Blanchard's Brigade of State Troops
Senior Reserves
Jan - Apr 1865

Blanchard, Albert Gallatin, Brigadier General, born 6 September 1810 in Charleston, Massachusetts, appears to have graduated from Massachusetts Cadet Military Academy 1 July 1825 and then West Point in 1829. Brevet 2nd Lieutenant 3rd US Infantry 1 July 1829, he was assigned Jefferson Barracks,Jul 1829-1830 in Missouri. Promoted to 2nd Lieutenant 31 Aug 1833, he was transferred to Ft Jesup, LA for the period of 1834-1837, where he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant, 30 Oct 1836.

He resigned from the US Army 1 Oct 1840 and moved to New Orleans, LA whrer he married a 2nd wife 5 Jan 1840. He was involved business transaction in New Orleans and was associated with the construction of railroad lines around New Orleans. But in 13 May 1846 the Mexican War started and he formed a LA company to go to Mexico and served as a Captain independent Company Louisiana Volunteers. He was credited with some several battles in Mexico-Phoenix Company at the Bishop's Palace ; honorable mustered out 16 May 1847; Major 12 infantry 27 May 1847; honorable discharge 25 July 1848.

Enlisted 1st Louisiana Infantry, New Orleans, 28 April 1861. Unlike most of the Northern-born Rebels, Blanchard was trusted with combat command immediately. Roll to 30 June 1861, he took his men to Richmond,VA as a Colonel and then promoted by the Louisiana Gov Moore to a Brigadier General at Norfolk, Virginia, on 21 September 1861. He was involved in the Seven days war He was involved in the Battles at Seven Pines- he was relieved of command in Virginia and sent to Monroe, Lousiana when the US Army launched a large attack on the western shore of the Mississippi the troops at his command was 25,000 and the US Army used about 75,000 troops. General Blanchard was relieved of his field command in Louisiana. In fairness to Blanchard, it should be noted that he was heavily outnumbered and that most of his men were new conscripts, hardly a match for veteran Federals under Grant in Lousiana and Sherman on South and Morth Carolina.

Although his value as a field commander was suspect, he actively sought an assignment by Chestnut. By 20 January 1865, he is a command of a brigade of South Carolina Reserve troops, 1st, 2nd, 6th, and 7th, South Carolina Senior Reserves in Mercer's Brigade. It appears afterwards, his designation was upgraded to Brigadier status under General William J. Hardee, C. S. Army. He lost his brigade command position during a reorganization of Joseph Johnston's Army late in the War. He and his old brigade troops laid down their arms 26 April 1865 Bentonville, NC. It is unclear to me of his status at War's end.

A surveyor, he died in New Orleans 21 June 1891.

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Bil Brasington