Charles W. Sandford
Encyclopedia
Major-General Charles W. Sandford (May 5, 1796-July 25, 1878) was an American militia and artillery officer, lawyer and businessman. He was a senior officer in the New York State Militia for over thirty years and commanded the First Division in every major civil disturbance in New York City up until the American Civil War
, most notably, the New York Draft Riots
in 1863.
to William B. Sandford, a farmer and veteran of the American Revolutionary War
, on May 5, 1796. He pursued a career in law, studying under Ogden Hoffman, and enlisted as a private in the New York State Artillery. Assigned to the Third Regiment, he remained with the unit as it became the Eighth Regiment popularly known as the "Washington Grays". Rising up the ranks as a non-commissioned officer
, he commanded Company F and was subsequently promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and to full Colonel. In 1834, he was elected Brigadier General of the Sixth Brigade Artillery.
On May 10, 1839, Sandford was commissioned Major General of the First Division and held command for nearly three decades. Although having a fine service record, Sandford kept an informal atmosphere and sometimes lax discipline within his command. Units were also far below regimental quotas. Brigadier Generals were late reporting for duty and he himself was very late organizing division formations on occasion. This often resulted in delays such as military parades being three of four hours overdue. These officers were generally not held accountable for their negligence and court marshals were rarely held.
Sandford was fond of military pomp and often organized celebrations and public events involving the militia. Among these included a parade honoring visiting General José Antonio Páez
in July 1850. His eldest son, 30-year-old Charles Sandford, accompanied Páez back to South America where he died of fever shortly afterwards. The following year, he also had the militia receive Louis Kossuth upon his arrival in the city in October 1851, his formal reception at Castle Garden in December and a third parade at his departure. On several occasions, he and his men escorted American presidents when visiting the city and paraded at the funerals of Henry Clay
and Daniel Webster
.
Sandford had a commendable military record leading the militia in the Flour Riot of 1837
, the Astor Place Riot
in 1849, the Dead Rabbits
and Municipal Police Riots of 1857
and the New York Draft Riot in 1863. General Winfield Scott
once said that "Sandford was one of the finest volunteer service generals that he ever knew". He commanded the Seventh Regiment and militia forces on behalf of Sheriff Westervelt and eventually confronted Mayor Fernando Wood
, his forces surrounding City Hall Park, and took him into custody. That same year, he was asked by NYPD Police Commissioner Simeon Draper
for his assistance during the Dead Rabbits Riot. He sent the Eight and Seventy-First Regiments, both at half strength but supported by two 75-man police detachments, which marched down White and Worth Streets
and confronted the gang members driving them back to the Five Points
. This action ended the rioting, but police and soldiers continued to patrol the district that night and all the next day.
His command seriously weakened due to manpower shortages during the American Civil War
, Sandford would enlist in the Union Army
as well. In May 1861, he was ordered by Brigadier General Joseph K. Mansfield
to oversee the capture of Alexandria, Virginia
as the vast majority the Union troops were from New York. He also served under Major General Robert Patterson
for three months and took part in the Battle of Harper's Ferry. Returning to New York, he was present during the New York Draft Riots and managed to organize a small force of scattered militia regiments, military troops and home guards from his headquarters at the State Arsenal at Seventh Avenue
and Thirty-Fifth Street. He was one of the senior officers who directed police and military during the riots. When receiving reports of the battle between police and rioters at the Union Steam Works, with hundreds of rioters now armed with muskets, swords and pistols, he sent Colonel H.J. O'Brien and 150 men to help police. Lieutenant Eagleson, in command of two 6-pound cannons and 25 artillerymen, accompanied O'Brien to the battle.
