Posted by Diana S. on May 30, 2001 at 09:10:08:
Happy Hump Day!
#20 - A North Carolina mountain woman named Sarah Malinda Pritchard Blalock had the distinction of being NC's only known female Civil War soldier.
During the Civil War, the mountain folks of western NC hadn't had much need for slaves (most folks and their families could tend what little bit of land that was flat enough to farm) and therefore, sympathies tended more for the north than the south. One particular man, Keith Blalock (and his wife), joined the Confederates in hopes of getting close enough to the Union troops to desert and join up with them. 23-year-old Malinda Blalock cut her hair and disguised herself as a man named "Sam" Blalock. They fought for some time with the confederate ranks, but upon deciding that it was too risky to jump lines, Keith went into the woods, rubbed himself with poison ivy, and was discharged for his self-imposed rash. At this time, "Sam" revealed herself as a woman and was relieved of her duties also. The Blalock's returned home to Watauga county, "under the Grandfather" and soon became the leaders of a group of bushwhackers that assisted Union troops with information and pillaging of the mountain counties until the end of the war. It was during one of these conflicts that Malinda was wounded in the shoulder and Keith in the eye. Malinda died, "under the Grandfather", of natural causes in 1901. The Blalocks (particularly Keith) became infamous in the region as deserter bushwhackers. Deserters of both sides frequently fled to the NC mountains to "hide out", many hiding in the Linville Caverns and Linville Gorge.
In just two weeks from today,
In the town of Chimney Rock,
We may have in our presence,
Uncle Angus and his flock!
Di