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Class of 1845

Vol. II
p233 1261

(Born Va.)

Richard C. W. Radford

(Ap'd Va.)

Richard Carlton Walker Radford: Born 1822, Bedford Co., VA.a

Military History. — Cadet at the Military Academy, Sep. 1, 1841, to July 1, 1845, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to

Bvt. Second Lieut., 1st Dragoons, July 1, 1845.

Served: on frontier duty at Evansville, Ark., 1845‑46, — Ft. Smith, Ark., 1846‑47, — Ft. Washita, I. T., 1847, — and Ft. Scott, Kan., 1847;

(Second Lieut., 1st Dragoons, May 18, 1846)

in the War with Mexico, 1847‑48, in garrison at Ft. Carlisle, Pa. (Cavalry School for Practice), 1848‑49; on sick leave of absence, 1849‑53; on

(First Lieut., 1st Dragoons, Oct. 24, 1848)

frontier duty at Ft. Jones, Cal., 1853, — Scouting, 1853, — being engaged against Illinois Indians, in a Skirmish near the source of Illinois River, p234 Or., Oct. 24, 1853, — and at Ft. Lane, Or., 1853‑54; and on Recruiting service, 1854‑56.

Captain, 1st Dragoons, Sep. 4, 1855.

Resigned, Nov. 30, 1856.

Civil History. — Farmer, Lynchburg, Va., 1856‑61.

Joined in the Rebellion of 1861‑66 against the United States.b

Civil History. — Farmer, near Lynchburg, Va., 1866‑85.

Died, Nov. 2, 1885,c at Rothsay, Bedford Co., Va.: Aged 62.

Buried, St. Stephen's Episcopal Church Cemetery, Forest, VA.

Thayer's Notes:

a Col. Radford's full name is from Heitman's Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army. His birth data are from Virginia Military Institute Historical Rosters Database: he was a member of the Class of 1843 at VMI, but left without graduating in order to attend the Military Academy at West Point.

b As with other Confederate officers, Cullum's Register omits his war record: according to the Southern Historical Society Papers Richard Radford was made a Colonel in 1861, and commanded the 1st Virginia Infantry, then the 2d Virginia Cavalry, Army of Northern Virginia.

c Heitman's Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army agrees, but Col. Radford's tombstone (q.v.), inscribed by his children, must surely beat both Army sources: he died Nov. 2, 1886.

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