▁the ▁Great ▁Fam ine , ▁he ▁left ▁for ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁Military ▁Upon ▁his ▁arrival ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 8 5 1 , ▁Br ady ▁en list ed ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Army ▁and ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁mounted ▁rif les . ▁He ▁spent ▁five ▁years ▁in ▁southern ▁Texas ▁ach ieving ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁Serge ant ▁and ▁upon ▁re en list ment ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁Fort ▁Craig , ▁New ▁Mexico ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 6 . ▁▁ ▁His ▁en list ment ▁was ▁up ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 8 6 1 ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁dis charg ed ▁at ▁Fort ▁Craig , ▁only ▁to ▁en roll ▁in ▁the ▁New ▁Mexico ▁Vol unte ers ▁as ▁a ▁first ▁lieutenant ▁in ▁Al bu quer que ▁the ▁following ▁August . ▁He ▁fought ▁against ▁the ▁Confeder ate ▁Army ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Gl ori eta ▁Pass ▁and ▁stayed ▁with ▁his ▁unit ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁incorpor ated ▁into ▁the ▁First ▁Regiment , ▁New ▁Mexico ▁Caval ry . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁Confeder ate ▁troops ▁left ▁New ▁Mexico , ▁he ▁was ▁assigned ▁as ▁a ▁rec ruit ing ▁officer ▁in ▁Pol v ad era , ▁New ▁ ▁Mexico . ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 2 , ▁he ▁married ▁María ▁Bon if acia ▁Ch á vez , ▁a ▁Mexican - American ▁wid ow ▁from ▁Cor ral es . ▁ ▁The ▁following ▁year ▁Br ady ▁was ▁assigned ▁as ▁the ▁acting ▁commander ▁at ▁Fort ▁St anton , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 4 ▁was ▁confirmed ▁as ▁command