Leonidas Blackwell was born in Washington County, Virginia on August 10th, 1829, the son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Venable) Blackwell. He married Nancy C. Spurrier on January 27th, 1859. By the next year they were living in Russell County, and Leonidas was working as a blacksmith.
Leonidas was technically exempt from military service due to a part of his right foot having been partially cut off. He had a surgeon's certificate which verified this fact.
Leonidas avoided military service until June of 1864, when he was served with a written notice to appear before the Enrolling Officer for Russell County. He appeared and was sent home for three months. Three months later he was conscripted and ordered to report to Lynchburg on October 3, 1864. The Saturday before he was due to appear in Lynchburg, he was captured by Union scouts approximately 10 miles from Saltville, Virginia.
On October 26th, Leonidas was in Lexington, Kentucky, a Union prisoner. On October 22nd, he was sent to Camp Chase, Ohio. He remained at Camp Chase until February 1st, 1865, when he was released after taking the Oath of Allegiance. His description at the time was: light hair, light complexion, 5 feet 10 inches tall, with grey eyes and 35 years of age.
He returned home and soon moved back to Washington County where he again took up the occupation of blacksmith. In his 1900 pension application, he claims to have lost an eye to small pox while at Camp Chase.
Leonidas lived a long life and eventually died on December 28th, 1916, in Washington County, Virginia.
