Background
George Blake was born on August 31, 1810, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as child of English-American musician George E. Blake and Anna Margaretta Henesiem Blake.
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George Alexander
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When the 2nd United States. Regiment of Dragoons was raised in 1836, Blake received a civilian appointment and was commissioned into the army with the rank of First Lieutenant. Stationed in Florida he took part in the Second Seminole War, including the action at Fort Mellon and the Battle of Jupiter Inlet. Blake was promoted to Captain in 1839 and continued his service in Florida till 1841 when his command was transferred to Texas.
In 1846 Blakes" regiment, originally commanded by David East. Twiggs, participated in the Battle for Mexico City under command of Edwin Vose Sumner.
Grouped into the Brigade of Dragoons under Colonel William South. Harney the regiment and Captain Blake participated i.A. in the battles of Cerro Gordo, Puebla Contreras, Molino del Rey, Chapultepec and the Battle for Mexico City.
At war"s end Blake, highly commented by his superiors, received a brevet promotion to Major for gallant and meritorious conduct in the affair at Saint Augustine, Mexico, August 17, 1847. Transferred to the 1st United States. Dragoons he was promoted to full Major on July 23, 1850.
Assigned to the Western Frontier, he and a mixed command of cavalry and infantry established Fort Massachusetts in the New Mexico Territory, which became the first permanent United States. post in the state of Colorado.
Blake had a reputation as a harsh disciplinarian, culminating in being assaulted by several of his men on March 8, 1855. In 1857 Blake commanded the detachment of dragoons that accompanied Lieutenant Edward Fitzgerald Beale and the United States Camel Corps on their Arizona Expedition. On May 3, 1861 Blake was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and led an expedition to the west coast.
Recalled to the east early in the next year he was promoted to Colonel of his regiment on February 13, 1862.
His regiment became part of the cavalry reserve of the Army of the Potomac. In March Blake was assigned to command the 2nd Cavalry Brigade by order of Major.Gen.
George B. McClellan and led it during the Peninsula Campaign. He was wounded on June 27 during the Battle of Gaines"s Mill.
When Major.Gen. Alfred Pleasonton, an old comrade with whom Blake served in 2nd Dragoons and in Mexico, took over command of the cavalry in 1863 he took Blake into his staff as his Chief Mustering Officer.
After the Gettysburg Campaign, in which Blake Blake was transferred to the Cavalry Bureau and served in administrative positions, as depot commander and on special duty for the rest of the war. He was brevetted Brigadier General in the Regular Army on March 13, 1863 for "gallant and efficient services during the Gettysburg Campaign". And also brevetted Major General in the Regular Army for "meritorious services during the war" on the same day, though the second brevet was not confirmed until 1869.
After the war ended Blake stayed in the army and continued to command the 1st Cavalry and Fort Vancouver in the Oregon Territory (now Washington) until his retirement on December 15, 1870.
He took up residence in Washington, District of Columbia until his death in 1884. He was buried on Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia.
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Born
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Died
October 27, 1884 (aged 74) -
Nationality
American Indian