J. H. Hobart Ward
Encyclopedia
John Henry Hobart Ward most commonly referred to as J.H. Hobart Ward, was a career United States Army
soldier who fought in the Mexican–American War
and served in the New York
state militia
. He also served as a Union
general during the American Civil War
.
During the Civil War he was wounded several times, and noted for both his performance in the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg
and for his misconduct in the 1864 Battle of the Wilderness
. After the war Ward worked in New York's Superior Court, and was also remembered for his death when he was hit by a train.
to a family of military veterans. His grandfather John Ward had fought in the American Revolutionary War
and had suffered a disabling wound, as had his father, James Ward, during the War of 1812
. Hobart Ward was educated at Trinity College
and enlisted at the age of 18 in the 7th U.S. Infantry. He was promoted several times over the next four years, reaching the rank of Sergeant Major.
and being wounded at the Battle of Monterrey
. He recovered in time to participate in the capture of Veracruz
.
Ward returned to his native New York
and served as assistant commissary general from 1851 until 1855, when he became the state's commissary general, a post he held until 1859.
's call to arms at the outbreak of the Civil War, Ward recruited the 38th New York Infantry and was appointed its first colonel
. He led his regiment
at the July 1861 First Battle of Bull Run
, becoming acting commander of Brig. Gen.
Orlando B. Willcox
's brigade
when the latter was wounded in battle. He next saw action in in the 1862 Peninsula Campaign
in Brig. Gen. David B. Birney
's brigade of III Corps. Ward continued to perform well during the Northern Virginia Campaign
, seeing more action at Second Bull Run
and Chantilly
. For his efforts, he was promoted to brigadier general
of volunteers on October 4, 1862, and assigned command of what had been Birney's brigade in the III Corps of the Army of the Potomac
. (Birney had succeeded Maj. Gen.
Philip Kearny
, who had been killed leading his division at Chantilly.) Ward commanded the brigade at Fredericksburg
and Chancellorsville
.
, Ward's brigade was assigned on July 2 by Maj. Gen. Daniel Sickles
to hold a large area from the Wheatfield Road to Devil's Den. Stretched thin with little reserves, Ward's brigade nevertheless held their ground stubbornly. Regiments were moved to threatened points of the line, especially the left flank. Finally it was driven back by determined Confederate
attacks. Ward became temporary commander of the division
when Birney assumed corps command following the wounding of General Sickles. Col. Hiram Berdan
took command of Ward's brigade. Ward lost 781 officers and men out of 2,188 present, a loss of 35.7%. Ward suffered a wound on July 2 but did not relinquish command.
. During the Overland Campaign
in the spring of 1864, he was assigned a brigade of Birney's 3rd Division, II Corps, one of the divisions in III Corps before the army reorganization of March 1864. Ward was wounded in the head at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
. Removed from command on May 12 by Maj. Gen. Winfield S. Hancock for "misbehavior and intoxication in the presence of the enemy during the battle of the Wilderness," Ward was arrested on June 12. Despite these charges, he was nevertheless honorably mustered out on July 18, 1864.
, after being struck by a passing Erie Railroad
train. Following a funeral in Brooklyn
, his body was brought back to Monroe and buried in the city's Community Cemetery.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
soldier who fought in the Mexican–American War
Mexican–American War
The Mexican–American War, also known as the First American Intervention, the Mexican War, or the U.S.–Mexican War, was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848 in the wake of the 1845 U.S...
and served in the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
state militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
. He also served as a Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
general during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
During the Civil War he was wounded several times, and noted for both his performance in the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
and for his misconduct in the 1864 Battle of the Wilderness
Battle of the Wilderness
The Battle of the Wilderness, fought May 5–7, 1864, was the first battle of Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Virginia Overland Campaign against Gen. Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Both armies suffered heavy casualties, a harbinger of a bloody war of attrition by...
. After the war Ward worked in New York's Superior Court, and was also remembered for his death when he was hit by a train.
Early life
Ward was born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to a family of military veterans. His grandfather John Ward had fought in the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
and had suffered a disabling wound, as had his father, James Ward, during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. Hobart Ward was educated at Trinity College
Trinity College (Connecticut)
Trinity College is a private, liberal arts college in Hartford, Connecticut. Founded in 1823, it is the second-oldest college in the state of Connecticut after Yale University. The college enrolls 2,300 students and has been coeducational since 1969. Trinity offers 38 majors and 26 minors, and has...
and enlisted at the age of 18 in the 7th U.S. Infantry. He was promoted several times over the next four years, reaching the rank of Sergeant Major.
Mexican-American War
Ward saw considerable combat action during the Mexican-American War, fighting in the siege of Fort BrownFort Brown
Fort Brown was a military post of the United States Army in Texas during the later half of 19th century and the early part of the 20th century.-Early years:...
and being wounded at the Battle of Monterrey
Battle of Monterrey
In the Battle of Monterrey during the Mexican-American War, General Pedro de Ampudia and the Mexican Army of the North was defeated by U.S...
. He recovered in time to participate in the capture of Veracruz
Siege of Veracruz
The Battle of Veracruz was a 20-day siege of the key Mexican beachhead seaport of Veracruz, during the Mexican-American War. Lasting from 9-29 March 1847, it began with the first large-scale amphibious assault conducted by United States military forces, and ended with the surrender and occupation...
.
Ward returned to his native New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and served as assistant commissary general from 1851 until 1855, when he became the state's commissary general, a post he held until 1859.
