Louis Blenker

Ludwig Blenker, in the United States Louis Blenker ( born July 31, 1812 in Worms, † October 31, 1863 in Rockland County, NY, USA ) was a German military, the 1848 revolutionary and later American General.

Life

Blenker could be recruited in 1832 as a student of the Munich Polytechnic by the Bavarian Legion and accompanied King Otto to Greece. In 1837 he returned to Worms and opened a wine shop, but soon went bankrupt there. In the revolution of 1848/49 he was elected colonel of the militia. When his election was not confirmed by the Ministry that he joined the democratic Ultras. He was one of the main leaders of the revolutionary forces in Rheinhessen and commanded Rheinhessen and Palatinate open droves. On 10 May 1849 he took possession of the city of Ludwigshafen and occupied on 17 May Worms. Already on 28-29. However, in May recaptured the Hessian General Wilhelm Friedrich Ferdinand Freiherr von Schäffer - Bernstein Worms. Later he launched an attack on Landau, who was unsuccessful, however. After the engagement of Prussia in the Palatinate to Blenker turned his men to Baden and fought among others, in a prominent place in the battle on the Murg.

After the rebellion had been suppressed, Blenker went to Switzerland, from which he was, however, reported in September 1849. He then went with his wife to the United States of America. There he lived as a farmer, and later he was based in New York.

Shortly after the outbreak of the American Civil War he was given command of the 8th New York Infantry Regiment, which consisted mainly of German immigrants, and was elevated to the rank of colonel. In the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861, he commanded the Reserve Brigade of the 5th Division and held only one of the higher commander of the federal troops moving up the Southerners stood. Thus he saved the federal capital Washington before taking by the Confederates. On 9 August 1861 he was promoted to brigadier general, in command at the opening of the campaign of 1862 a division and excelled in West Virginia particularly at Cross Keys from. After the battle, General Blenker laid down the command of his division, and went to Washington, where he tendered his resignation and was fired in all honors.

Ludwig Blenker died on 31 October 1863 after a fall from his horse to his injuries. He is on the Rockland Cemetery in Sparkill, New York, buried.