 Major General
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| 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.
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