The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1868-07-24
FRANCIS PRESTON BLAIR, JR.


by the National Democratic Convention
and who will certainly fill that Office
was born in the quaint old town of Lex
ington, Kentucky, February 80, 1921
and is now in his forty-eighth year. II
his twentieth year he graduated II
Princeton College, and removed to st
Louis, Missouri, and there began tn,
study of law, in which profession ht
made rapid progress. In 1915, being
then in his twenty-ffth year, he made
journey to the Rocky Mountains witt
a party of trappers for the improvement
of his health, which had failed some
what, owing to close pursuit of his
studies; and on the breaking out of the
Mexican war Blair joined the force un
der Kearney and the gallant Doniphar
in New Mexico, and served asa private
soldier until 1847, when he returned tC
st. Louis and resumed the practice OF
his profession. In 1918, like his father,
Francis p. Blair,Sr., he gave his sup
port to the Free Soil party, and in q
speech delivered at the Courthouse in
st. Louis, cOntended against the eXtcn-
sioa of slavery into the Territories OF
the nation. In 1852 he was elected
from st. Louis County, Missouri, to the
Legislature as an avowcd Free Soilcr,
and he was reelected in 1854, though
Thomas III. Benton, the Congressional
candidate of the Free Sellers, was beat
en-. In 1856 Mr.. Blair was returned to
Congress from the st. Louis district,
over Mr.. Kennett, who had defeated
Colonel Benton two years before. In
1857 he delivered an elaborate speech in
the House of Representative in favor
OF colonizing the black population of
the United States in Central America.
Mr.. Blair was also an editor and writer
in the Missouri Democrat at one time.
The father of General Blair was firm
and fast friend of Andrew Jackson; the
General when child was wont to play
on the knees of Andrew Jackson in the
White House His father was at that
time editor of the Globe, in Washing
ton. In 1860 Mr.. Blair contested the
seat in Congress of Mr.. Barrett, from
the st. Louis District, and soon after
was returned to the House, after which
he resigned his seat. In 1860 General
Blair made speech in Brooklyn in fa-
vor of Mr.. Lincoln for the Presidency
and also delivered a speech at the Me.
tropolitan Hotel, in this city, in June
1861, In favor of strong war measures
} limiting that General Scott was rather 9
slow campaigner. Mr.. Blair was very
assiduous in raising volunteers in st
Louis, and was the first volunteer of tn,
State of Missouri. He raised the Firs
Regiment of Missouri Volunteers, ant
c acted as its Colonel, albeit he did no
hold a commission as Colonel of th
regiment. A difficulty arose between
Colonel Blair and General Fremont
and Colonel Blair was unjustly place.
under arrest by that officer, who wa.
commander of that department. Thi,
arbitrary measure ofGeneral Fremont
aroused great excitement in st. Louis
where General Blair was universally
known ana respected, the journals o
that city taking part in the quarrel Il
the time. President Lincoln ordered
Colonel Blair to be released from arres
in September, 1861, thereby causing 6
great feeling of relief to the numerou,
friends Of Colonel Blair in st. Louis
He was again arrested by General Ere
mont, but finally released after consid
: cradle trouble and newspaper discussion
by both parties. Colonel Blair rapidly
: rose as soldier and became one of tn,
most skillful Generals in the Western
armies. On the 22d of May, 1862, Gen
eral Blair commanded division il
Sherman's attack on Nicksburg. Th
brigadcS of Ewing, Smith, and Kilb.
Smith composed his division. Fran
Blair had the honor of leading the at
r tack in person, five batteries concentra
ting their guns on the rebel position
The attack was terrific and was repul-
ed. As the head of the column passc
: over the parapet Il dense fire Of musket
, ry swept away all its leading files. Th
, rear of the column attempted to rus
bad management of Grant, Blair wa
not supported, as the supporting divi,
:, ion, We're too far away to give him ASST
lance. At the capture of Nicksbur
Blairs division participated, and di
a the heaviest fighting in Sherman's con
a mand. 1t was at this time that Gran
pronounced Frank Blair to he the be,
= volunteer general in the United State
, Army, an opinion that was fully su
tained by his 60 onduct in action and h
q judgment as n campaigner. In tn
great march of Sherman to the So;
General Frank p. Blair commanded I'll
q Seventeenth Army Corps, the fine
q corps of the whole army. lie crosse
a ed the first prisoners. His division
Y laid pontoons across the river, and III
d two wings were thus united before 81
v vannah. His division was the first
r. march into Savannah. From Savanna
G the Fourteenth Corps was taken by Wa
/. ter to Pocotaligo, whence it threatene
v Charleston, while Slocum, with h
Twentieth Corps and kilpatrick's ca'
l. airy marched up the Augusta to Sistt
> Ferry threatening an advance on Saval
n nah at Tallahathie. Blair wade
i. through swamp three miles wide wit
d water four feetdeep, the weather bein
J. bitter cold. Here the Seventeenth ha
"a another fight and lost number of xii
y. ed and wounded, but drove the rebe
3. behind the Edisto, at Branchville. III
ic army then directed its march on Orang
' burg. Here the Seventeenth carried IL
n bridge over the South Edisto by n ga
r. liant dash, Blair leading his men, as u
ual, up to the battery's mouth, whic
IS was covered by II parapet of cotton an
ID earth extending as far AS could be sec
! ploir th row SMITH. liyisinn in from