1. John Michel commanded the 6th Regiment of Foot during the Eighth Xhosa War in 1851 and served as Chief of Staff of the British Army's Turkish contingent during the Crimean War in 1854 before transferring to India where he commanded the Malwa Field Force which pursued Tatya Tope in the aftermath of the Indian Mutiny.
John Michel then commanded the 1st Division at the Battle of Taku Forts in August 1860 during the Second Opium War and took part in the burning of the Old Summer Palace at Peking in October 1860 as a reprisal for the torture and murder of British prisoners before being appointed Commander of British Troops in China and Hong Kong in 1861.
John Michel later commanded the forces in British North America playing a key role in the organization of the militia volunteers in resistance to the Fenian raids invasions in 1866.
John Michel transferred to the 27th Regiment of Foot a few months later, then to the 60th Regiment of Foot on 6 November 1823 and then to the 64th Regiment of Foot in Gibraltar on 24 November 1823.
John Michel was promoted to lieutenant on 28 April 1825, to captain in an unattached company on 12 December 1826 and to captain the 64th Foot on 15 February 1827.
John Michel played for the Gentlemen in the Gentlemen v Players match.
John Michel attended the Royal Military College, Sandhurst in 1832 passing out as a staff officer the following year.
John Michel returned to the 64th Foot before transferring to the 3rd Regiment of Foot in Bengal on 20 February 1835 and becoming Aide-de-Camp to General Sir Henry Fane there later that year.
John Michel was deployed to South Africa in 1847 where he commanded his Regiment at the Battle of Waterkloof in March 1851 and the Battle of Mount Chaco in December 1851 during the Eighth Xhosa War.
John Michel was promoted to the substantive rank of major-general on 26 October 1858.
John Michel became Commander of the 1st Division and fought at the Battle of Taku Forts in August 1860 during the Second Opium War.
John Michel took part in the burning of the Old Summer Palace at Peking in October 1860 as a reprisal for the torture and murder of British prisoners before being appointed Commander of British Troops in China and Hong Kong in 1861.
John Michel became Commander of the British Troops in Canada in British North America with the local rank of lieutenant-general on 25 April 1865, succeeding Lieutenant-General Sir William Williams.
John Michel became colonel of the 86th Regiment of Foot.
In May 1838 John Michel married Louise Anne Churchill and together they went on to have two sons and three daughters.