Henry Clay Ward (1843 - 1925)

Born 10 Sep 1843 in Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts

Husband of Susan Maria (Denny) Ward — married 12 Feb 1867 in Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts

Husband of Frances Crutcher (Maney) Ward — married 6 Dec 1876 in Davidson County, Tennessee

Died 16 Nov 1925 at age 82 in Wellesley Hills, Norfolk County, Massachusetts

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Biography

Henry was born in 1843. He was the son of Artemas Ward and Hulda Reed.

Sergeant-Major Henry Ward served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: July 12, 1861
Mustered out: 4 Sep 1863
Side: USA
Regiment(s): 15th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry

Henry was steadily promoted until he was commissioned in April 1963. In September that year, he was transferred to the the 57th Massachusetts Infantry.

On 12 Feb 1867 Henry Clay Ward, 23, married Susan Maria Denny, 23, daughter of Henry Augustus Denny and Eliza Edmonds Sprague, at Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts, in a first marriage for both. They had two children before her death in 1873.

On 6 Dec 1876 Henry Clay Ward, 33, married Frances Crutcher Maney, 22, daughter of Brig-Gen George Earl Maney C. S. A. and Elizabeth T. Crutcher, at Davidson County, Tennessee, she was "of" Nashville, Tennessee. There was no issue of the marriage.

After the war, Henry made the Army his career. The MOLLUS Register recounts the following career points:
Private and Sergeant-Major, 15th Mass. Infantry, July 31, 1861.
2d Lieutenant, 15th Mass. Infantry, April 9, 1863. Resigned September 4, 1863.
1st Lieutenant, 57th Mass. Infantry, March 9, 1864.
Captain, July 31, 1864. Mustered out, July 30, 1865.
1st Lieutenant, 11th Infantry, U.S.A., February 23, 1866; accepted May 1, 1866.
Brevet Captain, U.S.A., March 2, 1867, "for gallant and meritorious services in action at Fort Stedman, Virginia, March 24, 1865."
Transferred to 16th Infantry, April 14, 1869.
Captain, February 8, 1880. Major, April 26, 1898.
Transferred to 12th Infantry, May 25, 1900.
Lieutenant Colonel, 17th Infantry, December 7, 1900.
Colonel, 15th Infantry, January 31, 1902.
Retired October 30, 1905.
Brigadier General, retired, October 30, 1905.

Henry died on 16 Nov 1925 at Wellesley Hills, Norfolk County, Massachusetts. He was 82 years, 2 months and 6 days old.

From the Worcester Telegram, 16 Nov 1925:
Brig. Gen. Ward Hero Of Many Battles Dies.
Native of Worcester, 82, Passes Away Unexpectedly in Wellesley Hills.
Served In U.S. Army 44 Years.
Saw Fighting in Civil, Indian and Spanish Wars And During Phillippine Insurrection.
Brig. Gen. Henry Clay Ward, who had achieved a reputation in the Civil War and in subsequent campaigns, a native of Worcester, died in Wellesley Hills yesterday, at the age of 82.
Although Gen. Ward had been in failing health for some time his death was unexpected.
Gen. Ward was in active service in the United States Army for 44 years. He retired in 1905, soon after his last promotion. He served throughout the Civil war in the Army of the Potomac and was in the battles of Ball's Bluff, the siege of Yorktown and other major engagements. He was wounded several times in conflict.
Gen. Ward was born in Worcester Sept. 10, 1843, the son of Artemus Ward, 2nd, and Huldah Reed Ward. He was educated in the public schools of Worcester and received his military training in the army service schools. First Promotion In 1861.
His first promotion of rank was as sergeant-major of the 15th Massachusetts Infantry, to which he was attached in 1861. The future general was promoted to second lieutenant on April 9, 1863, after he had given a meritorious conduct of himself in the early battles of secession.
Seriously wounded at one of the early battles of the war of secession, he was honorably mustered out in September of the same year.
In March, 1864, young Ward was back in the firing line, this time as a first lieutenant with the 57th Massachusetts Infantry. On July 31, 1864, he was promoted to captain and this rank he held until July 31, 1865, when, a few months after Lee's surrender, he was honorably discharged from voluntary service.
But young Ward had discovered in his first war that the military life and action attracted him, and he was not many months in civilian life when he returned to, first as a second lieutenant and later as a first lieutenant in the regular army. On Oct. 30, 1905, after he had again risen to captain, been promoted to major, held the rank of colonel, he attained the rank of brigadier general.
At the end of the same year, having given nearly a half century of distinguished service to the United States, he retired.
Wounded At Antietam.
To his last day Gen. Ward carried the scars of wounds received at Antietam, where he fought under Gen. Grant, who was a life-long friend of his. At Fort Stedman, Va., Gen. Ward was taken prisoner and confined in Libby prison, where he was held until the capture of Richmond, the Confederate capital and the last stronghold of the anti-abolitionists to fall to the sword of Gen. Grant.

Gen. Ward's first promotion to captain was awarded him 'for bravery at the battle of Fort Stedman, March 24, 1865.
As Col. Ward, he served in the Indian campaigns of 1880, and later in the Philippines with the National Guard of Tennessee from 1892 to 1896. He was made brigadier general, commanding. In 1895, though, the permanent promotion was not yet bestowed upon him until 1905.
Gen. Ward was a member of the Loyal Legion, Grand Army of the Republic, the Spanish American War Veterans, Associated Veterans of Mexican Wars, the Military Service Institution, the Pendennis club, Louisville, Ky., Union club, Boston, and the Army and Navy club, Manila.
Gen. Ward married Susie M. Denny, Feb. 12, 1867, who died shortly after their marriage. On Dec. 6, 1876, he married Frances Crutcher Maney of Nashville, Tenn., who died many years ago.
The general is survived by one brother, Fred W. Ward, 52 Cedar street, Worcester.

Another obituary for Henry Clay Ward was published on 17 Nov 1925 at the "New York Times", New York City, New York, as follows:
Gen. Henry Clay Ward Dies At The Age Of 82.
Fought Throughout the Civil War, was Wounded –
Got Brevet for Bravery. Wellesley Hills, Mass., Nov. 16 (AP).
– Brig. Gen. Henry Clay Ward, Civil War veteran, died today at his home here at the age of 82. He was born in Worcester, son of Artemas Ward 2nd, and was educated in the public schools there. Forty-four years of his life were spent in army service. His retirement was in 1905.
He served throughout the Civil War, in the Army of the Potomac, and was in the battle of Ball's Bluff, the siege of Yorktown and other engagements. He was wounded several times. General Ward was captured while taking part in the siege of Fort Stedman, Va., and was confined in Libby Prison from March 25, 1865, until the capture of Richmond, when he rejoined his regiment and continued with it until Lee's surrender. He was breveted Captain for bravery in the action about Fort Stedman.
General Ward is survived by a daughter, Miss Ward of Wellesley Hills, and a son Arthur L. Ward, of this city, a veteran of the French Ambulance Service and the Serbian Relief Expedition in the World War.

Sources

• Ford, Andrew E., The Story of the Fifteenth Regiment Massachusetts volunteer Infantry in the Civil War 1861 - 1864 Clinton, MA: Press of W. J. Coulter, 1898, Archive.org, p. 371