Ka cika wannan magana: An haife shi a shekara ta 1823 a Ingila, Woon ya yi ƙaura zuwa Amirka kuma yana zama a New York lokacin da ya shiga rundunar sojan ruwa na Amirka. Ya yi aiki a lokacin yakin basasa a matsayin matukin jirgi da kuma kyaftin din bindiga a kan jirgin. A cikin
Yaƙin Grand Gulf, Mississippi, a ranar 29 ga Afrilu, 1863, "an tsare shi a cikin shimfiɗarsa na kwanaki da yawa daga rashin lafiya, duk da haka ya nace kuma ya ɗauki umurnin bindigar da ya zama kyaftin; ya yi yaƙi da shi sama da awanni biyu, kuma ya bar shi ne kawai lokacin da ba zai iya tsayawa ba". Saboda wannan aikin, an ba shi lambar yabo na girmamawa bayan 'yan watanni daga baya a ranar 10 ga Yuli, 1863.