Baldwin, Frank

Frank Baldwin

Find A Grave Index

Quick Facts

Significance:

Company I, 44th Indiana Infantry

Place of Birth:

Elkhart, Elkart County, Indiana

Date of Birth:

December 10th, 1844

Place of Death:

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Date of Death:

December 31, 1862

Place of Burial:

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Cemetery Name:

Stones River National Cemetery

Frank Baldwin was born on December 10, 1844, in Elkhart, Indiana to Silas and Jane Gephart Baldwin. He was the second child and oldest son of Silas and Jane’s. He enlisted on October 18, 1862, and mustered in with Company I of the 44th Indiana Infantry. Baldwin enlisted as a sergeant at the age of 17. 

The 44th Indiana was organized at Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1861, but Sergeant Baldwin would have joined them in Nashville, Tennessee in October 1862. He had a rank change at some point between his enlistment and the battle of Stones River while he was in Nashville. Baldwin was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant. The 44th Indiana remained in Nashville until December 26th, when they received orders to march south towards Murfreesboro, TN in pursuit of Bragg. 

The 44th Indiana headed to Murfreesboro by way of Lavergne, TN, and arrived in Murfreesboro on December 29th. They began to set up camp and determine their position. The 44th Indiana was positioned between the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad and the Nashville Pike. Early on December 31st, they were sent to McFadden Farm where they remained for about three hours. At 9am, they were sent as reinforcements to Asbury Lane to support Union troops who had been fighting since 6am. They held the area for about two hours before being pushed back towards the Nashville pike. They remained in that position under fire until nightfall. Lieutenant Baldwin lost his life during this first day of battle on December 31, 1862, just days after his 18th birthday.  

Frank Baldwin is laid to rest in the Stones River National Cemetery in an unknown grave. Sources on Find A Grave Index indicate that he is buried in Grace Lawn Cemetery in Elkhart, Elkhart County, Indiana. It was not uncommon for higher ranking officers to be sent back to their hometown for burial, but there is no way to confirm whether this is the case for Frank Baldwin.