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JOHN BLAIN
John Blain’s parents migrated from Ireland to Australia where
John Blain was born in Sydney, Australia around 1845. After his
birth the family migrated back to Ireland and in 1852 they
emigrated again; this time to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the
United States.
When the American Civil War broke out, John enlisted in 1861 as a
Private, as part of the "Buck tail", 1st Pennsylvania Reserve
Volunteer Infantry regiment, also known as the “30th Volunteers”,
from Pennsylvania; into Co. “F” and later he was promoted to the
rank of Sergeant. His card also carries the spelling of his last name
as “Blane”. The Bucktails were Pennsylvania's most famous Civil
War unit; the regiment being first formed in April 1861, and each
man who came to the regiment's rendezvous point wore civilian
clothes and a buck's tail in his hat as a symbol of his
marksmanship.
The 1st Pennsylvania Reserve Volunteer Infantry regiment was
organized at West Chester, Pennsylvania on June 9, 1861 and
moved to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on July 20. It saw action at the
Battles of Mechanicsville, Virginia on June 26; at Gaines' Mill,
sometimes known as the First Battle of Cold Harbor in Hanover
County, Virginia on
June 27; at Charles City Cross Roads
and Glendale, in Henrico County, Virginia June 30; at Malvern Hill,
also in Henrico County, Virginia on July 1; the Battles of Groveton
or the Second Battle of Bull Run on August 29; at Bull Run near
Manassas on August 30; the Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., on
December 12-15; the Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., on July 1-3; the
Battles of the Wilderness in Virginia on May 5-7 and many others
in between.
On February 4, 1864 John re-enlisted as First Sergeant into the
190th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry and was mustered into Co.
“H” .
The 190th Regiment, Pennsylvania Infantry was organized in the
field from Veterans and Recruits of the Pennsylvania Reserve
Corps on May 31, 1864. With the 190th John saw action at the
Battles around Cold Harbor, Va., on June 1-12, 1864; the Siege of
Petersburg, Virginia on June 16, 1864, and at the Battle of Globe
Tavern, also known as the Second Battle of the Weldon Railroad,
south of Petersburg, Virginia on August 18–21, 1864; where he
was wounded and captured. The Union army had gained its first
victory during the Siege of Petersburg and achieved a major
objective. Union casualties during that battle, however, amounted
to 251 killed, 1,148 wounded and 2,897 missing/captured.
It was at the Battle of Weldon Railroad at Petersburg, Virginia in
1864 that John was wounded in his left hand and was taken
prisoner by Confederate forces on August 19, 1864. He was
transported to and incarcerated in the Confederates Salisbury
Prison in North Carolina, where he suffered badly from starvation
and frostbite. He may also have been moved to Andersonville
prison but that remains unclear.
John was eventually released and upon his release he mustered
out of the army as a First Sergeant, with the rest of his regiment
at Arlington Heights, Virginia., near Washington, D.C. on June 28,
1865.
One source, records a ‘John’ Blain who enlisted as a Private on
July 10, 1861, and mustered into Company "F", Pennsylvania 30th
Infantry, was transferred out on June 1, 1864 and transferred into
Pennsylvania 190th Infantry on June 1, 1864. It stated he was
promoted to a Corporal on March 1, 1863 and to a Sergeant on
March 1, 1864. It is believed that record was confused and mixed
up with our John Blain.
John Blain was married to Ella Antoinette Field of New Hampshire
in Washington D.C. on May 25, 1875. One of their children was
John Frederick Blain.
After the war John Blain went on to become a well known and
respected individual throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania and
New York and eventually ended up being one of the people in
charge at the New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania
Reformatories; where he was a teacher and Superintendent of
Military training.
He eventually moved with his family to Huntingdon, Pennsylvania
and his son, had a sailing and shipping career after he ran away
from home in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania; and eventually was
placed in charge of World War I ship production for all of
Washington and Oregon.
John Blain was buried in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
Sources:
"A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion", Frederick H. Dyer
A History of Civil War Volunteers, Edwin A. Glover
Donald O. DeMers, Jr., Descendant
Historical Data Systems, civilwardata.com.
History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-1865
National Archives Microfilm Records, M554, Roll 9
Pennsylvania Infantry Pension Index
The Official Virginia Civil War Battlefield Guide, John S. Salmon
The Union Army, vol. 1