Artemas Ward

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Artemas Ward

Artemas Ward (born November 26, 1727 in Shrewsbury , Province of Massachusetts Bay , British colony ; † October 28, 1800 ibid) was an American major general in the American Revolutionary War and the first congressman for the state of Massachusetts.

Childhood and youth

Ward was born in Shrewsbury to Nahun (1684–1754) and Martha Ward. He was the sixth of seven children. His father had diversified and successful career aspirations as a sea captain, trader, land developer, farmer, attorney and lawyer. Artemas Ward attended elementary school and shared a private tutor with his siblings. He graduated from Harvard University in 1748 and taught there for a short time. On July 30, 1750 he married Sarah Trowbridge (born December 3, 1724, † December 13, 1788), the daughter of Reverend Caleb Trowbridge and Hannah Trowbridge from Groton . The young people moved to Shrewsbury, where Ward opened a general store. They had seven children over the next 15 years: Ithamar in 1752, Nahum in 1754, Sara in 1756, Thomas in 1758, Artemas Jr. in 1762, Henry Dana in 1768, Martha in 1760, and Maria in 1764. In 1751 Ward was appointed parish assistant for Worcester County . That was the first of many public offices he held. In 1752 he was elected justice of the peace. He also worked in the Colony Assembly and the General Court.

French and Indian War

In 1755 the militia was reorganized for the French and Indian War, and Artemas Ward became major in the Third Regiment, which consisted mainly of men from Worcester County. They served as garrison crews along the border area in western Massachusetts. This service took him at intervals between 1755 and 1757, the rest of the time he worked at the General Court. In 1757 he became a colonel in the Middlesex County and Worcester Counties Third Militia Regiment . In 1758, the regiment marched with James Abercrombie's forces to Fort Ticonderoga . Ward himself was grazed by an attack on the rock during battle.

Start of the revolution

In 1762 Ward had finally returned to Shrewsbury and was called to the Court of Appeal. At the General Court he was on the tax committee with Samuel Adams and John Hancock . Besides James Otis Jr., he was the only one who openly spoke out against parliamentary laws. Because of his role in these debates, Governor Francis Bernard prompted his recall in 1767 from the military. At the next election in 1768, Bernard invalidated the Worcester County election results to keep Ward out of the colony convention, but Ward would not be quiet.

Because of the growing tendency towards revolution, a large part of the third regiment left the British services on October 3, 1774. They marched on Shrewsbury to inform Colonel Ward that they had unanimously chosen him as their leader. The governor dissolved the colony assembly in October. The Massachusetts cities responded with a colony-wide security committee . One of the committee's first actions was to appoint Ward as General and Commander in Chief of the Colony Militia.

The siege army

After the Battle of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, the rebels pursued the British back to Boston and began to siege the city . At first Ward commanded his forces from his sickbed, but later moved his headquarters to Cambridge . Soon after, the Provisional Governments of New Hampshire and Connecticut submitted their troops to him to take part in the siege. Organization and supply problems caused most of the effort during this time.

Additional British troops arrived in May 1775 and in June Ward learned of their plan to attack Bunker Hill. He gave orders to fortify this point, setting the scene for the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775. General Israel Putnam and Colonel William Prescott took command during the battle . Though General Ward received national recognition for his heroic steadfastness that day, his main contribution was that the ammunition had been insufficiently supplied so that his troops could not hold the position.

The Continental Army

Meanwhile, the Continental Congress set up a Continental Army . On June 16, Artemas Ward was named major general and second in command after George Washington . Over the next nine months, he helped transform the ragged militia into a modern army. After the British withdrew, Washington led the main army to New York City . Ward took command of the eastern divisions on April 4, 1776. He held this position until March 20, 1777 when his health forced him to retire from the army.

Further political career

During his military service, Ward had worked at the state court in 1776 and 1777. He was president of the state executive council from 1777 to 1779, which made him de facto governor. He was continuously elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1779 to 1785 . He was also a delegate at the Continental Congress in 1780 and 1781. In 1785, Ward was the Massachusetts Government Spokesman. He was elected to the United States House of Representatives twice , and remained there from 1791 to 1795.

Artemas Ward died at his home in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts; he is buried with his wife Sarah in the Mountain View Cemetery.

His home had been built by his father, Nahon Ward, at the time Artemas was born. It is now known as the Artemas Ward House and is home to a museum that is maintained by Harvard University. The museum at 786 Main Street in Shrewsbury is only open for a few days during the summer months.

US President John Adams described Artemas Ward as “ ... universally respected, loved, and trusted by his army and country. “Ward had far greater success in politics than in the military.

literature

  • Andrew H. Ward, Memoir of Major General Artemas Ward in New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume 5 ; July, 1851.
  • Charles Martyn; The Life of Artemas Ward, The First Commander-in-Chief of the American Revolution. ; (1921), reprinted 1970: Kennikat Press, Port Washington, NY; ISBN 0804612765

Web links

Commons : Artemas Ward  - collection of images, videos and audio files
  • Artemas Ward in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)