George Taliaferro Ward
| George T. Ward | |
|---|---|
 George T. Ward | |
| Born |
January 8, 1810 Fayette County, Kentucky, United States |
| Died |
May 5, 1862 (aged 41) Williamsburg, Virginia |
| Allegiance |
.svg.png){kind=small} Confederate States of America |
| Service/branch |
 Confederate States Army |
| Years of service | 1861 - 1862 (CSA) |
| Rank |
 Colonel |
| Commands held |
.svg.png){kind=small} 2nd Florida Infantry |
| Battles/wars |
Yorktown Siege American Civil War |
| Other work |
Plantation owner Delegate: Florida Territorial Council 1852 Candidate Governor of Florida |
George Taliaferro Ward (1810 – May 5, 1862) was a cotton plantation owner and politician from Leon County, Florida. He served in the Confederate Army as a colonel during the American Civil War.
Personal
Ward was born in Fayette County, Kentucky, and moved to Tallahassee, Florida Territory, in 1825 where he became the Registrar of the territorial Land Office, succeeding Samuel R. Overton.
In 1844 Ward married Sarah Jane Chaires, of the wealthy cotton-producing Chaires family of eastern Leon County. The couple had at least three daughters, Georgiana, Anna, and Mattie, as well as sons. Mrs. Ward would inherit other properties that were later incorporated into Southwood. However, she died in 1859, at the age of 33.[1]
George Ward owned Waverly Plantation, Southwood Plantation, and Clifford Place Plantation. Combined, he held 160 slaves and produced 7500 bushels of corn and 500 bales of cotton.
Duel
A duel took place between George Ward and Augustus Alston just north of Tallahassee. Prince Achille Murat was Ward's second and Dr. Randolph of Tallahassee was the attending physician. Mr. Alston hit George Ward first, breaking his leg. Ward fell to the ground as Alston walked toward him, still shooting. One shot broke George Ward's arm. When Alston got directly over Ward, he had no shots left while Ward still had one. Alston evidently then folded his arms and declared, "I believe he will kill me after all." Ward fired his last shot and missed.
Ward demanded more guns and insisted that Murat prop him up so that the contest might continue, but he fainted before his instructions could be carried out. It was later agreed to continue the duel, but before Ward recovered sufficiently to fight, Alston was killed in another duel.[2][3]
Political
In 1838 and 1839, Ward served on the Florida Territorial Council. He attended the Florida Constitutional Convention of 1838, in Port St. Joe, Florida.
In 1845 he voted in the first Florida election, after Florida had become a state. In 1852 Ward ran for Governor of Florida on the Whig ticket, losing to Democrat William D. Moseley.
On February 4, 1861, George Ward was seated in the Montgomery Convention on secession. In April 1861 he ran for and was elected to the Confederate Provisional Congress. Later that year he was elected colonel in the 2nd Florida Infantry.
Civil War
In 1862 Ward's 2nd Florida Infantry was sent to Virginia to serve, where Colonel Ward participated at the Yorktown siege; but he lost his life to a gunshot wound at the Battle of Williamsburg. In 1862 the Ward family was presented the Confederate battleflag.[4]
San Marcos de Apalache located at St. Marks, Wakulla County, Florida, was renamed Fort Ward to honor George T. Ward.[5]
References
- ↑ Sarah Jane Chaires Ward on FindAGrave.com
- ↑ George T. Ward Secession Broadside, Special Collection, Robert Manning Strozier Library, Florida State University
- ↑ Baptist, Edward E., Creating an Old South, University of North Carolina Press, 2002
- ↑ Florida Memory Project: Florida Highlights
- ↑ John Shepard Haven