Frank Dwight Baldwin (June 26, 1842 – April 22, 1923), a resident of Constantine, Michigan, and born in Manchester, Michigan, is one of only 19 servicemen to receive the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

twice. Baldwin received his first award for his actions during the Atlanta Campaign where he led his company in battle at Peachtree Creek and captured two commissioned officers in the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. He received his second for conspicuous bravery in 1874 during the

Indian Wars The American Indian Wars, also known as the American Frontier Wars, and the Indian Wars, was a conflict initially fought by European colonial empires, the United States, and briefly the Confederate States of America and Republic of Texas agains ...

. Baldwin holds the distinction of being a recipient of the Medal of Honor in different conflicts. He also fought in the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

during the

Spanish–American War The Spanish–American War (April 21 – August 13, 1898) was fought between Restoration (Spain), Spain and the United States in 1898. It began with the sinking of the USS Maine (1889), USS ''Maine'' in Havana Harbor in Cuba, and resulted in the ...

and rose to the rank of major general before retiring.

Life and career

Baldwin served in the Civil War in the 19th Michigan Infantry, initially as a first lieutenant, fighting in all his regiment's battles from 1862 to 1865. In 1864, then-Captain Baldwin participated in General

William Tecumseh Sherman William Tecumseh Sherman ( ; February 8, 1820February 14, 1891) was an American soldier, businessman, educator, and author. He served as a General officer, general in the Union Army during the American Civil War (1861–1865), earning recognit ...

's famous March to the Sea, and on July 20 of that year distinguished himself at the Battle of Peachtree Creek, earning his first Medal of Honor. After the war, he became a student at

Hillsdale College Hillsdale College is a Private university, private, Conservatism in the United States, conservative, Christian liberal arts college in Hillsdale, Michigan, United States. It was founded in 1844 by members of the Free Will Baptists. Women were admi ...

, but upon the

Reconstruction era The Reconstruction era was a period in History of the United States, US history that followed the American Civil War (1861-65) and was dominated by the legal, social, and political challenges of the Abolitionism in the United States, abol ...

reorganization of the

Regular Army A regular army is the official army of a state or country (the official armed forces), contrasting with irregular forces, such as volunteer irregular militias, private armies, mercenaries, etc. A regular army usually has the following: * a ...

, he joined the 19th United States Regular Infantry as a second lieutenant in 1866. He was eventually assigned to the

5th U.S. Infantry The 5th Infantry Regiment (nicknamed the "Bobcats") is an infantry regiment of the United States Army that traces its origins to 1808. Origins: War of 1812 The 5th Infantry Regiment was created by an Act of United States Congress, Congress of ...

, with whom he fought in the various frontier conflicts with the Indians. He served with distinction under General

Nelson A. Miles Nelson Appleton Miles (August 8, 1839 – May 15, 1925) was a United States Army officer who served in the American Civil War (1861–1865), the later American Indian Wars (1840–1890), and the Spanish–American War, (1898). From 1895 to 1903 ...

as chief of scouts during campaigns against

Sitting Bull Sitting Bull ( ; December 15, 1890) was a Hunkpapa Lakota people, Lakota leader who led his people during years of resistance against Federal government of the United States, United States government policies. Sitting Bull was killed by Indian ...

and

Crazy Horse Crazy Horse ( , ; – September 5, 1877) was a Lakota people, Lakota war leader of the Oglala band. He took up arms against the United States federal government to fight against encroachment by White Americans, White American settlers on Nativ ...

. On November 8, 1874, while commanding a scout company on escort duty, he led a surprise attack on the camp of Grey Beard, rescuing two young sisters whose parents and brothers had been killed by another Indian band. He was awarded his second Medal of Honor for this action against a larger force in a strong defensive position. His actions in an attack on an Indian village on the Red River in

Montana Montana ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota to the east, South Dakota to the southeast, Wyoming to the south, an ...

on December 18, 1876, earned him a brevet of

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

, U.S. Regular Army (awarded on February 27, 1890). Baldwin also served in the Philippines during the

. He was promoted to brigadier general, U.S. Regular Army on June 9, 1902, and he retired in 1906. In 1915, he was advanced to major general on the Army's retired list. During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, Baldwin served as Adjutant General of the Colorado National Guard; appointed to the post in 1917, he served until retiring again in 1919. On January 10, 1867, he married Alice Blackwood. They had one daughter, Juanita. General Baldwin was a companion of the Michigan Commandery of the

Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States (MOLLUS), or, simply, the Loyal Legion, is a United States military order organized on April 15, 1865, by three veteran officers of the Union Army. The original membership was consisted ...

. He died in

Denver, Colorado Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...

on April 22, 1923, and is buried with his wife Alice at

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the United States National Cemetery System, one of two maintained by the United States Army. More than 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington County, Virginia. ...

