Absalom Baird
Born: August 20, 1824
Birthplace: Washington, Pennsylvania
Father: William Baird Unknown – 1834
(Buried: Washington Cemetery, Washington, Pennsylvania)
Mother: Nancy Mitchell 1802 – 1881
(Buried: Rose Hill Cemetery, Cumberland, Maryland)
Wife: Cornelia Wyntje Smith 1828 – 1883
(Buried: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia)
Children:
Lt. Colonel William Baird 1851 – 1930
(Buried: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia)
Education:
1841: Graduated from Washington College law school in Pennsylvania
1849: Graduated from West Point Military Academy – (9th in class)
Occupation before War:
1849 – 1850: Brevet 2nd Lt. United States Army, 2nd Artillery
1849 – 1850: Garrison Duty at Fort Monroe, Virginia
1850 – 1853: 2nd Lt. United States Army, 1st Artillery
1850: Garrison Duty at Fort Columbus, New York
1851 – 1853: Served in Florida in the Seminole War
1853 – 1861: 1st Lt. United Sates Army 1st Artillery
1853 – 1856: Assistant Math Professor at West Point
1856 – 1859: Principal Assistant Math Professor at West Point
1859 – 1860: Frontier Duty at Fort Brown, Texas
1860: Frontier Duty at Ringgold Barracks, Texas
1860 – 1861: Garrison Duty at Fort Monroe, Virginia
Civil War Career:
1861: Light Artillery Battery Commander, Washington, D.C. Defenses
1861: Brevet Captain, and Assistant Adjutant General, in U.S. Army
1861: Assistant in the U.S. Army, Adjutant General’s Office
1861: Adjutant General for Tyler’s Division, 1st Battle of Bull Run
1861: Assistant in the U.S. Army, Adjutant General’s Office
1861: Captain and Assistant Adjutant General, in U.S. Army
1861 – 1862: Served on Inspection Duty, with U.S. War Department
1861 – 1885: Major and Assistant Inspector General, for U.S. Army
1862: Inspector General and Chief of Staff, for the 4th Army Corps
1862 – 1866: Brigadier General, Union Army Volunteers
1862: Served in the Capture of Cumberland Gap
1862 – 1863: Division Commander, 3rd Division in Kentucky
1863: Served in the Defenses of Franklin, Tennessee
1863: Served in the Skirmish at Triune
1863: Served in the Capture of Shelbyville, Tennessee
1863: Served in the fighting at Dug Gap, Georgia
1863: Brevetted Lt. Colonel for Gallantry, Battle of Chickamauga
1863: Served in the Occupation of Chattanooga, Tennessee
1863 – 1864: Division Commander around Chattanooga, Tennessee
1863: Brevetted Colonel for Gallantry, Battle of Chattanooga
1864: Served in the Battle of Resaca, Georgia
1864: Led a brigade in a bayonet charge in the Battle of Jonesborough, Georgia, breaking through Confederate lines and capturing 600 men.
1864: Served in the Surrender, and Occupation of Atlanta, Georgia
1864: Served in Sherman’s March to the Sea
1864: Brevetted Major General for service in Atlanta Campaign
1865: Served in the Carolinas Campaign
1865: Served in the Battle of Bentonville, North Carolina
1865: Brevetted Brig. General, U.S. Army for his role in Atlanta
1865: Served in the march to Washington D.C. & Louisville Kentucky
1865: Union Army Commander of District of Delaware
1865: Brevetted Major General, U.S. Army for his service in the war
1865 – 1866: Assistant Commissioner of Freedmen, in New Orleans
1866: U.S. Army Commander, of Department of Louisiana
1866: Mustered out of the Union Army on September 1st
Occupation after War:
1861 – 1885: Major and Assistant Inspector General for U.S. Army
1866 – 1868: Inspector General of U.S. Army, Department of Lakes
1868 – 1870: Inspector General of U.S. Army, Department of Dakotas
1870 – 1872: Inspector General of U.S. Army, Division of the South
1872 – 1881: Inspector General of U.S. Army, Division of the Missouri
1881 – 1885: Senior Inspector General, of U.S. Army in Washington DC
1885: Colonel and Inspector General, in United States Army
1885: Inspector General of U.S. Army, Division of the Missouri
1885 – 1888: Brigadier General and Inspector General, of U.S. Army
1888: Retired from United States Army on August 20th
1896: Recipient of the Medal of Honor for Battle of Jonesboro, Georgia
Died: June 14, 1905
Place of Death: Relay, Maryland
Age at time of Death: 80 years old
Burial Place: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia
Medal of Honor Citation | The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Brigadier General Absalom Baird, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on September 1, 1864, while serving with U.S. Volunteers, in action at Jonesboro, Georgia. Brigadier General Baird voluntarily led a detached brigade in an assault upon the enemy's works. |
---|
Last edited by a moderator: