He was 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 . At the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864, "Lackawanna" engaged the . They fought at close range and Kinnaird displayed "presence of mind and cheerfulness" which helped maintain his shipmates' morale. For this action, he was presented the Medal of Honor four months later on December 31, 1864.