Sandford was relieved of his command by Governor Reuben Fenton
who appointed Alexander Shaler
to succeed him and officially took command on January 23, 1867. Sandford, who had been involved in the theater as early as 1847, ran the Lafayette Theatre
on Sullivan Street. His success encouraged him to open a second theater in The Bowery, The Mount Pitt Theatre and Circus, but both buildings burned down within the same week ending his career in the theater. He also built a number of buildings on Canal Street
although he lost these to fire as well. Sandford would often experience success and disaster in his business dealings, acquiring and then losing small fortunes two or three times, however he was able to provide his family with a comfortable competency his later years. He and his wife often entertained at their West Twenty-Second Street residence whose social functions were often attended by prominent citizens of the city. For over fifty years, he was a leading member in the old St. Paul's Episcopal Church
in Broadway.
He was also an accomplished lawyer, one of the first to practice in New York City, and the one-time partner of John Bristed, son of author Charles Astor Bristed
. Sandford also served as council for the Harlem Railroad Company
for twenty years and later represented the company against inventor Ross Winans
. At the time of his death, he was vice president of the New York City Bar Association. In late-July 1878, Sandford left the city for his annual summer vacation to Avon Springs
in Livingston County, New York
. A day after his arrival however, he died suddenly on the morning of July 25, 1878. A telegram was sent announcing his passing, occurring shortly after his 82nd birthday, but the circumstances of his death were unknown to his family. His body was brought back to the city by one of his daughters and buried shortly afterwards.
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, most notably, the New York Draft Riots
New York Draft Riots
The New York City draft riots were violent disturbances in New York City that were the culmination of discontent with new laws passed by Congress to draft men to fight in the ongoing American Civil War. The riots were the largest civil insurrection in American history apart from the Civil War itself...
in 1863.
Biography
Charles W. Sandford was born in Newark, New JerseyNewark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
to William B. Sandford, a farmer and veteran of the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, on May 5, 1796. He pursued a career in law, studying under Ogden Hoffman, and enlisted as a private in the New York State Artillery. Assigned to the Third Regiment, he remained with the unit as it became the Eighth Regiment popularly known as the "Washington Grays". Rising up the ranks as a non-commissioned officer
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
, he commanded Company F and was subsequently promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and to full Colonel. In 1834, he was elected Brigadier General of the Sixth Brigade Artillery.
On May 10, 1839, Sandford was commissioned Major General of the First Division and held command for nearly three decades. Although having a fine service record, Sandford kept an informal atmosphere and sometimes lax discipline within his command. Units were also far below regimental quotas. Brigadier Generals were late reporting for duty and he himself was very late organizing division formations on occasion. This often resulted in delays such as military parades being three of four hours overdue. These officers were generally not held accountable for their negligence and court marshals were rarely held.
Sandford was fond of military pomp and often organized celebrations and public events involving the militia. Among these included a parade honoring visiting General José Antonio Páez
José Antonio Páez
José Antonio Páez Herrera was General in Chief of the army fighting Spain during the Venezuelan Wars of Independence, in addition to becoming the President of Venezuela once it was independent of the Gran Colombia...
in July 1850. His eldest son, 30-year-old Charles Sandford, accompanied Páez back to South America where he died of fever shortly afterwards. The following year, he also had the militia receive Louis Kossuth upon his arrival in the city in October 1851, his formal reception at Castle Garden in December and a third parade at his departure. On several occasions, he and his men escorted American presidents when visiting the city and paraded at the funerals of Henry Clay
Henry Clay
Henry Clay, Sr. , was a lawyer, politician and skilled orator who represented Kentucky separately in both the Senate and in the House of Representatives...
and Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster was a leading American statesman and senator from Massachusetts during the period leading up to the Civil War. He first rose to regional prominence through his defense of New England shipping interests...
.
Sandford had a commendable military record leading the militia in the Flour Riot of 1837
Flour Riot of 1837
The Flour Riot of 1837 was a riot that broke out in New York City in 1837. The riot was caused by a combination of poverty and the rising cost of flour, which had increased from $5.62 a barrel to $12 a barrel....
