Whakaotihia te rerenga e whai ake nei: I whānau a Woon i te tau 1823 i Ingarangi, ka heke ki Te Hononga o Amerika, ā, e noho ana ia i New York i te wā i uru atu ai ia ki te US Navy. I mahi ia i te wā o te Pakanga ā-Iwi hei kaihautū kaipuke me te rangatira patu i runga i te waka. I te
Battle of Grand Gulf, Mississippi, i te Paenga-whāwhā 29, 1863, "i herea ia ki tana moenga mo etahi ra mai i te mate, engari i tohe tonu, ka riro i a ia te mana o te pu i a ia hei rangatira; i whawhai ia mo nga haora e rua, a ka mahue i a ia i te wa kaore e taea te tu. " Mo tenei mahi, i whakawhiwhia ia ki te Tohu Whakahonore i etahi marama i muri mai i te Hurae 10, 1863.