Born into a Jewish family in the Duchy of Schleswig in modern-day Germany, he immigrated to the United States as a young adult and served as a lieutenant colonel for the Union during the American Civil War.

Salomon later held public office as Cook County (Illinois) clerk, governor of Washington Territory and a California legislator.

Fellow-immigrant major general Carl Schurz, his corps commander, described him during the battle: "He was the only soldier at Gettysburg who did not dodge when Lee's guns thundered; he stood up, smoked his cigar and faced the cannon balls with the sang froid of a Saladin ..." Early in 1864, Hecker resigned, leaving Salomon in permanent command of the regiment, although still as a lieutenant colonel.

[2][6] On March 23, 1863, Salomon made a surprise return visit to Chicago from the in order to attend a council meeting.

[7] After the war, Salomon returned to Chicago where he was elected Cook County Clerk as a Republican in the fall of 1865, serving until November 1869.

[9] Salomon died in San Francisco on July 18, 1913, and is buried in Salem Memorial Park, Colma, California.