Charles W. Sandford
| Charles W. Sandford | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
May 5, 1796 Newark, New Jersey, United States |
| Died | July 25, 1878 (aged 82) Avon Springs, New York |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Charles W. Sanford |
| Occupation | Militia officer, lawyer and businessman |
| Known for | New York militia officer who led the First Division in several major riots and civil disturbances between the 1830s to the 1860s. |
| Term | Commanding officer of the New York First Division |
| Predecessor | Jacob Morton |
| Successor | Alexander Shaler |
| Children | 2 sons, 4 daughters |
| Parent(s) | William B. Sandford |
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.
Charles W. Sandford was born in Newark, New Jersey 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 or four hours overdue. These officers were generally not held accountable for their negligence and courts-martial 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, the former president of Venezuela, 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.
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