William Riley Blanchard (1835 - 1914)

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Jane (Sawin) Blanchard — married before 1858 in Stockbridge, Windsor County, Vermont, United States

Descendants

Died 2 Apr 1914 at age 79 in Stockbridge, Windsor County, Vermont USA

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Biography

William Blanchard was a Vermonter.

William Blanchard was Wounded in Action during the United States Civil War.

private William Blanchard served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: Nov 21, 1863
Mustered out: 1865
Side: USA
Regiment(s): 1st Regiment, Vermont Heavy Artillery

This profile is part of the Blanchard Name Study.

William Riley Blanchard was born in 1835 to Moses Blanchard and Editha Sargent. He died in 1914.^[1] Willam married Mary Jane Sawin about 1857.^[2]

At the age of 28, William enlisted in the the Union Army on 21 November 1863 and joined Company H of the First Heavy Artillery.^[3]. At that time Company H was located at Fort Bunker Hill in Northeast Washington, DC. On the 15th of May, 1864, the First Heavy Artillery joined the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, a 12 day action with very heavy casualties. There were more than 18,000 Union and 12,000 Confederate casualties. Both sides claimed victory.^[4]

Only a few days later, May 23, William was at the Battle of North Anna. A short action with an inconclusive outcome.^[5] Two days later they were again facing the Confederates at the Battle of Totopotomoy Creek, about 12 miles from the Confederate capitol at Richmond, Virginia.^[6]

Private Blanchard was wounded on 2 June 1864 at the Battle of Cold Harbor, 10 miles from Richmond. Given the outcome of this action, William was lucky to only have been wounded. This battle was a victory for the Confederate Army with nearly 13,000 Union casualties and more that 4000 Confederate.^[7]

After his recovery he was transferred to the 2nd Battalion, Veteran Reserve Corps on 25 November 1864. He remained with the Veteran Reserve Corp until 19 September 1865 when he was discharged and returned home.^[6]

William applied for his invalid pension on 1 February 1866 which was granted.^[8]

He died in 1914 in Stockbridge, Windsor, Vermont, United States^[1] and was buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Stockbridge.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Vermont Vital Records, 1760-2008, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KF57-N6T : 6 December 2014), William R Blanchard, Death, 02 Apr 1914, Stockbridge, Windsor, Vermont, United States; from "Vermont, Birth Records, 1909-2008," "Vermont, Death Records, 1909-2008," "Vermont, Marriage Records, 1909-2008," and "Vermont, Vital Records, 1720-1908." Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2010); citing Vital Records Office, Vermont Department of Health, Burlington and New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston.
2. ↑ "Vermont Vital Records, 1760-1954", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XFQB-J3N : 19 February 2021), Wm R. Blanchard in entry for Edwina Blanchard and Frank P. Drew, 1875.
3. ↑ Compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the State of Vermont., database with images , Fold3 (https://www.fold3.com/image/21/309666547 : accessed 4 April 2018), William R. Blanchard, RG 94, "Compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the State of Vermont.," The National Archives, microfilm roll RG94-CMSR-VT-1HA-Bx012.
4. ↑ American Battlefield Trust, Spotsylvania Court House, (https://www.battlefields.org/learn/civil-war/battles/spotsylvania-court-house : accessed 17 Sep 2023).
5. ↑ AmerIcan Battlefield Trust, North Anna, (https://www.battlefields.org/learn/civil-war/battles/north-anna : accessed 17 Sep 2023).
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} “U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865," database, (Ancestry Record 1555 #623863 : accessed 17 September 2023), Muster Date 9 Dec 1863; citing Historical Data Systems, Inc., Duxbury, MA 02331, American Civil War Research Database.
7. ↑ American Battlefield Trust, Cold Harbor, (https://www.battlefields.org/learn/civil-war/battles/cold-harbor : accessed 17 Sep 2023).
8. ↑ “Civil War Pensions Index, 1861–1900,” database, Fold3.com (https://www.fold3.com/image/26558030/blanchard-william-r-us-civil-war-pensions-index-1861-1900 : accessed 17 Sep 2023), pension application index for William R Blanchard.

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