Elias Briggs Baldwin Explained

Elias Briggs Baldwin
Birth Date:17 June 1834
Birth Place:Dutchess County, New York
Death Place:Oswego, Kansas
Allegiance: United States
Union
Branch:United States Army
Union Army
Branch Label:Branch
Rank: Lieutenant colonel
Unit:36th Illinois Infantry Regiment
Commands:8th Regiment Missouri Volunteer Cavalry
Battles:American Civil War

Elias Briggs Baldwin (June 17, 1834 – March 26, 1921) was a Union Army lieutenant colonel, later Provost Marshal, and pioneer of Labette County, Kansas. He is best remembered for his part in the Huntsville Massacre that occurred on January 10, 1863, near Huntsville, Arkansas.

Biography

Baldwin was born in Dutchess County, New York, and was raised on the family farm there. He attended high school in Red Creek, New York, and later taught school in both Rhode Island and Connecticut. On April 13, 1861, he joined the Union Army along with his four brothers, one of whom would be killed in action at the Battle of Resaca. He was initially elected as captain for Company C, 36th Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry. The regiment was dispatched to Missouri, and in February 1862, he was made quartermaster. In August, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel over the 8th Regiment Missouri Volunteer Cavalry.

While serving under the command of Union General Francis Herron, in Huntsville, Arkansas, Baldwin had nine local men executed on January 10, 1863, for reasons that remain unknown. That has become known as the "Huntsville Massacre." Baldwin was later arrested for that event and charged with "violation of the 6th Article of War for the murder of prisoners of war." He was transported to Springfield, Missouri and was held for trial. However, many of the witnesses were found to be on active duty and unable to attend the trial, and many local civilian witnesses had been displaced or were otherwise unable to make the trip to Springfield, which caused the charges against to be dropped. Nevertheless, Baldwin was dismissed from the army. By 1870, he was residing in Labette County, Kansas. He died in Oswego, Kansas on March 26, 1921.

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