, the Astor Place Riot
Astor Place Riot
The Astor Place Riot occurred on May 10, 1849 at the now-demolished Astor Opera House in Manhattan, New York City and left at least 25 dead and more than 120 injured...
in 1849, the Dead Rabbits
Dead Rabbits Riot
The Dead Rabbits Riot was a two-day civil disturbance in New York City resulting from what was originally a small-scale street fight between members of the Dead Rabbits and the Bowery Boys into a citywide gang war which lasted from July 4–5, 1857...
and Municipal Police Riots of 1857
New York City Police Riot
The New York City Police Riot of 1857, known at the time as the Great Police Riot, was a conflict which occurred between the recently dissolved New York Municipal Police and the newly formed Metropolitan Police on June 16, 1857...
and the New York Draft Riot in 1863. General Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott was a United States Army general, and unsuccessful presidential candidate of the Whig Party in 1852....
once said that "Sandford was one of the finest volunteer service generals that he ever knew". He commanded the Seventh Regiment and militia forces on behalf of Sheriff Westervelt and eventually confronted Mayor Fernando Wood
Fernando Wood
Fernando Wood was an American politician of the Democratic Party and mayor of New York City; he also served as a United States Representative and as Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means in both the 45th and 46th Congress .A successful shipping merchant who became Grand Sachem of the...
, his forces surrounding City Hall Park, and took him into custody. That same year, he was asked by NYPD Police Commissioner Simeon Draper
Simeon Draper
Simeon Draper was an American politician from New York.-Life:...
for his assistance during the Dead Rabbits Riot. He sent the Eight and Seventy-First Regiments, both at half strength but supported by two 75-man police detachments, which marched down White and Worth Streets
Worth Street (Manhattan)
Worth Street is a two-way street in the Manhattan borough of New York City. It runs from Hudson Street, TriBeCa, in the west to Chatham Square in the east. Past Chatham Square, the roadway continues as Oliver Street, which runs one-way north- and westbound. Between West Broadway and Church Street,...
and confronted the gang members driving them back to the Five Points
Five Points, Manhattan
Five Points was a neighborhood in central lower Manhattan in New York City. The neighborhood was generally defined as being bound by Centre Street in the west, The Bowery in the east, Canal Street in the north and Park Row in the south...
. This action ended the rioting, but police and soldiers continued to patrol the district that night and all the next day.
His command seriously weakened due to manpower shortages during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Sandford would enlist in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
as well. In May 1861, he was ordered by Brigadier General Joseph K. Mansfield
Joseph K. Mansfield
Joseph King Fenno Mansfield was a career United States Army officer, civil engineer, and a Union general in the American Civil War, mortally wounded at the Battle of Antietam.-Early life:...
to oversee the capture of Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
as the vast majority the Union troops were from New York. He also served under Major General Robert Patterson
Robert Patterson
Robert Patterson was a United States major general during the Mexican-American War and at the beginning of the American Civil War...
for three months and took part in the Battle of Harper's Ferry. Returning to New York, he was present during the New York Draft Riots and managed to organize a small force of scattered militia regiments, military troops and home guards from his headquarters at the State Arsenal at Seventh Avenue
Seventh Avenue (Manhattan)
Seventh Avenue, known as Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard north of Central Park, is a thoroughfare on the West Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It is southbound below Central Park and a two-way street north of the park....
and Thirty-Fifth Street. He was one of the senior officers who directed police and military during the riots. When receiving reports of the battle between police and rioters at the Union Steam Works, with hundreds of rioters now armed with muskets, swords and pistols, he sent Colonel H.J. O'Brien and 150 men to help police. Lieutenant Eagleson, in command of two 6-pound cannons and 25 artillerymen, accompanied O'Brien to the battle.
