Malinda Blalock facts for kids
Sarah Malinda Pritchard Blalock (born around 1839 or 1842 – died around 1901 or 1903) was a brave woman who fought as a soldier during the American Civil War. Even though she first believed that states had the right to leave the Union, she ended up fighting for both sides. She secretly joined the Confederate Army to be with her husband, William Blalock. She pretended to be a young man named Samuel Blalock.
Later, Malinda and William escaped from the Confederate side. They joined Union supporters in the mountains of western North Carolina. In the last years of the war, she helped Union groups who raided the Appalachian Mountains area. Today, Malinda Blalock is one of the most famous women who fought in the Civil War.
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Early Life and Family
Sarah Pritchard was born on March 10, 1839, in Caldwell County, North Carolina. This area is now part of Avery County, North Carolina, near the tall Grandfather Mountain. She was one of nine children born to John and Elizabeth Pritchard.
When she was a child, Sarah lived mostly in Watauga County, North Carolina (also now Avery County). She went to a school that had only one room. This was her home until she passed away.
Sarah became very good friends with William McKesson Blalock. People called him "Keith" because he was good at boxing, like a famous boxer of that time. Even though their families had been rivals for many years, Sarah married William in 1861 when she was 19.
Joining the Civil War
When the Civil War started, families and neighbors in the western North Carolina mountains had different ideas about which side to support. Malinda first thought states should be able to leave the Union. But Keith and his stepfather, Austin Coffey, strongly supported the Union. Keith even planned to leave the Confederate side and join the Union Army someday. Their different views did not cause problems in their marriage.
When the Confederate Army's 26th North Carolina Infantry came to their area to find new soldiers, Keith started planning how to escape. He thought about going straight to Kentucky or joining the Confederate Army for a short time to cross over to the Union later.
Keith also worried about what would happen to Malinda if he left. He feared that local people who disliked his actions would blame her. The Confederate Army offered good pay, so Keith decided to join. He hoped to get an easy job, maybe in northern Virginia, where it would be simple to switch to the Union side. He went with his neighbors to sign up.
Becoming Samuel Blalock
Keith wanted everyone to see him leaving with the Confederates so Malinda would be safe. But when he arrived at the train station where soldiers were gathering, a mysterious new recruit walked beside him. This person wore a small hat and had a small body and soft features. Surprisingly, this "he" turned out to be Malinda, his own wife!
Malinda officially joined the army on March 20, 1862, in Lenoir, North Carolina. She was listed as "Samuel 'Sammy' Blalock," Keith's 20-year-old brother. This document and her discharge papers are some of the few records that show a woman from North Carolina served as a soldier during the war. Many other women might have done the same.
Life as a Confederate Soldier
Their plan to switch sides did not work out. The 26th Regiment had already fought a big battle and lost the town of New Bern, North Carolina to the Union. So, instead of going to Virginia, they stayed in Kinston, North Carolina, near the Neuse River.
Malinda kept her secret identity hidden and was a good soldier. One of the assistant doctors, Mr. Underwood, said that "her disguise was never found out. She trained and did her duties like any other soldier. She was very good at learning the drills."
Later, Keith became a respected sergeant. He told Malinda to "stay close to him." They fought in three battles together, and no one found out "Samuel's" true identity.
Leaving the Army
In April 1862, Keith's group was ordered to cross the Neuse River at night. Their goal was to find enemy guard posts and track down a Union army group led by General Ambrose Burnside.
During the mission, a tough fight began. Most of Keith's group went back across the river to safety. But when they gathered again, "Samuel" was missing. Keith quickly went back to the battlefield. He found Malinda with a bullet in her left shoulder.
Keith carried Malinda back to the 26th Regiment as fast as he could. He took her to the medical tent, where Dr. Thomas J. Boykin treated her. The doctor successfully removed the bullet. But during the examination, the truth about "Samuel" was discovered.
Keith made the doctor promise to keep their secret for a little while before telling anyone. Then, Keith went to a field full of poison ivy. He rolled around in it for about half an hour.
The next morning, he had a high fever, and his skin was red and covered in blisters. Keith told the doctors he had a serious, ongoing illness that was very contagious. He also added that he had a hernia. The doctors worried about a smallpox outbreak. So, they quickly discharged Keith from the army and kept him in his tent.
Malinda was still stuck in the camp because her wound was not serious enough for her to leave. She decided to talk to Colonel Vance. She offered to go with the sick Sergeant Keith back to Watauga to help him. Vance said a clear "no." He told "Samuel" that "he" would be his new personal helper.
At that moment, Malinda decided to tell Vance the truth. Vance first did not believe her. He called the surgeon and said, "Oh Surgeon, I have a case for you!" But the doctor confirmed what Malinda said. Immediately, Vance discharged "Samuel" and demanded that "he" return the $50 enlistment reward.
Joining the Marauders
Malinda and her husband could finally go back to Watauga. But once they were there, local Confederate forces soon told Keith he had to join the army again. They saw he was healthy and said he had to return to the front lines. If he did not, he would be punished by the new Confederate draft laws.
So, Malinda and Keith ran away again, heading toward Grandfather Mountain. There, they found other local soldiers who had also left the army. They stayed with them until the Confederate Army found the group. Keith was injured in his arm during this encounter.
Malinda and Keith then moved to Tennessee. There, they joined the Union's 10th Michigan Volunteer Cavalry Regiment. For some time, Keith did office work as a recruitment agent.
However, the couple decided to fight again, this time for the Union. They joined Colonel Kirk's volunteer groups, the 3rd North Carolina Mounted Infantry. They went on scouting and raiding missions throughout the Appalachian region of North Carolina.
With Malinda by his side, Keith became one of the leaders who guided people on the Watauga Underground Railroad in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. This was a secret way for Union soldiers to escape from the Confederate prison at Salisbury, North Carolina, which was the largest prison in the state. Keith had to guide the escaped Union soldiers to safety in Tennessee. But from 1863 on, the fights against enemy patrols in the area became harder.
Keith's Union groups began to raid Watauga County. Because they had been treated badly by Southern supporters, these groups raided their farms, stole things, and killed animals without mercy. They raided all over North Carolina's Appalachian region and soon became feared by the whole state.
In 1863, Malinda found out she was pregnant. So, she traveled to Tennessee to stay with another wife of a group member. She gave birth to a son on April 8, 1864. She spent some time with relatives there before leaving her young son with them and returning to military activities.
Confederate groups then killed Keith's stepfather, Austin Coffey, and one of Austin's four brothers. The other two brothers survived the attack. Some local people had betrayed the Coffeys. Keith found and killed these people after the war.
During the war, some of Malinda and Keith's most unfortunate actions were two times they raided the Moore family's farm in Caldwell County in late 1863.
During the war, Keith lost the use of one of his hands. He also killed one of his uncles who had joined the Confederacy.
Life After the War
After the war, Malinda and Keith returned to Watauga. They lived the rest of their lives as farmers and had four children. For some time, they had trouble getting Keith's government pension. Later, they joined the Republican Party. In 1870, Keith tried to get a spot in the United States Congress, but he did not win.
Sarah Malinda Pritchard Blalock died in 1903 from natural causes. She was buried in the Montezuma Cemetery in Avery County. Keith was very sad. He moved to Hickory, North Carolina, taking his son Columbus with him.
On April 11, 1913, Keith died in a train accident. He lost control of his small rail car on a curve. Some stories say his death was revenge for his past actions with Malinda. He was buried next to her at Montezuma Cemetery. His gravestone reads: "Keith Blalock, Soldier, 26th N.C Inf., CSA."
See also
- Women in the American Civil War
