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Thayer, John Milton

soldier, legislator, governor, was born Jan. 24, 1823, in Bellingham, Mass. He graduated from Brown university; settled in Nebraska in 1854; and was elected brigadiergeneral and then major-general in defense of the frontier against hostile Indians. He was thus engaged till the war for the defense of the union. He entered the army as colonel of the first regiment Nebraska infantry; was commander of a brigade at Fort Donelson and Shiloh; and was made a brigadier-general for gallant conduct on those fields. He led a storming column at Chickasaw bayou; and his horse was shot from under him at Arkansas post. He commanded a brigade and division through the siege of Vicksburg, after which he was made commander of the district and army of the frontier. On admission of Nebraska as a state he was elected United States, senator. Afterward he was made governor of Wyoming, and three times governor of Nebraska.