wˌaɪl lˈɪvɪŋ ɪn tɹˈɔɪ, nˈuː jˈɔːɹk, hiː bɪkˌeɪm ˈɪntɹɛstᵻd ɪn mˈɪlətˌɛɹi ɐfˈɛɹz ænd baɪ wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti wˈʌn wʌzɐ kˈɜːnəl ɪnðə nˈuː jˈɔːɹk məlˈɪʃə.
While living in Troy, New York, he became interested in military affairs and by 1861 was a colonel in the New York militia.