He was a store clerk from age 16 and opened his own store in Cavendish with his brother Augustus in 1857. He was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant of the Cavendish Light Infantry, a company of the 26th State Militia regiment, on 31 July 1858 and promoted to First Lieutenant in June 1860. At Christmas 1860 he was promoted Captain.
He enrolled for war service as Captain of Company E, First Vermont Infantry soon after, and mustered out with them on 15 August 1861. He was appointed Major of the new 6th Vermont on its organization on 25 September 1861.
 
On the Campaign
He commanded the regiment in Maryland.
 
The rest of the War
He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel after the battle, to rank from 19 September, and was promoted to Colonel and command of the Regiment on 18 December 1862. He resigned his commission for poor health on 18 March 1863.
 
After the War
He and his brother moved their store to Holyoke, MA in the Fall of 1863. They dissolved their partnership after "a few years" and he continued in the dry goods business for the rest of his life. He was appointed Assistant Assessor of the Internal Revenue in 1867 and served to about 1876. He was Chief Engineer of the Fire Department (1871) and an active Mason and member of the Grand Army of the Republic.