Edward Dickinson Baker

Republican Senator of Oregon

Congresses Served

House Terms

Senate Terms

February 24, 1811 (50 years old)

Birthday

October 21, 1861

Death

American politician, lawyer, and military leader active in the mid-19th century.
Served in the U.S. House of Representatives and later as a U.S. Senator.
Known for his oratory skills and poetry.
Close friend of President Abraham Lincoln.
Served as a colonel in the U.S. Army during the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War.
Killed in action at the Battle of Ball’s Bluff, making him the only sitting U.S. senator to die in military combat.
Emigrated from England to the United States as a child and was raised in a Quaker family.
Engaged in local politics in Illinois before moving to California and then Oregon.
Involved in various military and political controversies, including a notable incident during the Black Hawk War.
Advocated for the Union during the Civil War and actively recruited soldiers for the cause.
His death prompted significant mourning and led to the establishment of the Congressional Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War.
Honored posthumously with various memorials, including places named after him and a statue in the Capitol Building.