Marcus Harris Ward

1836 - 1864  (27 years)

• Name	Marcus Harris Ward
  Birth	24 Nov 1836	Athol, Worcester County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.   [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
  Census	1850 (13 years)	Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.   [7]
  He was recorded while living with his parents.
  Age: 12
  Census	1855 (18 years)	Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.   [8]
  He was recorded while living with his parents.
  Age: 18
  Census	1860 (23 years)	Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.   [9]
  He was recorded while living with his parents.
  Age: 23
  Military	3 Oct 1861 (24 years)  [10]
  He enlisted in the 25th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers, Company I, as a private on 3 October 1861.
  History	20 Dec 1861 (25 years)
  On 20 December 1861, he sent the following letter home: Camp Hicks Annapolis Dec 20th 1861 My Dear Brother, I got excused from drill this afternoon and I thought it best to answer your letter which I ought to have done before but have been rather unwell and took all the time besides drilling to rest but am feeling better and hope that I may be as tough as any boy in the Camp. I think that I have had bout my share of sickness for the time since I left home but it is not for me to say perhaps(?) I may be sick in to days but hope not to be. You wished me to write what our living was wel it is in the morning for breakfast most generally boiled salt met and bread and coffee for dinner fresh meat boyled and bread and water for supper coffee and bread. We have had some fried meat three times and and it tasted good you had better believe boyled meat don’t go so good take it rite along. Three months together I suppose it makes a diferance wheather a man is tough or not bout such things. Sliping down now comes the work part in the morning at half past six the drum beats for role call and then we have to start our boots there is no laying a bead five or ten minutes after the drum sounds same as there is at home after a fellow had bin out at knight to see the women but according to what I have heard I suppose you wil not be going three or four miles every Sunday knight to see her because by your saying that you was going to leave home the first of the year it rather strikes me that I am going to have a new Sister by marriage my Dear Brother I would like to be there about new years but it can’t be so as it is getting to be into the evening I wil let you know a little something about the work part and then close. Well after the role call in the morning as I told you at seven we go out on drill stay out til about eight ten minutes past breakfast then nine go out on brigade dril get home about twelve dinner at one half past two go out squad drill stay stay til about four then come in and put on our overcoats fal in for role call then go out to dres prade it gets to be bout dark then. Then comes coffee and bread then half past eight come role call then you can go to bed set up til ten if you want to then comes the drum to tel us to put out the lights then we can go to bed or set up in the dark that is bout all the work we have to do I believe though Saterdays in the afternoon we have to clean up our equipments and then Sunday in the four noon we are inspected in the afternoon go to meeting. Our meetings are out doers on the Camp ground. Sunday is about as hard days work as we have it is not very easy work to be a soldier though my health has bin very poor since I inlisted though I am in hopse to be better now You wanted to know if there was any thing that I wanted. I don’t know as there is for we have after so long a time we have got our pay and I can by things cheaper than you could send them to. I am much obliged to you though and as it is getting to be about bed time I shal have to close by biding you good by. MHW Please excuse mistakes for there is a number I presume
  History	16 Apr 1863 (26 years)  [11]
