Tuhia he tohutoro mō tēnei wāhanga - I whānau a Baldwin ki Dutchess County, New York, ā, i tipu ake ia i te pāmu o te whānau i reira. I haere ia ki te kura tuarua i Red Creek, New York, ana i muri mai ka whakaako i te kura i Rhode Island me Connecticut. I te Paenga-whāwhā 13, 1861, i uru atu ia ki te Ope Taua o te Kotahitanga me ona tuakana tokowha, ko tetahi o ratou ka mate i te pakanga o Resaca
He aha? I whiriwhiria ia hei rangatira mo te Kamupene C, 36th Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry. I tukuna te rerenga ki Missouri, a i te Hui-tanguru 1862 ka meinga ia hei quartermaster. I te marama o Akuhata o taua tau ano i whakatairangahia ia ki te kaumatua, i runga i te 8th Regiment Missouri Volunteer Cavalry.