Thomas Bradley Thornett (1821-1908)

Feature article on Thomas Bradley Thornett from 1907 Washington Herald
Excerpt from The Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft, 1861-1865. Volume 2, January 1-December 31, 1863

Thomas Bradley Thornett was an Englishman born in Wishaw, Scotland. He had seven sons and three daughters with his wife, Grace. He fought in wars on three continents: the Second-Anglo Sikh War (Pakistan), the Crimean War, and the United States Civil War. He was also deployed in the Gold Coast (Ghana) in Africa and in Ft. Kingston, Ontario in Canada, and he lived as a civilian in England, Northern Ireland, and the United States.

Thornett's father, Thomas Thornett, was captain in the Royal Navy, and the son was around military affairs from a young age. He joined the British Army in his 20s. Before that, he was listed as a London "corn dealer" (corn = crop) while in his early 20s. This is on his marriage certificate, which was found on microfiche in Guildhall (city hall records) in London. He was listed on the certificate as living on Gray's Inn Road (Gray's Inn is a Law House). This was in the first half of the Victorian Age, in the London that Charles Dickens wrote about.

Son of Thomas Thornett and Elizabeth Thornett
Husband of Grace Ann (Richardson) Thornett
Father of Frederick Metheringham Thornett, Alfred Richardson Thornett, Augustus "Gus" Chippendale Thornett, Richard Cecil Thornett, Rose Thornett

Timeline

1814 - His father, Thomas Thornett, served as naval captain in the Battle of New Orleans, under Admiral Alexander Inglis Cochrane.

1817 - Parents were married at Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland.

1821 - Born in Wishaw (listed as Wishawton or "Woishey Town,"), Lanarskshire, Scotland

1840 - Father died at age 49 at New Inn (today Inn for All Seasons), Burford, Oxfordshire. He was the innkeeper. Cause of death was consumption i.e, tuberculosis.

1843 - Marries Grace Ann Richardson at St Andrew Holborn Above the Bars with St George the Martyr church, Holborn, London, on 20 September.

1848 - Arrives in Punjab, India as an army recruit just before the Battle of Ramnagar. Fights in the Battle of Chillianwala (Pakistan) alongside the British East India Company.

1849 - Fights in the Battle of Gujarat, India. After, pays 30£ for his discharge from the Army and returned to civilian life in England. Then went to Northern Ireland to be a railway superintendent i.e. "collector of goods" for four years. This is the period in which Frederick Metheringham Thornett (my great grandfather) was born 1854 in Londonderry, Northern Ireland.

1855 - Rejoins British Army. Stationed in the Turkish Contingent in the Crimean War. Promoted summer 1855 from Engineer Force to Quartermaster. Was headquartered at Kerch, a "health resort" city on the Crimean Peninsula.

1857 - Through a misunderstanding, is appointed as ensign in the Gold Coast Artillery Corps in the British Gold Coast (Ghana), Africa. Said "there was little to fight save the wild beasts and the deadly fever."

1858 - Appointed to the Royal Canadian Rifles. Leaves Africa, arrives in Toronto, stationed at Fort Henry in Kingston, Ontario.

1860 - Leads the honor guard when King Edward VII visits Kingston, Ontario.

1861 - Leaves British Canada to join the new First Squadron of the Connectict Cavalry in the Union Army, as a Cavalry Captain. Helps recruit soldieres for ed the Connecticut

1862 - Thornett leads Company B of the First Squadron of the Connecticut Cavalry, aka the Connecticut Squadron, in the Union Army. It merges with Harris Light Cavalry aka the 2nd New York Cavalry Regiment. Wounded in the Battle of White Oak Swamp (part of the Seven Days Battles) and has to leave military service. Settles in Washington, DC, where he stays until his death. Retired as 1st Lieutenant in the 5th PA Cavalry.  

1908 - Died at 234 9th Street NE, Washington, DC. Buried in Arlington National Cemetery.