Charles Haines was born around 1828 in Canada. He eventually immigrated to America and settled in New York. He earned a living as a shoemaker. He enlisted in the Union army on December 11, 1863, and he mustered in as a private in the 14th New York Artillery. According to his service records, he was 5 feet, 10 inches tall, with dark hair and blue eyes. He died sometime after December 1864.