William Earl Baldwin

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Quote

"Duty is the sublimest word in the language; you can never do more than your duty; you shall never wish to do less."  - Robert E. Lee

 

Born on August 15th, 1843, William Baldwin was a son of an owner of a small homestead in the county of Lemoyne, ST. His father, Edward Baldwin, was an officer and an instructor in West Point academy, was in turn the son of a participant of the American Revolutionary War. 

Coming from a proud lineage of officers that prized themselves of their Anglo-Saxon heritage, it came as no surprise that the son followed in the steps of his father and the father of his father, becoming an artillery officer in Lemoyne. 

When the first shots of the Civil War were fired, still 17 years old, William forged his papers to add an extra year to his age in order to enlist on the side of secessionists in the forming Lemoyne State militia.  Dreams of quick victory and heroic adventure were soon crushed against the harsh and gruesome reality of the war. 

Flags of the 3rd Lemoyne Regiment (edit by wonderful @neit)

It was the dreadful days of 1864 when his life took a sudden turn. First lieutenant of Artillery under the command of general Quincy T. Harris, promoted at an early age of 20 years old, and only due to severe lack of officers in the crumbling Confederate Army, he took command of the three remaining cannons of the 3rd Lemoyne Regiment during the Battle of Bolger’s Glade.  Soldiers were dying all around, wounded cried their suffering and dying muttered prayers to God. Standing amidst the field of blood under the terrible storm from above and the hellfire of Northern artillery, the young lieutenant witnessed the last defeat of his native regiment. Before the Yankee shrapnel scratched against his face and the world went black around him. 

General Quincy T. Harris - William's commander and idol. Despite "allegedly" being a coward. Yankee's propaganda.

Waking up in whatever constituted a hospital in those closing days of the war, he was decommissioned and sent home. Tried, found guilty and later pardoned by the President Andrew Johnson, William Baldwin had to find a new place in the Reconstruction Era South.  Filled with bitter resentment for the “carpetbaggers, that stole the righteous victory” from the South, after years of civil education and service as a history teacher, he became a loyal supporter of the Lost Cause mythos, firmly believing the cause of the Civil War being the State’s Rights and Yankee aggression.  In the years after the war, he married, had five children, became a widower, was a member of the Democratic Party and an ally to the doctrine of the New South.

William Earl Balwin at the United Confederate Veterans' reunion, pictured carrying a flag of the 3rd Lemoyne Regiment, 1896. 

Spending many years away from his native Rhodes, he returned home in March of 1900.

Here is the story of the Autumn of the life of William Earl Baldwin, man from the previous century…

 

[Mirgy]

Upon return to his native Lemoyne, Mister Baldwin enters  the financial work at the Lemoyne National Bank as the assistant manager to the Chatsworth Family. Most notable Mister Charles Chatsworth. 

Banking, an Old American Art

[Mirgy]

After a time as an Assistant Manger in the Lemoyne National Bank, old man became more and more troubled with the state of his native Rhodes. His outdated views, his shady past - all merged into a single idea: Rhodes needs a firm hand on her steering wheel. And he might as well become her captain. 

(Art by fantastic @neit)

Mister Baldwin meets Walter Ross, his future adjutant...

...and enters the world of big politics. 

 

[Mirgy]

Claim is declared