Whakaotihia te rerenga e whai ake nei: I whanau a Baldwin ki Dutchess County, New York, a i tipu ake ia i te pāmu o te whanau 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 13 o Paenga-whāwhā 1861, ka uru atu ia ki te ope taua o te Kotahitanga me ona tuakana tokowha, ko tētahi o rātou ka mate i te pakanga i te
Te Pakanga o Resaca. 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.