★  MOH Baird, Absalom

Absalom Baird

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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
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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​
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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

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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.
 
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Reading on Baird's actions at Chickamauga, it seems he was quite an underwhelming officer. That said, he was following up command of the Regulars from Rousseau, one of the best Western division commanders.
 
Bump for Chickamauga.
Baird had been recently assigned to Lovell Rousseau's division while that commander was negotiating with the War Department in Washington. Baird had not commanded a significant unit in the field during the war thus far, and his performance on the 19th was lacking. Though he helped break Forrest's makeshift position at Jay's Mill, his division was decimated by Liddell's flank assault. On the 20th, they formed the left flank of Thomas' line, holding strong against Breckinridge's assault. He would continue in division command in later campaigns.
 
How's this for a title of his book? "Copies of Authentic Letters and Papers Throwing Some Light on the History of Doctor Absalom of the Army of the Revolution: Who Died at Washington, Pennsylvania,in 1805, Likewise Referring to His Associates". I'm assuming Dr. Absalon Baird of the book title was his grandfather.
 
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