Nelson W. Ward (November 20, 1837 – February 5, 1929) was a

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...

recipient, honored for his actions while a private in the

11th Pennsylvania Cavalry The 11th Pennsylvania Cavalry (108th Volunteers) was a cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Service The 11th Pennsylvania Cavalry was organized at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as an independent regiment na ...

during the Battle of Staunton River Bridge of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. He also was the author of one book.

Biography

Ward was born in

Columbiana County, Ohio Columbiana County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 101,877. The county seat is Lisbon and its largest city is Salem. The county name is derived from the explorer of the Americas, Christo ...

, on November 20, 1837. He was married to Emily "Emma" Jane Hall on September 14, 1865. The couple moved to Greene County, Missouri shortly after their marriage. Nelson and Emma had two children: Joseph Edgar, born September 22, 1866; and Virginia, born 1869. In the late 1890s, he bought the Grundie Hotel in

Springfield, Missouri Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. The city's population was 169,176 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Springfield metropolitan area, which had an estimat ...

, which he operated until about 1904. In the early 1900s, his family moved to

Long Beach, California Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It is the 42nd-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 466,742 as of 2020. A charter city, Long Beach is the seventh-most populous city in California. Incorporate ...

, where he lived for the rest of his life. Ward published the book, '' 'The Master Key' to the Problems of Passion Week and the Resurrection According to the Scriptures'' in 1915. His first wife, Emma, died on September 9, 1916, in Long Beach. He married Minnie Zurada Souder between Emma's death and 1920. He is interred at Sunnyside Cemetery in

Military service

Ward enlisted in the 11th Pennsylvania Cavalry on August 5, 1861, and eventually attained the rank of Quartermaster Sergeant in that regiment. He received the

for his actions at the Battle of Staunton River Bridge on June 25, 1864. Ward led a charge from land without meaningful cover onto a railroad bridge that was secured on both sides by Confederate troops. Although his commanding officer had been killed, he led a successful assault of the bridge despite the Union forces suffering heavy casualties.

Medal of Honor citation

Citation:

Voluntarily took part in a charge; went alone in front of his regiment under a heavy fire to secure the body of his captain, who had been killed in the action.

References

: {{DEFAULTSORT:Ward, Nelson W. 1837 births 1929 deaths Union Army soldiers United States Army Medal of Honor recipients People from Long Beach, California People from Springfield, Missouri People from Columbiana County, Ohio American Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor

Biography

Military service

Medal of Honor citation

See also

References