Sandford was relieved of his command by Governor Reuben Fenton
Reuben Fenton
Reuben Eaton Fenton was an American merchant and politician from New York.-Life:He was the son of a farmer. He was elected a colonel of the New York State Militia in 1840. He became a lumber merchant, and entered politics as a Democrat...
who appointed Alexander Shaler
Alexander Shaler
Alexander Shaler was a Union Army general in the American Civil War. He received the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Second Battle of Fredericksburg...
to succeed him and officially took command on January 23, 1867. Sandford, who had been involved in the theater as early as 1847, ran the Lafayette Theatre
Lafayette Circus (Theatre)
Lafayette Circus Theatre emerged in Manhattan in 1825 as an equestrian circus arena; in 1826–1827 it was rebuilt into a conventional theatre hall with an orchestra pit and advanced rigging. It boasted equipment for both equestrian and aquatic drama...
on Sullivan Street. His success encouraged him to open a second theater in The Bowery, The Mount Pitt Theatre and Circus, but both buildings burned down within the same week ending his career in the theater. He also built a number of buildings on Canal Street
Canal Street
Canal Street may refer to:* Canal Street , England, UK* Canal Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA* Canal Street , New York City, New York, USA...
although he lost these to fire as well. Sandford would often experience success and disaster in his business dealings, acquiring and then losing small fortunes two or three times, however he was able to provide his family with a comfortable competency his later years. He and his wife often entertained at their West Twenty-Second Street residence whose social functions were often attended by prominent citizens of the city. For over fifty years, he was a leading member in the old St. Paul's Episcopal Church
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
St. Paul's Episcopal Church or variants may refer to:* St. Paul's Episcopal Church * St. Paul's Episcopal Church...
in Broadway.
He was also an accomplished lawyer, one of the first to practice in New York City, and the one-time partner of John Bristed, son of author Charles Astor Bristed
Charles Astor Bristed
Charles Astor Bristed was an American scholar and author, sometimes writing under the nom de plume Carl Benson. He was the first American to write a full-length defense of Americanisms.-Biography:...
. Sandford also served as council for the Harlem Railroad Company
New York and Harlem Railroad
The New York and Harlem Railroad was one of the first railroads in the United States, and possibly also the world's first street railway. Designed by John Stephenson, it was opened in stages between 1832 and 1852 between Lower Manhattan to and beyond Harlem...
for twenty years and later represented the company against inventor Ross Winans
Ross Winans
Ross Winans was an American inventor, mechanic, and builder of locomotives and railroad machinery. He is also noted for design of pioneering cigar-hulled ships. Winans, one of the United States' first multi-millionaires, was involved in politics and was a vehement states' rights advocate...
. At the time of his death, he was vice president of the New York City Bar Association. In late-July 1878, Sandford left the city for his annual summer vacation to Avon Springs
Avon, New York
Avon, New York is the name of two places located in Livingston County in the State of New York in the United States of America.*Avon , New York*Avon , New York...
in Livingston County, New York
Livingston County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 64,328 people, 22,150 households, and 15,349 families residing in the county. The population density was 102 people per square mile . There were 24,023 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile...
. A day after his arrival however, he died suddenly on the morning of July 25, 1878. A telegram was sent announcing his passing, occurring shortly after his 82nd birthday, but the circumstances of his death were unknown to his family. His body was brought back to the city by one of his daughters and buried shortly afterwards.
Further reading
- Bernstein, Iver. The New York City Draft Riots: Their Significance for American Society and Politics in the Age of the Civil War. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991.
- Burlingame, Michael and John R. T. Ettlinger, ed. Inside Lincoln's White House: The Complete Civil War Diary of John Hay. Carbondale: University of Illinois Press, 1997.
- Clark, Emmons. History of the Seventh Regiment of New York, 1806-1889. Vol. I. New York: The Seventh Regiment, 1890.
- Cook, Adrian. The Armies of the Streets: The New York City Draft Riots of 1863. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1974.
- Leech, Margaret. Reveille in Washington, 1860-1865: 1860-1865. New York and London: Harper and Brothers, 1941.
- McCague, James. The Second Rebellion: The Story of the New York City Draft Riots of 1863. New York: Dial Press, 1968.