James G. Blunt

James G. Blunt
James G. Blunt
	Brig. Gen. James G. Blunt; ca. 1862
Born	July 21, 1826; Trenton,Maine
Died	July 27, 1881(aged 55); Washington, D.C.
Place of burial	Mount Muncie Cemetery,Leavenworth,Kansas
Allegiance	United States of America; Union
Service/branch	United States Army; Union Army
Years of service	1861–1865
Rank	Major General
Commands held	Army of Kansas; Army of the Frontier; District of the Frontier
Battles/wars	American Civil War First Battle of Newtonia; Battle of Old Fort Wayne; Battle of Cane Hill; Battle of Prairie Grove; Battle of Honey Springs; Battle of Westport; Second Battle of Newtonia; ;
Other work	physician, attorney

James G.^[a]Blunt(July 21, 1826 – July 27, 1881) was an American physician andabolitionistwho rose to the rank ofmajor generalin theUnion Armyduring theAmerican Civil War.He was defeated byQuantrill's Raidersat theBattle of Baxter Springsin Kansas in 1863, but is considered to have served well the next year as a division commander duringPrice's RaidinMissouri.

Early life and career

Blunt was born inTrenton, Maineto John Blunt and Sally Gilpatrick Blunt.^[2]Blunt lived and worked on his family farm until he was 14. He may have spent some time at the Ellsworth Military Academy inEllsworth, Maine.^[3]He became a sailor on a merchant vessel when he was 15, and attained the rank ofcaptainat 20.

In 1845 Blunt moved toColumbus, Ohio,where he enrolled inStarling Medical College.His maternal uncle, Dr. Rufus Gilpatrick, was one of the instructors. Graduating in February 1849, Blunt moved toNew Madison, Ohioand started a practice. On January 15, 1850, he married Nancy G. Putman.^[4]Blunt practiced medicine and took an active role in county politics as a member of theRepublican Party.^[4]

Kansas career

In 1856 Blunt and his family relocated toAnderson County, Kansas,following his uncle who had moved there several years earlier. He soon became involved in the conflict before the Civil War known asBleeding Kansas,when abolitionist and slavery forces battled to control the territory. During a confrontation with the pro-slavery territorial government in 1857, Blunt joined a force includingJim Laneand abolitionistJohn Brown.^[5]Blunt was a key member of theWyandotte constitutional conventionthat framed the Kansas state constitution in 1859, and served as chair of the committee on militia.^[6]

Civil War

At the outbreak of theCivil Warin 1861, Blunt was appointedlieutenant colonelof the3rd Regiment Kansas Volunteer Infantry,a part ofJames Lane's Kansas Brigade, an irregular partisan force not accepted into the Union Army until reorganized in April 1862.^[7]^[8]He ordered ColonelWilliam Weerto lead the "Indian Expedition" in 1861 which succeeded in occupying Fort Gibson and arming three regiments of Native Americans.^{[citation needed]}In September 1861, he led a group of troops in killing CaptainJohn Allen Mathewsand his men.^[9]In April 1862, Blunt was appointedbrigadier generalof volunteers and given command of theDepartment and Army of Kansas.Blunt's forces were defeated in theFirst Battle of Newtonia,and the Army of Kansas was incorporated into theArmy of the Frontieras the 1st Division. Blunt led his division ofCherokeeand Kansas volunteers to victory at theBattle of Old Fort Wayne.In December 1862, Blunt's division was joined by the 2nd Division underFrancis J. Herron.The combined forces metConfederatesunderThomas C. Hindmanat theBattle of Prairie Grove.While tactically a draw, the battle was a strategic victory for the Union.^{[citation needed]}

Blunt was appointedmajor generalof volunteers on March 16, 1863.^[10]He was the only officer from Kansas to achieve that rank during the war.^[11]He establishedFort Baxter(also known as Fort Blair) in May 1863 nearBaxter Springs, Kansas.

Blunt was appointed to command the District of the Frontier. He campaigned for control of the Indian Territory and won a victory at theBattle of Honey Springs,bringing much of theIndian Territoryinto Union control. In October 1863, while moving his headquarters fromFort ScotttoFort Smith,Blunt and his detachment were attacked by a Confederate force underWilliam C. Quantrill.At theBattle of Baxter Springs Quantrill's Raidersrouted and killed over 80 of Blunt's 100 escorts, including hisadjutant MajorHenry Curtis, son ofMajor General Samuel Curtis.These actions led to Blunt's removal from command of the District of the Frontier.

In 1864, Blunt was able to redeem himself. Confederate Maj. Gen.Sterling Pricebegan aninvasionofMissouriand Blunt took command of the 1st Division ofArmy of the Border.He and the cavalry underAlfred Pleasontonfought delaying actions untilSamuel R. Curtisbrought the full strength of the army together and inflicted a defeat on Price at theBattle of Westport.Blunt's division inflicted the final defeat to Price at theSecond Battle of Newtonia.Blunt commanded the District of South Kansas when the war ended.

