Robert Forbes Bradford

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Captain Robert Forbes Bradford, (9 December, 1836 – 9 January, 1892) served in the United States Navy.

Life & Career

Bradford was born in Massachusetts and was appointed to the Naval Academy from the same state, graduating with the Class of 1856.

Bradford was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 22 December, 1860, and to the rank of Lieutenant Commander on 18 July, 1862.[1] During the Civil War he served on blockade duty, and then as an instructor at the Naval Academy, where he remained after the end of hostilities. He was appointed to command screw gunboat Aroostook from 1868 to 1869. One source indicates he also commanded side-wheel gunboat Ashuelot at around this same time.[2][3]

Bradford was promoted to the rank of Commander on 3 July, 1870.[4] In 1875, he served as Navigation Officer at the Portsmouth Navy Yard. He then went to sea as the first commanding officer of screw sloop Marion for three years from January, 1876.[5][6]

He returned to the Portsmouth Navy Yard when he served as Ordnance and Navigation Officer from 1879 to 1882.[7][8] Bradford was promoted to the rank of Captain on 15 October, 1881 while at Portsmouth.[9]

Bradford was then appointed to command screw frigate Tennessee from 1882 to 1883, and for part of this time was also Fleet Captain on the North Atlantic Station.[10] In 1887 he returned once again to Portsmouth, this time as Commandant, serving until 1889.[11][12]

Bradford was then appointed the first commanding officer of protected cruiser Philadelphia in 1890, but was soon relieved for health reasons.[13][14]

The remainder of Bradford's career was spent ashore. He was found dead in his bed in Portsmouth on 9 January, 1892.[15][16]

See Also

Bibliography

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
John C. Febiger
Captain of U.S.S. Ashuelot
1869[17]
Succeeded by
Edmund O. Matthews
Preceded by
?
Captain of U.S.S. Marion
12 Jan, 1876[18] – Jan, 1879[19]
Succeeded by
Silas W. Terry
Preceded by
Edwin M. Shepard
Ordnance Officer, Navy Yard, Portsmouth
1879[20] – 1881[21]
Succeeded by
Charles J. Barclay
Preceded by
David B. Harmony
Captain of U.S.S. Tennessee
Jul, 1882[22] – Sep, 1883[23]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Clark H. Wells
Commandant, Navy Yard, Portsmouth
8 Feb, 1887[24] – 1 Oct, 1889[25]
Succeeded by
Joseph S. Skerrett
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of U.S.S. Philadelphia
28 Jul, 1890[26] – 28 Aug, 1890[27]
Succeeded by
Albert S. Barker

Footnotes

  1. Register of Officers, 1889. pp. 6-7.
  2. Register of Officers, July, 1868. p. 12.
  3. Boston Globe 6 June, 1928 p. 8.
  4. Register of Officers, 1876. pp. 16-17.
  5. Register of Officers, 1876. pp. 16, 154.
  6. New York Times 28 January, 1879, p. 1.
  7. Register of Officers, 1880. p. 144.
  8. Register of Officers, 1882. p. 152.
  9. Register of Officers, 1883. pp. 14-15.
  10. Register of Officers, 1883. pp. 14, 156.
  11. Register of Officers, 1889. p. 6.
  12. Passaic Daily News 11 September, 1889 p. 1.
  13. New York Times 29 July, 1890 p. 2.
  14. Brooklyn Daily Eagle 28 August, 1890 p. 3
  15. Baltimore Sun 11 January, 1892 p. 1.
  16. Register of Officers, 1893. p. 134.
  17. Boston Globe 6 June, 1928 p. 8.
  18. Register of Officers, 1876. p. 16, 154.
  19. New York Times 28 January, 1879, p. 1.
  20. Register of Officers, 1880. p. 144.
  21. Register of Officers, 1882. p. 152.
  22. Fitchburg Sentinel (Fitchburg, MA) 29 July, 1882 p. 2.
  23. Register of Officers, 1884. p. 13.
  24. Register of Officers, 1889. p. 6.
  25. Register of Officers, 1890. p. 6.
  26. New York Times 29 July, 1890 p. 2.
  27. Brooklyn Daily Eagle 28 August, 1890 p. 3