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biography
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Blakeley, General William, attorney-at-law, a resident of Pittsburg, was born at Brown's Mills, Cranberry township, Butler County, Pa.,
March 10, 1833, son of Lewis and Jane (McAllister) Blakeley.
William Blakeley attended the common schools of his native town, and later studied at Witherspoon Institute of Butler County, Pennsylvania, under the able administration of the Rev. Loyal Young, D.D.
At the age of twenty-one years he entered the law office of his brother Archibald, who was then practising in Butler County. In 1856 he was admitted to the bar, and in September of that year opened an
office in Kittanning, Armstrong County. Two years later he was elected District Attorney in that county, and served the full term, winning high praise for his talents and integrity. In that year also,
upon recommendation of the Hon. Galusha A. Grow, now Congressman-at-large from Pennsylvania, he was appointed by the Republican County Convention as one of the campaign orators for the Fremont campaign.
He made campaign speeches through Westmoreland, Indiana, Jefferson, Clarion, and Venango Counties, in company with the Hon. John Cavocle, M.C., the Hon. Edgar Cowan, afterward United States Senator from
Pennsylvania, the Hon. Darwin Phelps, afterward member of Congress, and the Hon. Mr. Grow. Of these five gentlemen only Mr. Grow and General Blakeley, respectively the eldest and the youngest, are now living.
At the outbreak of the Civil War, Judge I. Dudley induced District Attorney Blakeley to go to Brady's Bend, and make a "war speech," thinking that it would be the means of securing a large
number of recruits. In introducing him as the speaker, Judge Dudley said that, while he was a young and able-bodied man, he was District Attorney, and could not be spared under any circumstances to
leave the court and go to the front, and furthermore that the Blakeley family had already supplied its quota of soldiers, as the District Attorney had at the time four brothers in the army. Mr. Blakeley
began his speech; and just at the climax a big Irish puddler jumped up and said, "Why the devil don't yer go yerself?" The immediate response was, "you put your name on the list, and I will follow."
The puddler replied, "Be jabbers, I'm yer mon," and, coming forward, signed the muster-roll, and was sworn in, Mr. Blakeley immediately following him, amid the cheers of the audience. The company
was filled as fast as the boys could sign their names, and there was a surplus on the roll. Blakeley went into Camp Orr, Kittanning, put on soldier clothes, slept on the soft side of a plank, and ate his
hard tack with the other boys. He remained here about a week, when he received authority from the War Department to recruit a company of cavalry. Immediately he converted his law office into a recruiting
station, and in less than a week's time had recruited a full company of one hundred men for the cavalry service. He reported to the Secretary of War, and was ordered to hold that company and to recruit another.
In a few weeks four companies were enlisted, and the order was received to report to the commanding officer at Camp Howe, Pittsburg. The battalion was put into what was known as the Fourteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry,
Colonel James M. Schoonmaker, with Blakeley as Lieutenant Colonel. In 1864 he was made Colonel, and afterward Brigadier-general on recommendation of General Sheridan, for gallant and meritorious services in the field.
General Blakeley's battalion was the first at the battle of Antietam; and after that battle the regiment was sent to Harper's Ferry under General Kelley, and performed picket and scouting duty until the following spring.
They were then placed under General Averell's brigade, which later became the Second Cavalry Division, and was sent to the Shenandoah Valley and Western Virginia. They afterward served under Siegel Hunter, and
finally under Sheridan, until the close of the war at Appomattox.
At the battle of White Post, General Blakeley was thrown from his horse during a charge, and all but trampled to death. His jaw bone was broken in two places; and he was placed in a wagon, and drawn by his men
thirty miles to the nearest hospital. Here the Doctor at first refused to dress his wounds, thinking he must surely die. He was next wounded in his foot at the battle of Hedgesville, which followed Gettysburg.
One of his most thrilling experiences was while commanding the regiment in what was known as Averell's Salem Raid. The Confederate General Hood had General Burnside shut in at Knoxville, Tenn., with between forty
and fifty thousand men, and, as it was impossible for the government to send them supplies, they were starving. The Confederate supplies were stored at Salem on the Roanoke River, not far from Lynchburg. Averell
left New Creek, W. Va., in the latter part of November, 1864, with about two thousand picked men. Allowed four hours out of the twenty-four for rest, eating, and sleeping, they reached Salem, and succeeded in capturing
a large quantity of stores, and burned goods and rebel army stores estimated to be worth eight or ten millions of dollars. General Hood was obliged to go South, as he could get nothing to supply his army,
and General Burnside was relieved from the siege. The War Department did not expect that General Averall would ever return, but it was thought better to lose two thousand men than forty thousand. In the retreat
the united commands of Fitz Hugh Lee, Imboden, Early, Jackson, and Rosser, were sent in pursuit of Averell; but he was successful in getting back inside the Union lines. His men were starved and frozen, and
the entire command was in a deplorable condition. The men were all allowed two new suits of clothing and a furlough of thirty days, something that has never been done before or since in the army. They forded rivers
in the dead of winter, and any number of men lay down and died from cold and exposure. At Jackson's River, General Blakeley's regiment was in the rear, protecting the train. General Averell was required to burn the
bridges over the Jackson River at Island Ford and Covington in order to save himself. General Blakeley with his command and the wagon train was on the other side. Finding the river impassable, he destroyed the entire train.
General Jackson demanded his immediate and unconditional surrender, which was promptly refused, and was directly followed by a charge by General Blakeley, driving Jackson's command over three miles, capturing three
pieces of artillery and many prisoners. General Blakeley finally succeeded in finding a ford, which was reached only by a very narrow path. He then passed through Covington, fording the river at that point, though
the rebels were posted on either side ready to attack. Averell took his command over the mountain, where it was believed impossible for troops to go; and his artillery was taken up by means of ropes. He succeeded
in reaching Greenbrier River before the place of crossing was reached by General Lee, who had a straight road.
General Blakeley was mustered out of the service June 6, 1865, when he resigned his command. After two years spent in Franklin, Venango County, Pa., in the spring of 1868 he came to Pittsburg, where he engaged in
the practice of his profession in civil and criminal cases. A Republican in politics, General Blakeley has taken an active part in every campaign from that of General Scott in 1852 to the defeat of General Harrison
in 1892. He has been delegate to all of the party conventions, and has a personal acquaintance with all the leading politicians. He is a member of Union Veteran Legion, Encampment No. 6; and Abe Patterson Post, No. 88, G. A. R.,
of which he was Commander for three years, and is now the oldest living Past Commander of the post.
On May 27, 1856, General Blakeley married Miss Esther Brown, daughter of Joseph Brown, Butler County. Three children were born of this union; namely, Mary Z., Jean, and Ada. Mary Z. is now the widow of
Captain Charles C. Holliday, of North Springfield, Pa.; Jean is the wife of Charles A. Abrams, of Butler, Pa.; and Ada (deceased) was the wife of Alfred J. Whitaker. Both General and Mr's. Blakeley are members of the Second Presbyterian Church.
Biographical review: containing life sketches of leading citizens of Pittsburg and the vicinity, Pennsylvania. Boston: Biographical Review Pub. Co., 1897, Author: Anonymous.
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