behind AotW

First Lieutenant James Hammond Baldwin of Company D, 35th Massachusetts Infantry was wounded in his first combat, at Antietam in September 1862. He transferred to the 3rd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery in December and again, as Captain, to the First Battalion Massachusetts Heavy Artillery in June 1863. That’s about when this photograph was taken. It’s from the MOLLUS Massachusetts Collection at the US Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle, PA.

He was commissioned in the Regular Army as 2nd Lieutenant, 16th US Infantry in March 1866. He was promoted to First Lieutenant, and served in the 25th and 18th US Infantry in the South during reconstruction, then in action against Indians in the West. He was promoted to Captain on 6 October 1887 and retired on 30 November 1892 after more than 30 years in uniform.