At war's end Blake, highly commended by his superiors, received a brevet promotion to Major for gallant and meritorious conduct in the affair at St. Augustine, Mexico, August 17, 1847.

Assigned to the Western Frontier, he and a mixed command of cavalry and infantry established Fort Massachusetts in the New Mexico Territory, which became the first permanent U.S. post in the state of Colorado.

In 1857 Blake commanded the detachment of dragoons that accompanied Lieutenant Edward Fitzgerald Beale and the United States Camel Corps on their Arizona Expedition.

After the Gettysburg Campaign, in which Blake fought with his regiment, he was transferred to the Cavalry Bureau and served in administrative positions, as depot commander and on special duty for the rest of the war.

After the war ended Blake stayed in the army and continued to command the 1st Cavalry and Fort Vancouver in the Oregon Territory (now Washington) until his retirement on December 15, 1870.