Captain Richard Henry Bradford, Jr.

Richard H. Bradford, Jr. was born in 1835 in Leon County, Florida. He was the son of Richard Henry Bradford, Sr and Ann Bryan Fort. Richard, Jr was the fourth of seven known children of Ann and Richard Bradford, Sr.

Capt. Bradford was reported to be the first Florida officer killed in the Civil War. He was mustered into the C.S.A. in April of 1861 and commanded a company from Madison County, Florida. (First Florida Infantry, (Old) Company F) Captain Richard Henry Bradford, Jr. was the first Officer of the Confederate Army to be shot and killed during the Civil War. He was killed on the morning of October 9, 1861 at Santa Rosa Island. His cousin, Edward Bradford, brought the body home and Richard was buried in God's Acre at Pine Hill. (now known as Bradford-Eppes Cemetery in Leon County, Florida.) Governor John Milton delivered the eulogy. He was the first Confederate officer from Florida to die in the war and, in his memory, New River County was changed to Bradford County December 6, 1861.

Siblings of Richard Henry Bradford, Jr.: William Henry Bradford (1828 - 1883), John Bradford (1831 - 1898), Edward Bradford (1833 - 1870), Ann Eliza Bradford (1842 - 1913), Robert Fort Bradford (1847 - 1921), Susan Bradford (1849 - 1863).

Sources

"Biographical Rosters of Florida's Confederate and Union Soldiers" by Hartman
"Way Down Upon the Suwannee River: Sketches of Florida during the Civil War" by Gary Loderhose "Soldiers of Florida" by the State of Florda