  The regiment was sent to North Carolina as part of the Burnside expedition. He was captured near Winfield, North Carolina on 16 April 1863 . The story of his capture is given by Denny in the regimental history of the 25th Massachusetts Volunteers: Upon one occasion a "secesh woman" came within the lines with her bundles of luggage, desiring permission to pass into Dixie. Captain Parkhurst found that her luggage was contraband of war and refused to permit her to transfer her "dry goods" to the possession of the enemy, but "allowed" that she might go as soon as her pleasure permitted. The woman satisfied to leave her goods, if she could go without them, requested to be furnished with means of crossing the Chowan and an escort. The gallant captain not being proof against woman's eloquent appeals, consented to comply wither wishes and detailed Sergeant Lyman S. Wheeler and Private Marcus H. Ward both of Company I, with a couple of negro oarsmen, to convey the woman up the river and deliver her to the nearest Confederate outpost. At the enemy's outpost the woman was delivered up and then the Confederates seized Wheeler and Ward as prisoners of war! Company I lost two good men and two muskets, and the colored men lost their liberty, for a time at least. Wheeler and Ward were exchanged a long time afterwards. On 17 July 1863, he was paroled and returned to his regiment. When his enlistment was up, he reenlisted and took a furlough back to Orange in January 1864.
  History	3 Jun 1864 (27 years)	Cold Harbor, Hanover County, Virginia, U.S.A.   [10, 12, 13]
  On 3 June 1864, he was wounded in the breast during assault at the Battle of Cold Harbor.
  	The Charge of the Star Brigade at Cold Harbor Transferred to the north side of the James, the Star Brigade, now commanded by Gen. George H. Stannard, was in the general assault at Cold Harbor, June 3, the 25th Regt. losing 75 killed or mortally wounded, 122 wounded (not mortally), and 32 prisoners, a total of 229 or 76 per cent of the 300 officers and men who reported for duty that morning Thus the loss of the regiment during a period of less than four weeks was over 460 officers and men, of whom 112 were killed or mortally wounded.
  Death	28 Jun 1864	Washington, District of Columbia   [2, 3, 4, 10, 12, 14, 15]
  Cause: As with many injured in those days, his developed into pneumonia
  Burial	Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, U.S.A. Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia   [2, 12, 14, 15]
  Siblings	4 brothers and 6 sisters
  1. Marcus Harris Ward,   b. 24 Nov 1836, Athol, Worcester County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. d. 28 Jun 1864, Washington, District of Columbia  (Age 27 years) > 2. West Allen Ward,   b. 20 Jul 1838, Athol, Worcester County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. d. 7 Nov 1922, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.  (Age 84 years) ▻ Martha J. Adams,  m. 5 Jan 1862   3. Laura Jane Ward,   b. 22 Jan 1842, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. d. 25 Mar 1927, Athol, Worcester County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.  (Age 85 years)   4. Julia Eliza Ward,   b. 10 Aug 1844, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. d. 21 Oct 1928, Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan, U.S.A.  (Age 84 years)   5. Nancy Cheney Ward,   b. 9 Mar 1846, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. d. 30 Jan 1864, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.  (Age 17 years)   6. Nelson Cheney Ward,   b. 9 Mar 1846, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. d. 18 Aug 1850, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.  (Age 4 years)   7. Maria Wheelock Ward,   b. 30 Nov 1847, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. d. 21 Apr 1873, Athol, Worcester County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.  (Age 25 years)   8. Wales N. Ward,   b. 29 Sep 1849, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. d. Oct 1940, Athol, Worcester County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.  (Age 91 years)   9. Esther Finette Ward,   b. 15 Sep 1851, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. d. 7 Mar 1913, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.  (Age 61 years)   10. Roxy M. Ward,   b. 31 Mar 1854, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. d. 7 Jan 1888, Athol, Worcester County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.  (Age 33 years) + 11. Everett Daniel Ward,   b. 16 Nov 1857, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. d. 4 Jan 1920, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.  (Age 62 years) ▻ Cora May Harding,  m. 22 Oct 1885
  Patriarch & Matriarch	Edward Ward,   b. 1573, Woodhouse, Yorkshire, England   (6 x Great Grandfather)  Susanna  (6 x Great Grandmother)
  Person ID, Branch	I11921
  Last Modified	11 Jun 2016

