Charles W. Blair
| Charles White Blair | |
|---|---|
| Born |
February 5, 1829 Georgetown, Ohio |
| Died | August 20, 1899 (aged 70) Coronado Beach, California |
| Place of burial | Mount Washington Cemetery, Independence, Missouri |
| Allegiance |
United States of America Union |
| Service/branch |
United States Army Union Army |
| Years of service | 1861-1865 |
| Rank | Brevet Brigadier General, U.S.V. |
| Unit |
2nd Kansas Infantry 2nd Kansas Cavalry 14th Kansas Cavalry |
| Battles/wars | |
| Other work | lawyer |
Charles White Blair was a lawyer, and Union Army officer who served in three different regiments during the American Civil War. He fought primarily in the Trans-Mississippi Theater and was notable during Price's Missouri Raid.
Blair was born in Georgetown, Ohio February 5, 1829. He became a lawyer before moving to Kansas. At the outbreak of the war, he was commissioned a captain in the 2nd Kansas Volunteer Infantry Regiment and fought at the battle of Wilson's Creek. He resigned in October 1861 but was reappointed as major of the 2nd Kansas Cavalry in February 1862. He fought with the 2nd Kansas Cavalry at the first Battle of Newtonia. Blair commanded Fort Scott during 1863. In October 1863 he was appointed lieutenant colonel of the 14th Kansas Cavalry, his third and final regiment of the war. In November 1863 he was promoted to colonel of that regiment.
Throughout 1864 the 14th Kansas Cavalry was attached to the VII Corps and fought under Frederick Steele during the Camden Expedition. During this time however, Company E was detached to the Department of Kansas under Samuel R. Curtis. Blair personally accompanied this detachment to the headquarters of James G. Blunt's Provisional Cavalry Division of the Army of the Border. There, he was placed in command of Blunt's 3rd Brigade. This command assignment proved to be a cumbersome arrangement for Blair. The 3rd Brigade was primarily composed of Kansas State Militia regiments of Brigadier General William H. M. Fishback's command. Fishback resented taking orders from a colonel. The command structure of the 3rd Brigade became a "brigade within a brigade". Fishback was in direct command of the militia regiments attached to the 3rd Brigade while Blair was in overall command of the brigade which also included his own 14th Kansas Cavalry detachment and the 9th Wisconsin Artillery Battery. When the Union army moved east, the Kansas State Militia units refused to cross over into Missouri claiming they would defend Kansas, not Missouri. Fishback used the opportunity to send one regiment back home without orders. Blunt had Fishback arrested but he was soon released by order of General Curtis. Fishback returned to his militia units within the 3rd Brigade and was instructed to take orders from Blair and General Blunt. This affair caused Blair's brigade to miss the fighting at the second battle of Lexington. As the Union forces retreated from Independence, Blair's men constructed earthworks along the Big Blue River.
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