John Miller Fleming (December 12, 1832 – October 28, 1900) was an American newspaper editor, attorney and politician, active primarily in Tennessee during the latter half of the 19th century.
Fleming campaigned against secession on the eve of the Civil War, and served as secretary of the pro-Union East Tennessee Convention in 1861.
"[3] In 1857, Fleming quarreled with Irish Patriot John Mitchel, who spent time in Knoxville while in exile and befriended the city's Democrats.
[4] After words were exchanged, Mitchel struck Fleming with a cane, and a minor brawl ensued before police intervened and dispersed the crowd that had gathered.
[4] Described by historian Oliver Perry Temple as "the youngest of the Union leaders of East Tennessee," Fleming played an important role in energizing the region's Unionists during the early days of the secession crisis.
When the meeting reconvened in early December, Unionists outnumbered secessionists, and a series of resolutions introduced by Fleming declaring secession unconstitutional were adopted.
Nelson, and instead supported a less provocative set of resolutions introduced by Temple which essentially asked the state legislature to let East Tennessee break away and join the Union.
Years later, when Temple wrote about the Convention in his book, East Tennessee and the Civil War, he used Fleming's minutes as a primary source.
[4] In December 1861, Fleming was arrested by Confederate authorities for harboring a Union fugitive, fellow state legislator Robert H. Hodsden, and held for several days.
[4] In August 1863, he delivered a petition to President Abraham Lincoln demanding he order the Union Army to invade and liberate East Tennessee.
[4] After the war, Fleming joined the Conservative faction in opposition to the Radical Republicans and the policies of Governor William Gannaway Brownlow.
[11] In October 1868, Fleming, who faced frequent threats from Radicals, was ambushed outside a Knoxville grocery store and knocked "partially senseless" from a blow to the head.
[15] In August 1869, Fleming was again elected to Knox County's seat in the Tennessee House of Representatives, part of the Conservative wave that swept the Radicals out of power.
The position had been created earlier that year as part of a reorganization effort that aimed to provide greater access to the state's public schools.
[18] He was removed from office in 1875 by newly elected Governor James D. Porter, who wanted to give the position to a West Tennessean to provide a more balanced geographic representation in the state government.