Edward Dickinson Baker

Edward Baker
United States Senator from Oregon
In office October 2, 1860 – October 21, 1861
Preceded by	Delazon Smith
Succeeded by	Benjamin Stark
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois
In office March 4, 1845 – January 15, 1847
Preceded by	John J. Hardin
Succeeded by	John Henry
Constituency	7th district
In office March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1851
Preceded by	Thomas J. Turner
Succeeded by	Thompson Campbell
Constituency	6th district
Member of the Illinois Senate
In office 1840–1844
Member of the Illinois House of Representatives
In office 1837–1840
Personal details
Born	Edward Dickinson Baker (1811-02-24)February 24, 1811 London, England, UK
Died	October 21, 1861(1861-10-21) (aged 50) Ball's Bluff, Virginia
Political party	Whig (before 1854) Free Soil (1854–1859) Republican (1859–1861)
Spouse	Mary Lee
Children	5
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	United States  • Union
Branch/service	United States Army  • Union Army
Years of service	1846–1847 1861
Rank	Colonel
Commands	4th Illinois Infantry 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division 3rd Volunteer Division (temporary) 71st Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment Philadelphia Brigade
Battles/wars	Mexican–American War  • Battle of Cerro Gordo American Civil War  • Battle of Ball's Bluff †

Edward Dickinson Baker (February 24, 1811 – October 21, 1861) was an American politician, lawyer, and US army officer. In his political career, Baker served in the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois and later as a U.S. Senator from Oregon. He was also known as an orator and poet.^[1] A long-time close friend of the President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, Baker served as U.S. Army colonel during both the Mexican–American War and the American Civil War. Baker was killed in the Battle of Ball's Bluff while leading a Union Army regiment, becoming the only sitting U.S. senator ever to be killed in a military engagement.