John Edward Ward

From Norwich, going by Edward, he enlisted as a Sergeant in Rifle Company D, 3rd Connecticut Infantry for 90 days' service on 25 April 1861, was promoted to First Lieutenant on 20 May, although he was not mustered at that rank, and mustered out with his Company on 12 August. He enrolled again, on 27 August 1861, and mustered as Captain, Company D, 8th Connecticut Infantry on 21 September. He was appointed Major of the regiment on 28 March 1862.

He relieved the wounded Lieutenant Colonel Appelman in command of the regiment in action at Antietam on 17 September 1862, and gathered the survivors and retreated in good order to the heights over the Lower (Burnside's) Bridge late that afternoon.

He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on 23 December 1862 and and was appointed Colonel of the 8th Connecticut to date from 9 March 1863. He was wounded at Port Walthall Junction, VA on 7 May 1864 and treated at Chesapeake Hospital, Fortress Monroe, VA. He was discharged 14 March 1865 at the end of his term of service.

In July 1868 he and a number of partners established the Deer Lake Iron Company and built a small furnace to smelt iron ore in Marquette County, MI. They were still in operation well after Ward's death in 1888. He was also Treasurer of Marquette County, MI from 1878-1882.

His service from Ingersoll,1 the Record,2 and notes to an album complied by Surgeon Charles J. Russell at Fortress Monroe (sold at auction by Cowen's in 2006). The photograph above is from an original in the collection of Scott Hann, kindly provided by the owner. Personal details from the Catalogue of the Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity (1890) and Reports of the Michigan Office of the Commissioner of Mineral Statistics. His gravestone is online from Findagrave.

09/24/1837; Old Saybrook, NY

11/07/1886; Sault Sainte Marie, MI; burial in Cypress Cemetery, Old Saybrook, CT