Post-war life and death

After the war, Blunt settled with his family inLeavenworth, Kansasand resumed his medical practice; he also was admitted to the Kansas bar as a lawyer. He moved toWashington, D.C.in 1869 where he practiced his new profession.^[12]His daughter Katherine Putnam married Houston lawyer and member of theWar Industries Board,Edwin B. Parker.^[13]

In 1873, Blunt was accused by the Department of Justice of conspiracy to defraud the government and a body of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina.^[14]^{[page needed]}Earlier he had been cited in the 41st Congress's investigation of the Department of Indian Affairs, for charging Western tribes exorbitant (40% to 50%) lobbying fees for payments due them.^[15]

Blunt's behavior became erratic in 1879 when he was 53, and he was committed to an asylum. He died two years later, with the cause of death given as "softening of the brain."His body was returned to Leavenworth and is buried in the Mount Muncie Cemetery.^[16]

In popular culture

James Blunt features briefly inRifles for Watie,a novel byHarold Keithabout a young Union soldier from Kansas fighting the Civil War inIndian Territoryand the surrounding states. It includes a description of theBattle of Prairie Grove.

Notes

^The G. is short for Gillpatrick or Gilpatrick. James uses the two "l" 's spelling in his writing,^[1]while historians sometimes use the single "l" spelling.^[2]

References

^Blunt & Roberts 1932,p. 211.
^^a ^bCollins 2005,p. 15.
^Collins 2005,p. 16.
^^a ^bCollins 2005,p. 17.
^Collins 2005,p. 19-21.
^Collins 2005,p. 25-26.
^Warner 1964,p. 37-38.
^Eicher & Eicher 2001,p. 135.
^Snyder 2017,p. 12.
^Warner 2002,p. 38.
^Collins 2005,p. 11.
^Collins 2005,p. 218.
^"Judge E. B. Parker, Debt Expert, Dies".The Evening Star.October 30, 1929. p. 1.RetrievedJanuary 13,2024– viaNewspapers.
^Blunt & Roberts 1932.
^U.S. Congress."House Reports, 41st Congress, 3d Session, 1871".congressional.proquest.
^Collins 2005,p. 220-222.

Works cited

Books

Collins, Robert (2005).General James G. Blunt: Tarnished Glory.Pelican Publishing.
Eicher, John H.;Eicher, David J.(2001).Civil War High Commands.Stanford:Stanford University Press.ISBN 0804736413.
Snyder, Michael (2017).John Joseph Mathews: Life of an Osage Writer.Norman:University of Oklahoma Press.ISBN 978-0-8061-5609-5.
Warner, Ezra J.(1964).Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders(1st ed.).Baton Rouge:Louisiana State University Press.ISBN 978-0-8071-0822-2.
Warner, Ezra J.(2002).Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders(Reprint ed.).Baton Rouge:Louisiana State University Press.ISBN 9780807108222.

Journal articles

Blunt, James G.; Roberts, Tod (May 1932)."General Blunt's Account of His Civil War Experiences".Kansas Historical Quarterly.1(3): 211–265. Archived fromthe originalon January 23, 2003.RetrievedDecember 3,2023.

External links

"James G. Blunt".Find a Grave.RetrievedMarch 4,2009.

Military offices
Preceded by John Schofield	Commander of theArmy of the Frontier 1863	Succeeded by Francis Herron

[3] The G. is short for Gillpatrick or Gilpatrick. James uses the two "l" 's spelling in his writing,^[1]while historians sometimes use the single "l" spelling.^[2]

[FOOTNOTEBluntRoberts1932211-1] Blunt & Roberts 1932,p. 211.

[FOOTNOTECollins200515-2] Collins 2005,p. 15.

[FOOTNOTECollins200516-4] Collins 2005,p. 16.

[FOOTNOTECollins200517-5] Collins 2005,p. 17.

[FOOTNOTECollins200519-21-6] Collins 2005,p. 19-21.

[FOOTNOTECollins200525-26-7] Collins 2005,p. 25-26.

[FOOTNOTEWarner196437-38-8] Warner 1964,p. 37-38.

[FOOTNOTEEicherEicher2001135-9] Eicher & Eicher 2001,p. 135.

[FOOTNOTESnyder201712-10] Snyder 2017,p. 12.

[FOOTNOTEWarner200238-11] Warner 2002,p. 38.

[FOOTNOTECollins200511-12] Collins 2005,p. 11.

[FOOTNOTECollins2005218-13] Collins 2005,p. 218.

[14] "Judge E. B. Parker, Debt Expert, Dies".The Evening Star.October 30, 1929. p. 1.RetrievedJanuary 13,2024– viaNewspapers.

[FOOTNOTEBluntRoberts1932-15] Blunt & Roberts 1932.

[16] U.S. Congress."House Reports, 41st Congress, 3d Session, 1871".congressional.proquest.

[FOOTNOTECollins2005220-222-17] Collins 2005,p. 220-222.

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