Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/787

Rh the surrender of Cornwallis, and died at Lynchburg in 1855. Dr. Blackford was reared at Lynchburg, and educated at the university of Virginia, afterward studying and receiving the degree of doctor of medicine at Jefferson medical college, Philadelphia, in 1855. After serving two years as resident physician of the Philadelphia hospital, he began practice at Lynchburg, and continued until April, 1861, when upon the passage of the ordinance of secession, he entered the service as surgeon of the Eleventh Virginia infantry, Confederate army. About the same time he was ordered to Richmond, and assigned to duty as one of the medical officers of the camp of instruction. In June he was detached and sent to Culpeper Court House to establish a military hospital, of which, the first established for the army, he was put in charge until after the first battle of Manassas, when he was ordered on duty at Manassas with the medical director of the army of Northern Virginia. In August he was detailed to establish hospitals at Front Royal, where he remained in charge until the spring of 1862. He then established the general hospitals at Liberty, Va., and remained at that post until the close of the war, except during the Hunter raid against Lynchburg, when he participated in the operations in the field, and was in charge of one of the hospitals at Lynchburg. At the close of hostilities he resumed his practice at Lynchburg, and remained there until 1889, when, having gained favorable repute for skill in the treatment of mental diseases, he was appointed superintendent of the Western State hospital at Staunton, a position he has since filled with entire satisfaction to the public. He has served as president of the Lynchburg medical association, president of the State medical society, and is a member of the American medical association, the Medico-Psychological association of America, and the Southern association of superintendents of insane hospitals. In addition to his valued participation in various organizations of this nature he has been a frequent contributor to the medical press. His energy and executive capacity, formerly displayed in the organization of Confederate military hospitals, have also been manifested during his management of the Western hospital in the increase of its capacity more than one-third and the addition of many important improvements. Dr. Blackford is a member of Garland-Rodes camp at Lynchburg, and Stonewall Jackson camp at Staunton, U. C. V. In 1871 he was married to Emily Byrd, daughter of the late Robert Neilson, of Baltimore, and they have six children living: Thomas Atkinson, Benjamin Ogle, Robert Neilson, Charles Minor, William Arthur and George Tayloe Blackford.

Benjamin L. Blackford, of Washington, D. C., was born at Fredericksburg, Va., in 1837, was reared at Lynchburg, and educated in the university of Virginia. He entered the Confederate service in April, 1861, as a sergeant of the Eleventh regiment of Virginia infantry, and served as such until June, 1861, when he was promoted second lieutenant of engineers. He rendered valuable services in the engineer corps during the remainder of the war, receiving promotion in 1864 to captain of engineers. He participated in the battles of Norfolk, Seven Pines, the Seven Days' fight before Richmond, the defense of Fort Fisher, N. C., the defense of Petersburg, Va., and during the retreat from Richmond he fought at Sailor's creek and Appomattox, being slightly wounded at the latter field. After the war had ceased he resumed his professional work as a