Private Peter Radford

Peter Radford was born around 1846 in Franklin County, Virginia. He may have been enslaved by William Radford, of Franklin County, and likely sold to traders in Tennessee, where he enlisted in the U.S. Army on February 1, 1864, at the age of 18. Radford was one of many Black soldiers who enlisted after gaining freedom following the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863.

 

Radford served in the 15th United States Colored Infantry Regiment, Company K, in Nashville, Tennessee. At the time of his enlistment, the Army described him as having black hair and eyes, dark skin, and standing 5 feet 6 inches tall. Redford’s regiment was assigned to garrison and guard duty at Nashville, Columbia, and Pulaski, Tennessee, until June 1864. They were then stationed at Springfield, Tennessee, and in the District of Middle Tennessee until April 1866.

 

Radford, other than being sick and hospitalized in April of 1864, was marked present on muster rolls until he was noted absent without leave in January 1865. The army marked him absent but sick in February and present March through June. Radford was then reported as deserted from the Army in Nashville, Tennessee, on August 11, 1865. Records show he still had 1 gun sling, 1 plate, 1 screwdriver and 1 waist belt plate.

 

Desertion was not uncommon among the USCT and increased among the soldiers on both sides as the war dragged on. There were many motives for desertion, such as worry over family members, not being paid, racism, the desire for freedom, and the horrors of war itself. The USCT soldiers faced some unique challenges different from those of white soldiers. If a white commanding officer was racist, being a soldier was little different from being enslaved. And Black men stationed in the south could be met with racial violence while away from their station, preventing them from returning to post.

Nothing more is known about Peter Radford.

 

Although no other documentation exists on Peter Radford, a man did attempt to claim his pension. Interviews before The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Pensions in 1902-1903 resulted in Peter Stratton, of Maury County Tennessee, pleading guilty to charges of filing a false claim against the United States. In October of 1903 he was indicted and charged a $1000 fine and 12 months in jail for attempting to collect a pension under the service name of Peter Radford. Stratton was not the man who was born in Franklin County, Virginia, and served in the 15th USCT Company K. He was also not the soldier, also named Peter Radford, who served in the 14th USCT Company A. Peter Stratton appears to have been an imposter who filed a false claim, for which he was tried, convicted and sentenced on evidence obtained by special examination.” (CASE OF Peter Stratton No. 1184, 041)

 

Peter Stratton did not receive the pension of Peter Radford, and the real Peter Radford(s) never resurfaced, at least not with that same name.

 

Contributors: Emily Martin, Sheridan Brown, Cathie Cummins and Sarah Plummer