Arlington, Virginia Arlington County, or simply Arlington, is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Virginia. The county is located in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from Washington, D.C., the nati ...

Affiliations

General Baldwin belonged to numerous fraternal, military and social organizations which included the following: * Siloam Lodge, No. 35, A. F. & A. M., at Constantine, Michigan (1863) * Veteran Companion,

, Colorado Commandery (1892) * Order of the Indian Wars of the United States, National Commandery at Washington, D. C. (1897) * Veteran Companion of the Military Order of Foreign Wars, Colorado Commandery (1903) * Honorary member of General Henry W. Lawton Camp No. 1, United Spanish War Veterans (1905) * Army & Navy Club of Washington, D.C. (1913) *

National Geographic Society The National Geographic Society, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States, is one of the largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations in the world. Founded in 1888, its interests include geography, archaeology, natural sc ...

at Washington, D.C. (1916) * Honorary member of the Denver Club (1903) * Commercial Club of Albuquerque, New Mexico (1903) * Yavapai Club of

Prescott, Arizona Prescott ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Yavapai County, Arizona, United States. As of 2020 United States census, 2020 Census, the city's population was 45,827. In 1864, Prescott was designated as the capital of the Arizona Territory, r ...

(1903)

Legacy

His wife, Alice Blackwood Baldwin, honored the general's war contributions by compiling and editing the memoirs of her late husband in 1929. Along with General Baldwin, three other two-time Medal of Honor recipients are interred in

(Navy Lieutenant Commander John C. McCloy, Marine Major Louis Cukela, and Marine Corporal John Henry Pruitt).

Awards

First Medal of Honor

Rank and organization: Captain, Company D, 19th Michigan Infantry. Place and date: At Peachtree Creek, Georgia, July 20, 1864. Citation: "Led his company in a countercharge at Peach Tree Creek, Ga., 20 July 1864, under a galling fire ahead of his own men, and singly entered the enemy's line, capturing and bringing back 2 commissioned officers, fully armed, besides a guidon of a Georgia regiment." Date of issue: December 3, 1891.

Second Medal of Honor

Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, 5th U.S. Infantry. Place and date: At McClellan's Creek,

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

, November 8, 1874. Citation: "Rescued, with 2 companies, 2 white girls by a voluntary attack upon Indians whose superior numbers and strong position would have warranted delay for reinforcements, but which delay would have permitted the Indians to escape and kill their captives." Date of issue: November 27, 1894.

Other awards

* Civil War Campaign Medal * Indian Campaign Medal * Spanish Campaign Medal * Philippine Campaign Medal

Veteran's Hall of Fame

Inducted into the

Hillsdale County, Michigan Hillsdale County is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 45,746. The county seat is Hillsdale. Hillsdale County is the only county in Michigan to border both Indiana and Ohio. Due to an a ...

Veteran's Hall of Fame in 2004 for his distinguished service in the American Civil War. Hall of Fame inductee 016, Civil War inductee 004.

Dates of rank

* Second lieutenant, Michigan Horse Guards – 19 September 1861 * Mustered out of service – 22 November 1861 * First lieutenant, 19th Michigan Infantry – 12 August 1862 * Captain, 19th Michigan Infantry – 23 January 1864 * Mustered out – 10 June 1865 * Second lieutenant, 19th Infantry – 23 February 1866 * First lieutenant, 19th Infantry – 10 May 1866 * Captain, 5th Infantry – 27 March 1879 * Brevet major – 27 February 1890 * Major, 5th Infantry – 26 April 1898 * Lieutenant colonel, Inspector General, Volunteers – 20 June 1898 * Discharged from Volunteers – 12 May 1899 * Lieutenant colonel, 4th Infantry – 18 December 1899 * Colonel, 27th Infantry – 26 July 1901 * Brigadier general, United States Army – 2 June 1902 * Retired – 26 June 1906 * Major general, United States Army, Retired – 4 March 1915 Official Register of Commissioned Officers of the United States Army. 1923. p. 1042.

References

*
Biography from Denver County Archives
* Steinbach, Robert H. ''A Long March: The Lives of Frank and Alice Baldwin''. University of Texas Press, 1989. * ''Who Was Who in American History, the Military''. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who, 1975.

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Baldwin, Frank 1842 births 1923 deaths People from Manchester, Michigan Union army officers United States Army Medal of Honor recipients Burials at Arlington National Cemetery American military personnel of the Philippine–American War American military personnel of the Spanish–American War United States Army generals People of Michigan in the American Civil War People of the Great Sioux War of 1876 Hamilton College (New York) alumni Military personnel from Michigan People from Constantine, Michigan American Indian Wars recipients of the Medal of Honor American Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor Double Recipients of the Medal of Honor