Albert G. Blanchard
Encyclopedia
Albert Gallatin Blanchard (September 6, 1810 – June 21, 1891) was a general in the Confederate army
during the American Civil War
. He was among the small number of high ranking Confederates to have been born in the North
. He served on the Atlantic Coast
early in the war, commanding a brigade
in Virginia
before being reassigned to administrative duty due to his age and health. He then led troops during the Carolinas Campaign
in 1865.
. He accepted an appointment to the United States Military Academy
in West Point, New York
, and graduated 26th in the Class of 1829. Among his classmates was Robert E. Lee
. Initially given the rank of brevet
second lieutenant in the 3rd U.S. Infantry, he was assigned to various bases on the Western frontier
duty, as well as performing recruiting services and helping engineer improvement to the Sabine River. Blanchard served in the United States Army
for eleven years before resigning his commission as a first lieutenant in 1840.
He married Marie Louise Herminie Benoist in January 1839, and their eldest daughter Susan Blanchard Elder later became a noted writer. Another daughter was named Marie. The couple moved to her hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana
, in the 1840s. He entered the mercantile business there and served as a director of the city's public schools.
Blanchard returned to the army in May 1846 with the outbreak of the Mexican War, serving as a captain of the volunteer "Phoenix Company" in the 2nd Louisiana Infantry. Serving with distinction in the Battle of Monterey
and the Siege of Vera Cruz, he was commissioned as a major
in the Regular Army in the 12th U.S. Infantry. After the war, he returned to New Orleans and became a teacher in the public schools until 1850. After working a few years as a surveyor, he went to work as secretary and treasurer for two local railroad companies, including the New Orleans and Carrollton Railroad
.
of the 1st Louisiana Infantry regiment
. After drilling and training his men, they were transported to Norfolk, Virginia
. In May, Blanchard took charge of two divisions
under Maj. Gen. Benjamin Huger. He was promoted to brigadier general
on September 21, 1861, and given command of a brigade posted at Portsmouth, Virginia
. In June 1862, he was replaced by Ambrose R. Wright
because of his advancing age and the desire for a younger officer to lead the brigade in the field.
Blanchard served in a variety of administrative posts for much of the rest of the war. He served on the court of inquiry for Seth M. Barton in May 1864. In November, he was among the Confederate generals defending Augusta, Georgia
, during Sherman's March to the Sea
. He led the South Carolina Reserve Brigade in the division of Lafayette McLaws
during the Carolinas Campaign, including at the battles of Averasborough
and Bentonville
.
He died at the age of 80 in New Orleans, Louisiana
and was buried there in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1. He is one of nearly two dozen Confederate generals buried in Louisiana.
His diary of his Mexican War experiences is archived in the Louisiana State Museum.
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. He was among the small number of high ranking Confederates to have been born in the North
Northern United States
Northern United States, also sometimes the North, may refer to:* A particular grouping of states or regions of the United States of America. The United States Census Bureau divides some of the northernmost United States into the Midwest Region and the Northeast Region...
. He served on the Atlantic Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
early in the war, commanding a brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
before being reassigned to administrative duty due to his age and health. He then led troops during the Carolinas Campaign
Carolinas Campaign
The Carolinas Campaign was the final campaign in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. In January 1865, Union Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman advanced north from Savannah, Georgia, through the Carolinas, with the intention of linking up with Union forces in Virginia. The defeat of ...
in 1865.
Early life and career
Blanchard was born in Charlestown, MassachusettsCharlestown, Massachusetts
Charlestown is a neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and is located on a peninsula north of downtown Boston. Charlestown was originally a separate town and the first capital of the Massachusetts Bay Colony; it became a city in 1847 and was annexed by Boston on January 5, 1874...
. He accepted an appointment to the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
in West Point, New York
West Point, New York
West Point is a federal military reservation established by President of the United States Thomas Jefferson in 1802. It is a census-designated place located in Town of Highlands in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,138 at the 2000 census...
