NYC BM.  In 1862, during the American Civil War, he joined the Union Army as a volunteer, serving until 1865, during which time he became in succession chief of staff to Gen. Quincy A. Gillmore in the Department of the South, and military commandant of Charleston, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia. He became colonel of the 103rd Regiment of U.S. Colored Infantry. On January 13, 1866, U.S. President Andrew Johnson nominated Woodford for the award of the honorary grade of brevet brigadier general of volunteers, to rank from May 12, 1865, and the U. S. Senate confirmed the award on March 12, 1866.[2]Lieutenant governor of New YorkHe was the Lieutenant Governor of New York from 1867 to 1868, elected in 1866 on the Republican ticket with Governor Reuben E. Fenton. In 1870, Woodford was the Republican candidate for Governor but was defeated by the incumbent Democrat John T. Hoffman.U.S. CongressIn 1872, he was elected as a Republican to the 43rd United States Congress and served from March 4, 1