  
  

  Father	Deacon Thomas Harris Ward,   b. 28 Mar 1814, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. d. 5 Jul 1891, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. (Age 77 years)
  Relationship	Birth
  Mother	Esther Kellogg Mayo,   b. 20 Mar 1814, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. d. 19 Aug 1895, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. (Age 81 years)
  Relationship	Birth
  Family ID	F463	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Pedigree

  ← Click to display 1Marcus Harris Ward(1836 – 1864) 2Deacon Thomas Harris Ward(1814 – 1891) 4Deacon Daniel Ward(1774 – 1861) 8Deacon Nehemiah Ward(1751 – 1831) 16Timothy Ward(1714 – 1757) 17Margaret Woodward(1715 – 1761) 9Sarah Whitney(1741 – 1824) 18Jonas Whitney(Abt 1709 – ) 19Sarah Perry(1716 – ) 5Sarah Jones(1779 – 1862) 10Jonathan Jones(1731 – ) 20Jonathan Jones(1701 – ) 21Hannah Adams(12 Feb 1701/02 – ) 11Mary Wood(23 Feb 1733/34 – ) 22Samuel Wood(1706 – 1799) 23Mary Albee(1710 – 1792) 3Esther Kellogg Mayo(1814 – 1895) 6Stephen Mayo(1783 – 1871) 12Benjamin Mayo(1750 – 1797) 24Major Joseph Mayo(28 Feb 1720/21 – 1776) 25Esther Kenrick(1726 – 1775) 13Dorothy Goddard(1758 – 1845) 26Nathan Goddard(1725 – 1806) 27Dorothy Stevens(1718 – 1808) 7Mary Cheney(1784 – 1870) 14Levi Cheney(1756 – 1847) 28William Cheney(7 Feb 1703/04 – 1756) 29Joanna Thayer(1706 – ) 15Mary Hill(1756 – 1819) 30John Hill(1717 – ) 31Thankful Underwood(8 Feb 1718/19 – )

  
  

• Event Map		Birth - 24 Nov 1836 - Athol, Worcester County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Census - 1850 - Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Census - 1855 - Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Census - 1860 - Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. History - 3 Jun 1864 - Cold Harbor, Hanover County, Virginia, U.S.A. Death - 28 Jun 1864 - Washington, District of Columbia Burial - - Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, U.S.A.  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Photos

  Pvt. Marcus Harris Ward (1836-1864) He sent home this drawing done in during his basic training.

  
  

  Headstones

  Gravestone of Thomas H. and Esther (Mayo) Ward Their eldest son's name is etched on the stone as a memorial. Marcus is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

  
  

• Sources 🟢 Primary Evidence 🟡 Secondary Evidence 🟠 Tertiary Evidence 🔴 Unreliable Evidence

  [S451] Martyn, Charles. The William Ward Genealogy - The History of the Descendants of William Ward of Sudbury, Mass. 1638-1925, (New York: Artemas Ward, 1925). [S468] Miner, Beatrice M. History of Orange 1753-1976, (Orange, Massachusetts: Orange Historical Society, 1976). [S453] Roy, Robert Alan. Extracts from the Genealogical Files of Barbara Crosby, (Orange, Massachusetts: manuscript, 1980). [S454] Mayo, Chester Garst. John Mayo of Roxbury, Massachusetts 1630-1688 A Genealogical and Biographical Record of His Descendants, (Rutland, Vermont: Charles E. Tuttle Company, 1965). [S470] Obituary of Thomas Harris Ward, (Athol, Massachusetts: Athol Transcript, Tuesday, 14 July 1891). [S457] Ward, Andrew Henshaw. Ward Family: Descendants of William Ward, (Boston: Samuel G. Drake, 1851). [S192] Bureau of the Census, 1870 U.S. Federal Census, (Provo, Utah: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009). Year: 1850; Census Place: Orange, Franklin, Massachusetts; Roll: M432_317; Page: 362A; Image: 326 [S274] 1855 Massachusetts, State Census , (Provo, Utah: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014). [S191] Bureau of the Census, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, (Provo, Utah: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009). Year: 1860; Census Place: Orange, Franklin, Massachusetts; Roll: M653_501; Page: 374; Image: 378; Family History Library Film: 803501 [S472] Adjutant-General of Massachusetts. Record of the Massachusetts Volunteers 1861-1865, (Boston: Wright & Potter, 1870). [S473] Denny, J. Waldo. Wearing the Blue in the Twenty-Fifth Mass. Volunteer Infantry with Burnside's Coast Division, 18th Army Corps, Army of the James, (Worcester, Massachusetts: Putnam & Davis, 1879). [S469] Crosby, Barbara. The Ward Family of 11 Children, (Orange, Massachusetts: manuscript, circa 1950). [S474] Killed and Captured of the Twenty-Fifth Massachusetts Volunteers at Battle of Cold Harbor, Va., June 3rd 1864, (http://www.angelfire.com/ma2/25mass/). [S475] Stone, Margaret. Letter to Robert Roy, 1980, (Orange, Massachusetts: letter, 1980). [S14] Ancestry.com, Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current® http://findagrave.com, (Lehi, Utah: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.). Find A Grave Memorial# 11003498