Homer Virgil Milton Miller (April 29, 1814 – May 31, 1896) was an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

physician and politician from the U.S. state of Georgia, who practiced medicine for the Confederacy in the American Civil War and served as a

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

from Georgia for seven days in 1871. Born in Pendleton, South Carolina on April 29, 1814, Miller moved with his parents to Rabun County, Georgia in 1820. He attended the common schools and graduated from the

Medical College of South Carolina The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) is a public medical school in South Carolina. It opened in 1824 in Charleston as a small private college aimed at training physicians and has since established hospitals and medical facilities ac ...

in 1835. He continued medical studies in Paris and commenced practice in

Cassville, Georgia Cassville is an unincorporated community in Bartow County in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was originally the county seat before the name was changed from Cass County. The seat was moved to Cartersville after General Sherman destroyed Cassville ...

, in 1838. Miller was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for election as a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

to the twenty-ninth United States Congress in 1844. Miller was a slave owner. In 1840, he owned 10 slaves. In 1850, he owned 3 slaves. In 1860, he owned 20 slaves. During the Civil War, Miller served in the

Confederate army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

as a surgeon and as a medical director, surgeon of posts, and inspector of hospitals in Georgia. He resumed the practice of medicine in

Rome, Georgia Rome is the largest city in and the county seat of Floyd County, Georgia, United States. Located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, it is the principal city of the Rome, Georgia metropolitan area, Rome, Georgia, metropolitan statisti ...

and was a member of the faculty of the

Atlanta Medical College Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

. Subsequently, he was trustee of the University of Georgia in Athens. Miller was a member of the state Reconstruction convention in 1867. Upon the restoration of Georgia's congressional representation, Miller was elected as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

to the U.S. Senate on July 28, 1868. However, he did not qualify (and thus was not seated) until February 24, 1871. He served until the end of his term on March 3, 1871. Miller's tenure in the Senate, at a mere seven days long, ranks (as of 2021) as the third-shortest in American history and the shortest for those who won a full term. The shortest Senate tenure belongs to Sen. Rebecca Latimer Felton from Georgia, who served for only one day from her appointment on November 21, 1922, to November 22, 1922. (The second tenure of Sen.

Salmon P. Chase Salmon Portland Chase (January 13, 1808May 7, 1873) was an American politician and jurist who served as the sixth chief justice of the United States. He also served as the 23rd governor of Ohio, represented Ohio in the United States Senate, a ...

from Ohio is shorter, lasting two days from the beginning of his term on March 4, 1861, to his resignation on March 6, 1861; however, Chase had previously already served a full term from March 4, 1849, to March 3, 1855, so he is not the shortest-serving senator.) The fourth-shortest Senate tenure belongs to Sen.

Alva M. Lumpkin Alva Moore Lumpkin (November 13, 1886 – August 1, 1941) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of South Carolina and the United States District Court for the Western District of South Car ...

from South Carolina, who served three days longer than Miller; he served for ten days from his appointment on July 22, 1941, to his death on August 1, 1941. Miller died in Atlanta on May 31, 1896, and was interred in

Myrtle Hill Cemetery Myrtle Hill Cemetery is the second oldest cemetery in the city of Rome, Georgia. The cemetery is at the confluence of the Etowah River and Oostanaula River and to the south of downtown Rome across the South Broad Street bridge. Geography Three ...

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Miller, Homer 1814 births 1896 deaths People from Pendleton, South Carolina Georgia (U.S. state) Whigs 19th-century American politicians Georgia (U.S. state) Democrats Democratic Party United States senators from Georgia (U.S. state) Confederate States Army surgeons People of Georgia (U.S. state) in the American Civil War People from Rome, Georgia United States senators who owned slaves