Brigadier General Louis Blenker

Brigadier General Ludwig “Louis” Blenker was born in Worms, Germany. After the failure of the Revolution of 1848, he immigrated to the United States. When the Civil War began he enlisted and was quickly moved through the ranks—by July 1861 he had taken command of a German brigade. In August of 1861, he was promoted to brigadier general and organized Blenker’s Division.