Solomon Bradford was born around 1837 in Glasgow, Scotland, the son of Alexander Solomon a medical doctor, and fought in the Crimean War with the British Highlanders at the age of 17.  Following the accidental deaths of his parents in a train crash he migrated to the United States.

At age 24, on May 13, 1861 after migrating to America, he enlisted into U.S. military service at New York City, for a period of 3 years.

On May 27, 1861 he was mustered into “Cameron’s Highlanders”, Company H, 79th New York Militia Regiment, also known as the 79^th New York Highlanders; as a private.

The original 79th Regiment Militia, failing to be ordered to the front for some three months, organized under authority from the War Department as volunteers at New York City, where, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Samuel McKenzie Elliott, it was mustered into the service of the United States for three years, on May 29, 1861; as the 79^th Infantry Regiment.

The group became known by a number of names, including the Cameron Rifle Highlanders, the Highland Guard and Bannockburn’s Battalion.  The men were recruited principally in New York City and the regiment turned over to the State in September, 1861; receiving its numerical designation on December 11, 1861. In January, 1864, members of the 51st Infantry, and the 45th, 50th and 100th Pennsylvania Volunteers were attached to the regiment, serving with it for about two months.

Then on May 4, 1864, Colonel Samuel McKenzie Elliott received authority to recruit a new regiment, the Cameron Highlanders, but the authority was modified, to recruit for this regiment. On May 13, 1864, the men not entitled to be mustered out were formed into two companies, Companies A and B. Those entitled to be mustered out at the expiration of the term of service of the regiment proceeded to New York City and were there discharged; under Lieutenant Colonel John More on May 31, 1864. In November, 1864, the men enlisted by Colonel Elliott joined the companies in the field as Companies C and D; then in January 1865, Company E joined, and in March 1865, Company F was organized in the field from recruits already received.

The regiment left New York State on June 2, 1861 and served at and near Washington, D. C.. It was attached to Mansfield's Command, Dept. of Washington until June 1861. It was then with the 3^rd Brigade, 1st Division, Army N. E. Virginia, from July 1861; Sherman's Brigade, Tyler's Division, McDowell's Army of Northeast Virginia to August, 1861, with W. F. Smith's Brigade, Division of the Potomac to October,  Stevens' Brigade, Smith's Division, Army of the Potomac until October 1861, in T. W. Sherman's Expeditionary Corps,  2^nd Brigade, from October 21, 1861; in the 2^nd Brigade, 2^nd Division, Department South, from June 1862; the 3^rd Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Corps, from July 1862; in the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Corps, from September  1862; the 3^rd Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Corps, from, June 1863; the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Corps, from July 1863; the 2^nd Brigade, 3^rd Division, 9th Corps, from March 1864; Companies A and B were with the 18th Corps, Army of the James, from May 1864; in the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Corps, Army of Potomac, from September 10, 1864; served as Provost Guard, 9th Corps, from October 7, 1864; and was honorably discharged and mustered out under the commanded of Lieutenant Colonel Henry G. Heffron on July 14, 1865; near Alexandria, Va.

Bradford participated in many battles fought by his unit and was said to have taken part in the famous engagements of Second Bull Run, Antietam, Perryville, Stones River, Chattanooga, Chichamauga, Fredericksburg and the Battle of Resaca during the Atlanta, Georgia campaign.  Records, however, can’t confirm he was present in the western campaigns, but then it can’t confirm he wasn’t either. If Bradford was present with his regiment during all their campaigns, they would have included the advance on Manassas, Virginia from  July 16 through 21, the occupation of Fairfax Court House on July 17, the  Battle of Bull Run, Virginia on  July 21, back to Washington until October, Lewinsville, Virginia, the Little River Turnpike, Bailey's Cross Roads, Sherman's Expedition to Port Royal, S.C., the Capture of Forts Walker and Beauregard, Port Royal Harbor, S.C., the occupation of Bay Point, Beaufort, S.C., the Port Royal Ferry, action at Pocotaligo, South Carolina, James Island, S.C., the Battle of Secessionville on June 16, at Hilton Head, S.C., Newport News, Va., Fredericksburg, Va., Pope's Campaign in Northern Virginia, the second Battle of Bull Run on August 30,  the Maryland Campaign, the Battles of South Mountain and Antietam, the Battle of Fredericksburg, the "Mud March”, the Siege of Vicksburg, the repulse of Longstreet's assault on Fort Sanders, the Battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, the assault on the Salient, Cold Harbor, Bethesda Church, Siege of Petersburg, the Mine Explosion at Petersburg, the Appomattox Campaign, the fall and occupation of Petersburg and the pursuit of and Surrender of Lee and his army on April 9.

