James Bomford

Jeff Davis County, Texas
James V. Bomford

Military History. --- Cadet at the Military Academy, July 1, 1828, to July 1, 1832, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to Bvt. Second Lieut., 2d Infantry, July 1, 1832. Served: on the “Black Hawk Expedition” 1832, but not at the seat of war; on Engineer duty, Sep. 28, 1832, to May 1, 1834; in garrison at (Second Lieut., 2d Infantry, Oct. 6, 1834) Ft. Mackinac, Mich., 1834-35, -- Ft. Gratiot, Mich. 1835, -- Hancock Barracks, Me., 1835-36, -- Ft. Independence, Mas., 1836, -- Ft. Gratiot, Mich., 1836-37, -- and Ft. Howard, Wis., 1837; in the Florida War, 1837-38; on the Northern Frontier during Canada Border Disturbances, (First Lieut., 8th Infantry, July 7, 1838) as Adjutant of 8th Infantry, at Sackett’s Harbor, N. Y., 1838, -- Ogdensburg, N. Y., 1838-39, -- and Sackett’s Harbor, N. Y., 1839-40; in garrison at Jefferson Barracks, Mo., 1840; on Recruiting service, 1840-42; in garrison at Ft. Shannon, Fla., 1842, -- Ft. Marion, Fla., 1842-45, -- and Ft. Brooke, Fla., 1845; in Military Occupation of Texas 1845-46; (Captain, 8th infantry, Mar. 4, 1845) in the War with Mexico, 1846-48, being engaged in the Battle of Palo Alto, May 8, 1846, -- Battle of Resaca-de-la-Palma, May 9, 1846, -- Battle of Monterey, Sep. 21-23, 1846, -- Siege of Vera Cruz, Mar. 9-29-1847, Battle of Cerro Gordo, Apr. 17-18, 1847, -- Capture of San Antonio, Aug. 20, 1847, -- Battle of Churubusco, Aug. 20, 1847, (Bvt. Major, Aug. 20, 1847, for Gallant and Meritorious

Conduct in the Battles of Contreras and Churubsco, Mex.) --Battle of Molino del Rey, Sep. 8, 1847, -- Storming of Chapultepec, Sep. 13, 1847, ---(Bvt. Lieut.-Col, Sep. 8, 1847, for Gallant and Meritorious

Conduct in the Battle of Molino del Rey, Mex.) And Assault and Capture of the City of Mexico, Sep. 13-14, 1847; and on frontier duty at Port Lavaca, Tex., 1848-49, -- San Antonio, Tex., 1849, -- Ft. Graham, Tex., 1849-51, -- Ft. Gates, Tex., 1851, -- Ft. Worth, Tex., 1851-52, -- Scouting, 1852, -- Ft. McKavett, Tex., 1852, 1853-54, -- Ft. Clark, Tex., 1854, -- Ft. Davis, Tex., 1854-55, -- Scouting, 1855, -- Ft. Davis, Tex., 1855-58, -- Ft. Quitman, Tex., 1859-60, -- and Ft. Davis, Tex., 1860-61. (Major, 6th Infantry, Oct. 17, 1860) Served during the Rebellion of the Seceding States, 1861-66: as Prisoner of War in Texas, May 9, 1861, to Apr. 9, 1862; with his regiment (Lieut.-Colonel, 16th Infantry, Jan. 10, 1862) July-Nov., 1862, in the retrograde movement of the Army, commanded by Major-General Buell, from Alabama to Kentucky, and in its subsequent advance, being engaged, as Chief of Staff to Major-General McCook, in the Battle of Perryville, Ky., Oct. 8, 1862; as Superintendent (Bvt. Colonel, Oct. 8, 1862, for Gallant and Meritorious

Services at the Battle of Perryville, Ky.) Of Volunteer Recruiting Service, and Mustering Officer at Indianapolis, Ind., Jan. 1 to May 30, 1863; as Acting Asst. Provost Marshal General of Western Division of Pennsylvania, May 30, 1863, to July 31, 1864; in command of Ft. Columbus, N. Y., Sep. 4, 1864, to Feb. 14, 1865; (Colonel, 8th Infantry, May 18, 1864) on leave of absence, June 16 to Nov. 2, 1865; in command of regiment at Baltimore, Md., Nov. 2, 1865, to May 10, 1866, -- and at Winchester, Va., June 12 to Aug. 23, 1866. Served: in command of District of North Carolina, Sep. 20, 1866, to Apr. 1867, -- of regiment at Raleigh, N. C., Apr. 1867, to May 18, 1868, -- of District of South Carolina, May 18, 1868, to Oct. 3, 1870, -- and of regiment at David’s Island, New York Harbor, Nov. 5, 1870, to July 5, 1872; as Acting Inspector in the Department of the Platte, at Omaha, Neb., July 15, to Oct. 1, 1872; in command of regiment, at Fort D. A. Russell, Wy., Oct. 5, 1872, to Nov. 26, 1873; and on sick leave of absence, Nov. 16, 1873, to June 8, 1874. Retired from Active Service, June 8, 1872, under the Law of July 17, 1862, He being over the age of 62 years. *Was the son of Colonel George Bomford, Chief of Ordnance of the U. S. Army. Bonford was a veteran of more than 30 years in 1866 and had been at Fort Davis for most of the time since its establishment. His record bore brevets for gallantry in three battles of the Mexican War, and he was to win another for gallantry at the Battle of Perryville during the Civil War. In 1865 he was brevetted brigadier general for "faithful and efficient service." He was colonel of the 8th Infantry from 1864 until his retirement in 1874 after 48 years of service. He died in 1862.

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