Civil War Veterans Buried In Washington State - Alonzo Blizard

4^th TENNESSEE VOLUNTEER CAVALRY
Organized: 7/1862 Cumberland Gap, TN
Mustered In:  Mid - 1862 (est.)
Mustered Out: 7/12/1865 Nashville, TN

REGIMENTAL HISTORY:

The 4^th was a three year cavalry regiment. Its term of service was within the western theater of the American Civil War (ACW).

Composed of Union “refugees” from eastern Tennessee, the unit moved to Nashville in 1/`1863. There, and in Murfreesboro, it performed post and scout duties until the years’ end. It then joined an expedition into Mississippi before returning to Nashville on 3/18/1864

In mid ’64 the 4^th moved through Alabama, back to Mississippi and into Georgia. In the latter place it joined a raid south and west of Atlanta during which it lost nearly all its horses and armament while crossing the Chattahoochee River.

During 8/1864 the regiment march to Decatur, AL There, it participated in scouting duties. Returning to Nashville near year’s end it moved to counter the forces of Confed. Gen. Hood and took part in all of the conflicts of that campaign.

Getting out of Georgia, the 4^th campaigned around Mobile, Al. Arriving in Nashville, TN on 6/12/1865. There, the following month, it received final muster.

REGIMENTAL LOSSES:
Officers Killed Or Mortally Wounded:  1; Officers Died Of Disease, Accidents, Etc.:4    ; Enlisted Men Killed Or Mortally Wounded: 24; Enlisted Men Died Of Disease, Accidents, Etc. 205

SOLDIER:
Residence: Inf. Not Avail.  Age:  ca. 19 yrs.
Enlisted/Enrolled: 11/25/1862 Rank:  Pvt.
Mustered In: 2/10/1863
Mustered Out: 7/12/1865
Highest Rank: 1^st Lieut.
Rank At Discharge: 1^st Lieut.

PERSONAL/FAMILY HISTORY:


Alonzo Leonidas Blizard was born circa 1843. His place of birth was within the State of Tennessee.

Father of Leonidas was Archibald Blizard. His mother, reportedly Archibald’s first wife, is not named within available documentation.

In 1860 the U.S. Census of McMinn County, TN found Leonidas, 17, living with his father and stepmother, Charlotte J. Blizard. Also in the home were Leonidas’ siblings/step-siblings: Sarah A. Blizard, 16, William Blizard, 12, Penelope Blizard, 2 and Frank Blizard, 1.

During 1862 Leonidas enlisted in the U.S. Army. His unit was the 4^th Tennessee Cavalry. Private Blizard was subsequently promoted to Quartermaster Sergeant on 11/1/18663 and to 1^st/ Orderly Sergeant on. 1/8/1864. He was then discharged in order to be commissioned to a captaincy on 11/25/1864. Finally, on 4/15/1865 he was promoted to 1^st Lieutenant.  The promotions prompted his transfer from Co. “D” to Co. “L” and, ultimately, Co. “H.”

Leonidas married on 9/29/1870 in McMinn County, TN. His bride was Sallie A. Gibson (b. d. unk. TN).

At some point in time either near the end of the 19^th century or the dawning of the 20^th, Leonidas and Sallie quitted Tennessee in favor of the Indian (Oklahoma) Territory. It was there, on 3/10/1902 Leonidas applied for, and was granted a U.S. Government disability pension based on his days of Civil War soldiering.

The 1910 U.S. Census enumerated Leonidas and Sallie farming on Lummi Island, Whatcom County, WA. He died there on 12/17/1914 and was/is buried in the Lummi Island Cemetery.

Following Leonidas’ death Sallie requested and was granted a portion of her late husband’s pension stipend. She continued to reside on Lummi Island until her death in 1932. She, also, was/is buried in the Lummi Island Cemetery.

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* In American Civil War Research Database, and other places, surname appears as Blizzard.
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NOTE:  The preceding courtesy of the Whatcom County Genealogical Society. Please see our Links page for information on how to obtain the download Civil War Veterans in Whatcom County (with June 2014 update) from which much of the above information was adopted. 

Posted: 11/12/2023
Updated: 

Buried at Lummi Island Cemetery