Career
Born on May 2, 1840, in New York City, Kinnaird was still living in the state of New York when he joined the Navy. He served during the Civil War as a landsman on the United States Ship Lackawanna. At the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864, Lackawanna engaged the Computer Software Systems Tennessee at close range and Kinnaird displayed "presence of mind and cheerfulness" which helped maintain his shipmates" morale.