His eldest son, 30-year-old Charles Sandford, accompanied Páez back to South America where he died of fever shortly afterwards.

The following year, he also had the militia receive Louis Kossuth upon his arrival in the city in October 1851, his formal reception at Castle Garden in December and a third parade at his departure.

On several occasions, he and his men escorted American presidents when visiting the city and paraded at the funerals of Henry Clay and Daniel Webster.

He sent the Eight and Seventy-First Regiments, both at half strength but supported by two 75-man police detachments, which marched down White and Worth Streets and confronted the gang members driving them back to the Five Points.

[3] His command seriously weakened due to manpower shortages during the American Civil War, Sandford served on active duty with the Union Army from April 19 to July 25, 1861.

In May 1861, he was ordered by Brigadier General Joseph K. Mansfield to oversee the capture of Alexandria, Virginia, as the vast majority the Union troops were from New York.

Sandford would often experience success and disaster in his business dealings, acquiring and then losing small fortunes two or three times, however he was able to provide his family with a comfortable competency his later years.

He and his wife often entertained at their West Twenty-Second Street residence whose social functions were often attended by prominent citizens of the city.

In late-July 1878, Sandford left the city for his annual summer vacation to Avon Springs in Livingston County, New York.