History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century/4/William H. Kinsman
WILLIAM H. KINSMAN was a native of Nova Scotia where he was born in 1832. He was a sailor in early life and later entered the Columbia, New York, Academy. After attending law school in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1858 he went to Council Bluffs where he entered the law office of Clinton & Baldwin. He was admitted to the bar of Pottawattamie County and was employed on one of the city papers. When the Civil War began he assisted in raising the first military company organized in that county and was chosen second lieutenant. The company was assigned to the Fourth Iowa Infantry and became Company B. Kinsman was soon promoted to captain of the company which he led in the Battle of Pea Ridge. In July, 1863, he was placed on the staff of General Dodge and in August was promoted to lieutenant-colonel of the Twenty-third Iowa Volunteers. In December he was promoted to colonel and commanded the regiment in the early battles of Grant's Vicksburg campaign. While gallantly leading a charge at the Battle of Black River Bridge he fell mortally wounded and died upon the field.