Charles Minor Blackford facts for kids
Charles Minor Blackford (born October 17, 1833, died 1903) was a lawyer from Virginia. He also wrote stories about the American Civil War. His letters to his wife during the war were later published. These letters are very helpful for understanding what life was like in the Confederate Army. Blackford was part of many important war events, from the Battle of Manassas to Gettysburg and Appomattox.
Life Story
Charles Blackford joined the 2nd Virginia Cavalry when the Civil War began. In 1863, he was moved to Longstreet's Corps. This was a large part of the Confederate army. He spent most of his time serving in northern Virginia. This included areas around the Rappahannock and Rapidan Rivers. He also served in the Shenandoah Valley. Blackford was with General Lee's army at the Battle of Gettysburg. In 1864, he traveled west with Longstreet's army to Chattanooga. He then returned with Longstreet for the final days of the war.
After the war ended, Blackford became a lawyer again. He also served as the president of the People's National Bank of Lynchburg. Blackford was one of the first members of The Virginia Bar Association. He was also its president from 1894 to 1895. Blackford worked as a director and lawyer for the Virginia Midland Railroad. This railroad later became part of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. In 1881, Blackford wrote a book about the legal history of the Virginia Midland Railroad.
In 1894, Blackford and his wife, Susan Leigh Blackford, published their letters. They lived in Lynchburg, Virginia. Their book was called Memoirs of Life in and Out of the Army in Virginia During the War Between the States. People who sell copies of this book say that a famous historian, Douglas Southall Freeman, called Blackford's story of Appomattox "one of the most important in existence."
Later, in 1947, a shorter version of Blackford's letters was sold to the public. This book was named Letters from Lee's Army. A reviewer from Time magazine wrote about it. They said that "20th Century readers will be grateful for the sharp little anecdotes and graphic glimpses on almost every page." A new edition of this book came out in 1998.
