Louis Blenker Louis Blenker ( July 31 , 1812 – October 31 , 1863 ) was a German and American soldier . Life in Germany . He was born at Worms , Germany . After being trained as a goldsmith by an uncle in Kreuznach , he was sent to a polytechnical school in Munich . Against his family ' s wishes , he enlisted in an Uhlan regiment which accompanied Otto to Greece in 1832 . Due to his gallantry , he soon became an officer . A revolt in Greece obligated him to leave , with an honorable discharge , in 1837 . He studied medicine in Munich and then , at the wish of his parents , opened a wine trading business in Worms . He also married . In 1848 , he became a colonel in the Worms militia . A large majority of the citizens also preferred him for mayor of Worms , but the otherwise liberal Jaup ministry failed to confirm him due to intrigues by the opposition party . This drove him into the hands of the German Revolutionary party of 1848 , and when the revolution broke out in Baden , he led an insurgent corps in spite of the poor prospects . He was noted on both sides for his fearlessness . His wife accompanied him on his campaigns . As commander of the Freischaren ( Free Corps ) took Ludwigshafen ( May 10 , 1849 ) , occupied the city of Worms , and made an unsuccessful attack on Landau . When the Prussian troops entered the Electorate of the Palatinate , he fought in several of the engagements in Baden , but after the suppression of the revolution was compelled to flee with other leading revolutionaries like Germain Metternich , Ludwig Bamberger , and Franz Zitz to Switzerland , whence he emigrated to the United States . Life in the United States . On his arrival in the United States , he settled on a farm in New York , and ran a small business . Upon the outbreak of the Civil War he organized the 8th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment , of which he became colonel . He was noted for his coverage of the retreat at Bull Run and for his performance in western Virginia at the Battle of Cross Keys . For his gallantry at Bull Run he was raised to the rank of brigadier general of volunteers . But after Cross Keys a series of deficiencies plagued his command , the main accusation being carelessness with respect to supplies . There were also allegations of financial irregularities . In a letter to the " Illinois Staatszeitung " , Gustav Struve defended Blenker on this score , i . e . with regard to a charge that he got $ 100 a month from each of the sutler s he had licensed to service his troops . But the charges persisted . Stories appeared in the German - language press and the New York " Tribune " accusing Blenker ' s troops of looting the countryside of edibles and theft of items of no military worth . Blenker was defended by the " New Yorker Criminal Zeitung und Belletristisches Journal " , and some editors suggested that Carl Schurz was planning to supersede Blenker . Also Blenker had a love of pomp . When McClellan became general of the Army of the Potomac , Blenker led a procession to his headquarters . Yet there were credible testimonials to his organizational ability , and no one questioned his courage . However , his command became notable for the quantities of foreign nobility in its ranks , the climax coming when Prince Felix Salm - Salm joined his ranks , an affront to republicans like Karl Heinzen and Struve . Struve , also a member of Blenker ' s corps , resigned , and Heinzen broadcast protests in his newspaper , the " Pionier " . The allegations reached the War Department , and when his appointment as a general reached the Senate for confirmation several senators repeated them : questionable finances , command hierarchies and distinctions more appropriate to Europe than to the United States , exploitation of his troops through the sutlers . Alexander Schimmelfennig , a fellow officer , referred to him as a “ bum , ” and there was much controversy between supporters of Schurz , Blenker and Franz Sigel . Blenker was ultimately confirmed as a general , but his career was ruined . Soon he was superseded by Sigel . He was mustered out of service March 31 , 1863 , and died in October of injuries sustained while with his command at Warrenton , Virginia , leaving behind his wife , son and three daughters in dire circumstances . Blenker died in poverty and there was no proof he profitted from the sutlers ' trade . Some members of his staff were convicted for financial irregularities however . McClellan continued to esteem him as an officer .