He served in the Union Army during the American Civil War before mustering out in 1864 after being wounded a second time.

The work was difficult because, at the time, no telegraph lines or railroads existed in Montana Territory.

Blake later wrote, "the preparation of the locals for the tri-weekly edition was troublesome because there was a paucity in the country tributary to a village as small as Virginia City, and mountains were made of mole hills, dressed to the best of my ability in attractive phrases.

[5] Blake was appointed an associate justice of the Montana Territorial Supreme Court by President Ulysses S. Grant and served from 1875 until 1885.

He was appointed Chief Justice of the Territorial Supreme Court in 1889 by President Benjamin Harrison.