John Miller Adye

General Sir John Miller Adye, GCB (1 November 181926 August 1900) was a British soldier and painter.

Military career Adye was the son of Major James P. Adye, born at Sevenoaks, Kent, on 1 November 1819. He studied at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, entered the Royal Artillery in 1836, was promoted to captain in 1846, and served throughout the Crimean War as brigade-major and assistant adjutant-general of artillery (awarded CB, brevets of major and lieutenant-colonel).

In the Indian rebellion of 1857 he served on the staff in a similar capacity. Promoted brevet-colonel in 1860, he was specially employed in 1863 in the Northwest frontier of the India campaign, and was Deputy-Adjutant-General, Bengal, from 1863 to 1866, when he returned home. From 1870 to 1875, Adye was Director of Artillery and Stores at the War Office. He was made a KCB in 1873, and was promoted to be major-general and appointed governor of the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, in 1875, and Surveyor-General of the Ordnance in 1880. In 1882, he was chief of staff and second in command of the expedition to Egypt, and served throughout the campaign (awarded GCB and thanks of Parliament).

Later life After his retirement in 1886, he unsuccessfully contested Bath in the Liberal interest in 1892. in 1899.

Adye was also a writer and artist, describing his experiences in such works as A Review of the Crimean War (1859), Sitana: a Mountain Campaign on the Borders of Afghanistan in 1863, and Recollections of A Military Life (1895). His paintings of Gibraltar are available in the Victoria and albert Museum and two of India are in the National Army Museum.

Published works

Sir General John Miller Adye. Recollections of a Military Life (London: 1895, Smith, Elder & Co.)