He was a colonel on the staff of Governor Martin Chittenden during the War of 1812, and served for two years as Secretary of State of Vermont.
[1][2] He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1789, and his classmates included Martin Chittenden, who later served as Governor of Vermont.
[5] After leaving the Army, Dunham became a resident of Windsor, Vermont, where he became active in politics as a Federalist.
[6] During the War of 1812, Dunham was a colonel in the Vermont Militia, and was appointed aide-de-camp to Governor Martin Chittenden.
[2] Throughout his career, Dunham was a popular speech maker; many of the public addresses he presented at Washington's Birthday celebrations and other events were published as pamphlets.