During its service Bradford’s regiment lost 2 officers and 83 enlisted men killed; 1 officer and 30 enlisted men from wounds received in hostile actions and 1 officer and 82 enlisted men by disease. 11 enlisted men died in the hands of the enemy.  

Muster rolls do not record him being present or absent through January 1862, but do reveal he was present from February 1862; until he was reported absent, due to being sick and hospitalized at Camp Dennison, Ohio,  in July and August of 1863. Bradford is shown as having returned to duty and was present in November and December 1863 and remained so until May 1864.

On May 31, 1864 Bradford was officially discharged with his company, and six months later, on November 24, 1864, Bradford married Elizabeth Kilpatrick of New York City. While in New York in 1865 Soloman and Elizabeth’s daughter, Margaret, was born.   They were shown in the New York City directory for 1865-66.

The following year the family left New York for Australia, aboard the “Queen of the Colonies”; arriving at Moreton Bay, Queensland on October 14, 1866. The passenger list of the ship records Soloman Bradford and Margaret Bradford as arriving on “14 Oct 1866 IMM/113 43 M1696” and Sara Bradford as “14 Caroline 17 Nov 1853 IMM/112 21 M1696”

The vessel, “Queen of the Colonies”, made five trips from the United Kingdom and Ireland to the colony of Queensland during the 1860s. A Brisbane Courier Mail article of  December 16, 1933, entitled "Alabama Chases Famous Ships", by A. G. Davies,  stated the “Queen of the Colonies” was originally called the “Wizard”, and under that name did good service for 10 or 11 years as a Californian Clipper. During the American Civil War, the Confederate Cruiser “Alabama” wrought much havoc among American shipping.   The “Wizard” was bound for a British port in 1862 when the “Alabama” came in sight, and she just managed to escape capture by slipping into the Thames.    She was then bought by T.M. Mackay and Company, the London managers of the Black Ball Line, and named “Queen of the Colonies” as a compliment to Queensland. She took a number of immigrants on board, destined for Moreton Bay in Queensland and left to pick up additional passengers in Queenstown, Cork, Ireland on December 13, 1862; prior to the Bradford’s voyage and arrival in 1866.

Dropsy is an old-fashioned medical term for a condition where clear watery fluid builds up in parts of the body, causing abnormal swelling of the body or a part of the body; often caused by kidney or heart disease. It is not a disease in itself but a symptom of various diseases which may become fatal if not treated. Dropsy would be called “congestive heart failure” today. It is usually an accumulation of fluid around the heart, for a variety of complex reasons, and one treatment is administration of digitalis (foxglove leaves). The condition is accompanied by swelling, scanty urine, poor appetite, sluggishness, and debility. The swelling usually begins in the feet and ankles and proceeds up the legs towards the abdomen. Heavy salt users often have dropsy as do diabetics.

After Soloman’s death the family continued operating the “Dalby Cordial Works”, the family business, until 1923 when it was finally sold; though it is still in operation by new owners today. Solomon Bradford was buried in the Presbyterian Section of the Old Dalby Cemetery.

Black Ball Line Shipping Records, London, England - Brisbane Courier Mail, 1933

Campbell and Higgins,  Financial Accounts, Queensland Archives

Glasgow, Scotland Genealogy Records - Muster Rolls, 79^th New York Infantry Regiment

National Archives, Washington, D.C. - Lyon Company, 1912

“New York in the War of the Rebellion”, 3rd ed. Frederick Phisterer. Albany: J. B.   

New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center, New York State

         Division of Military and Naval Affairs - Old Dabney Cemetery Records   

T. M. Mackay and Company Records, London, England

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