, and graduated 26th in the Class of 1829. Among his classmates was Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
. Initially given the rank of brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
second lieutenant in the 3rd U.S. Infantry, he was assigned to various bases on the Western frontier
Frontier
A frontier is a political and geographical term referring to areas near or beyond a boundary. 'Frontier' was absorbed into English from French in the 15th century, with the meaning "borderland"--the region of a country that fronts on another country .The use of "frontier" to mean "a region at the...
duty, as well as performing recruiting services and helping engineer improvement to the Sabine River. Blanchard served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
for eleven years before resigning his commission as a first lieutenant in 1840.
He married Marie Louise Herminie Benoist in January 1839, and their eldest daughter Susan Blanchard Elder later became a noted writer. Another daughter was named Marie. The couple moved to her hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, in the 1840s. He entered the mercantile business there and served as a director of the city's public schools.
Blanchard returned to the army in May 1846 with the outbreak of the Mexican War, serving as a captain of the volunteer "Phoenix Company" in the 2nd Louisiana Infantry. Serving with distinction in the Battle of Monterey
Battle of Monterey
-Preliminaries:Prior to the Mexican-American War the Californio forces had already driven the Mexican appointed Governor Manuel Micheltorena and most of his soldiers from Alta California...
and the Siege of Vera Cruz, he was commissioned as a major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
in the Regular Army in the 12th U.S. Infantry. After the war, he returned to New Orleans and became a teacher in the public schools until 1850. After working a few years as a surveyor, he went to work as secretary and treasurer for two local railroad companies, including the New Orleans and Carrollton Railroad
New Orleans and Carrollton Railroad
The New Orleans and Carrollton Railroad was one of six short-line rail systems built to connect the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, with surrounding neighborhoods, in this case, four-and-a-half miles to the resort village of Carrollton...
.
Civil War
When the Civil War erupted in 1861, Blanchard offered his services to his adopted state and received a commission as the colonelColonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
of the 1st Louisiana Infantry regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
. After drilling and training his men, they were transported to Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
. In May, Blanchard took charge of two divisions
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
under Maj. Gen. Benjamin Huger. He was promoted to brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
on September 21, 1861, and given command of a brigade posted at Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 95,535.The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a historic and active U.S...
. In June 1862, he was replaced by Ambrose R. Wright
Ambrose R. Wright
Ambrose Ransom Wright was a lawyer, Georgia politician, and Confederate general in the American Civil War.-Early life:...
because of his advancing age and the desire for a younger officer to lead the brigade in the field.
Blanchard served in a variety of administrative posts for much of the rest of the war. He served on the court of inquiry for Seth M. Barton in May 1864. In November, he was among the Confederate generals defending Augusta, Georgia
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
, during Sherman's March to the Sea
Sherman's March to the Sea
Sherman's March to the Sea is the name commonly given to the Savannah Campaign conducted around Georgia from November 15, 1864 to December 21, 1864 by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman of the Union Army in the American Civil War...
. He led the South Carolina Reserve Brigade in the division of Lafayette McLaws
Lafayette McLaws
Lafayette McLaws was a United States Army officer and a Confederate general in the American Civil War.-Early life:...
during the Carolinas Campaign, including at the battles of Averasborough
Battle of Averasborough
The Battle of Averasborough or The Battle of Averasboro, fought March 16, 1865, in Harnett and Cumberland counties, North Carolina, as part of the Carolinas Campaign of the American Civil War, was a prelude to the climactic Battle of Bentonville, which began three days later.Union Maj. Gen. William...
and Bentonville
Battle of Bentonville
At 3 p.m., Confederate infantry from the Army of Tennessee launched an attack and drove the Union left flank back in confusion, nearly capturing Carlin in the process and overrunning the XIV Corps field hospital. Confederates under Maj. Gen. D.H. Hill filled the vacuum left by the retreating...
.
Postbellum activities
After the war, Blanchard returned to New Orleans and worked as an assistant city surveyor for the rest of his life. He was an active member of the New Orleans Academy of Sciences for many years.He died at the age of 80 in New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
and was buried there in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1. He is one of nearly two dozen Confederate generals buried in Louisiana.
His diary of his Mexican War experiences is archived in the Louisiana State Museum.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals
External links
- Cemetery Memorial by La-Cemeteries