Civil War service
Responding to President Abraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
's call to arms at the outbreak of the Civil War, Ward recruited the 38th New York Infantry and was appointed its first colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
. He led his regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
at the July 1861 First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run, also known as First Manassas , was fought on July 21, 1861, in Prince William County, Virginia, near the City of Manassas...
, becoming acting commander of Brig. Gen.
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
Orlando B. Willcox
Orlando B. Willcox
Orlando Bolivar Willcox was an American soldier who served as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Early life:...
's brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
when the latter was wounded in battle. He next saw action in in the 1862 Peninsula Campaign
Peninsula Campaign
The Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Virginia from March through July 1862, the first large-scale offensive in the Eastern Theater. The operation, commanded by Maj. Gen. George B...
in Brig. Gen. David B. Birney
David B. Birney
David Bell Birney was a businessman, lawyer, and a Union General in the American Civil War.-Early life:Birney was born in Huntsville, Alabama, the son of an abolitionist from Kentucky, James G. Birney. The Birney family returned to Kentucky in 1833, and James Birney freed his slaves...
's brigade of III Corps. Ward continued to perform well during the Northern Virginia Campaign
Northern Virginia Campaign
The Northern Virginia Campaign, also known as the Second Bull Run Campaign or Second Manassas Campaign, was a series of battles fought in Virginia during August and September 1862 in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. Confederate General Robert E...
, seeing more action at Second Bull Run
Second Battle of Bull Run
The Second Battle of Bull Run or Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of an offensive campaign waged by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia against Union Maj. Gen...
and Chantilly
Battle of Chantilly
The Battle of Chantilly took place on September 1, 1862, in Fairfax County, Virginia, as the concluding battle of the Northern Virginia Campaign of the American Civil War. Thomas J...
. For his efforts, he was promoted to brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
of volunteers on October 4, 1862, and assigned command of what had been Birney's brigade in the III Corps of the Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
. (Birney had succeeded Maj. Gen.
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
Philip Kearny
Philip Kearny
Philip Kearny, Jr., was a United States Army officer, notable for his leadership in the Mexican-American War and American Civil War. He was killed in action in the 1862 Battle of Chantilly.-Early life and career:...
, who had been killed leading his division at Chantilly.) Ward commanded the brigade at Fredericksburg
Battle of Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, between General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside...
and Chancellorsville
Battle of Chancellorsville
The Battle of Chancellorsville was a major battle of the American Civil War, and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville Campaign. It was fought from April 30 to May 6, 1863, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, near the village of Chancellorsville. Two related battles were fought nearby on...
.
Gettysburg
During the Gettysburg CampaignGettysburg Campaign
The Gettysburg Campaign was a series of battles fought in June and July 1863, during the American Civil War. After his victory in the Battle of Chancellorsville, Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia moved north for offensive operations in Maryland and Pennsylvania. The...
, Ward's brigade was assigned on July 2 by Maj. Gen. Daniel Sickles
Daniel Sickles
Daniel Edgar Sickles was a colorful and controversial American politician, Union general in the American Civil War, and diplomat....
to hold a large area from the Wheatfield Road to Devil's Den. Stretched thin with little reserves, Ward's brigade nevertheless held their ground stubbornly. Regiments were moved to threatened points of the line, especially the left flank. Finally it was driven back by determined Confederate
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
attacks. Ward became temporary commander of the division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
when Birney assumed corps command following the wounding of General Sickles. Col. Hiram Berdan
Hiram Berdan
Hiram Berdan was an American engineer, inventor and military officer, world-renowned marksman, and guiding force behind and commanding colonel of the famed United States Volunteer Sharpshooter Regiments during the American Civil War...
took command of Ward's brigade. Ward lost 781 officers and men out of 2,188 present, a loss of 35.7%. Ward suffered a wound on July 2 but did not relinquish command.
Late 1863 and 1864
Ward was again wounded later that summer in fights at Kelly's Ford and Wapping HeightsBattle of Manassas Gap
The Battle of Manassas Gap, also known as the Battle of Wapping Heights, took place on July 23, 1863, in Warren County, Virginia, at the conclusion of General Robert E. Lee's retreat back to Virginia in the final days of the Gettysburg Campaign of the American Civil War...
. During the Overland Campaign
Overland Campaign
The Overland Campaign, also known as Grant's Overland Campaign and the Wilderness Campaign, was a series of battles fought in Virginia during May and June 1864, in the American Civil War. Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, general-in-chief of all Union armies, directed the actions of the Army of the...
in the spring of 1864, he was assigned a brigade of Birney's 3rd Division, II Corps, one of the divisions in III Corps before the army reorganization of March 1864. Ward was wounded in the head at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, sometimes simply referred to as the Battle of Spotsylvania , was the second major battle in Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Overland Campaign of the American Civil War. Following the bloody but inconclusive Battle of the Wilderness, Grant's army disengaged...
. Removed from command on May 12 by Maj. Gen. Winfield S. Hancock for "misbehavior and intoxication in the presence of the enemy during the battle of the Wilderness," Ward was arrested on June 12. Despite these charges, he was nevertheless honorably mustered out on July 18, 1864.
Postbellum career
After the war, he was a civil employee of New York City, serving as a clerk in the Superior Court from 1871 to 1896.Death
At the age of eighty, Ward died in Monroe, New YorkMonroe, New York
Monroe, New York may refer to two municipalities in Orange County, New York in the United States:*Monroe , New York*Monroe , New York, located entirely within the town...
, after being struck by a passing Erie Railroad
Erie Railroad
The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie...
train. Following a funeral in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, his body was brought back to Monroe and buried in the city's Community Cemetery.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals