James Miller ( general ) James Miller ( April 25 , 1776 – July 7 , 1851 ) was a member of the United States House of Representatives from New Hampshire , the first Governor of Arkansas Territory , and a Brigadier General in the United States Army during the War of 1812 . Biography . James Miller was born in Peterborough , New Hampshire to James Miller and Catharine Gregg Miller . He attended an academy at Amherst , Massachusetts and then Williams College . He married Martha Ferguson and they had one son , James Ferguson Miller , who became a noted naval officer . After Martha ' s death , he married Ruth Flint . He had a law practice in Greenfield , New Hampshire from 1803 to 1808 . Military career . Miller joined the New Hampshire state militia and commanded an artillery unit , until General Benjamin Pierce noticed him and recommended that he be commissioned as a Major in the regular army . Miller joined with the 4th United States Infantry in 1808 . In 1811 , Miller ' s unit went to fight Indians in Vincennes , Indiana , where he was promoted to Colonel . In May 1812 , his regiment moved to Detroit , Michigan . He was the commander during the Battle of Maguaga . Shortly afterwards , Miller was taken prisoner in 1813 and was later exchanged . In 1814 , Miller was Colonel of the 21st Infantry Regiment and led his men in the capture of the British artillery at the Battle of Lundy ' s Lane . His " I will try sir ! " quote became famous and he earned the name of " Hero of Lundy ' s Lane " . He was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in November 1814 . Miller was made a brevet Brigadier General by the U . S . Congress after the battle . Political career . Appointed Governor of the Arkansas Territory on March 3 , 1819 , Miller resigned from the army , but did not leave New England for his governorship until September 1819 . He traveled to Washington , D . C . first , where he learned that he would also serve as the superintendent of Indian Affairs for the Arkansas Territory . He traveled to Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , and acquired armaments for the territorial militia . He then traveled down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers with the armaments in tow , arriving at Arkansas Post on December 26 , 1819 , on a vessel flying flags reading “ Arkansaw ” and “ I will try , sir ! ” Due to Miller ’ s tardiness , Robert Crittenden , the secretary of the territory , had been running the state and filling necessary appointments which were validated by the U . S . Congress . Miller focused his attentions on finding a suitable location for a territorial capital . A number of influential men , including Miller , in the territorial legislature had purchased lots in the Little Rock area , the bill moving the capital from Arkansas Post to Little Rock passed the territorial legislature . As Superintendent of Indian Affairs for the territory , Miller dealt with the considerable debate over Quapaw , Cherokee , and Choctaw land claims and the desire for American whites to take the land for themselves . To make matters more confusing for Miller , warfare between the Cherokee and the Osage erupted within the territory in 1821 . From the beginning of his term , it was clear that he did not plan to stay in Arkansas , as his wife remained in New Hampshire . Miller left the torrid Arkansas summer for cooler New Hampshire in April 1821 , returning the following November . In his absences , Crittenden ran Arkansas and made decisions regarding the Native American problems . Finally , in June 1823 , Miller left Arkansas and did not return at all that year . He held the post as Governor of the Arkansas Territory from 1819 to 1824 . In the fall of 1824 , he was elected to the House of Representatives in New Hampshire but never took office . Instead he was appointed Collector of Customs in Salem , Massachusetts , a post he served in until 1849 . Death and legacy . Miller retired to his home in Temple , New Hampshire , where he died of a stroke . He was buried in Harmony Grove Cemetery in Salem , Massachusetts . Miller County , Arkansas and Miller State Park in Peterborough are named for Miller .