John Ward (1847 or 1848 – March 24, 1911) was a

Black Seminole The Black Seminoles, or Afro-Seminoles, are an ethnic group of mixed Native American and African origin associated with the Seminole people in Florida and Oklahoma. They are mostly blood descendants of the Seminole people, free Africans, and e ...

who served as a United States Army Indian Scout and received America's highest military decoration—the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

—for his actions in the

Indian Wars The American Indian Wars, also known as the American Frontier Wars, and the Indian Wars, was a conflict initially fought by European colonial empires, the United States, and briefly the Confederate States of America and Republic of Texas agains ...

of the

western United States The Western United States (also called the American West, the Western States, the Far West, the Western territories, and the West) is List of regions of the United States, census regions United States Census Bureau. As American settlement i ...

Biography

After having lived in

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

for the past two decades, Ward enlisted in the US Army at

Fort Duncan Fort Duncan was a United States Army base, set up to protect the first U.S. settlement on the Rio Grande near the current town of Eagle Pass, Texas. History A line of seven army posts was established in 1848–49 after the Mexican War to protec ...

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

in August 1870, and joined other Black Seminoles known as the "Seminole Negro Indian Scouts". On April 25, 1875, he was serving as a

Sergeant Sergeant (Sgt) is a Military rank, rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and in other units that draw their heritage f ...

in the Indian Scouts attached to the

24th Infantry Regiment The 24th Infantry Regiment is a unit of the United States Army, active from 1869 until 1951, and since 1995. Before its original dissolution in 1951, it was primarily made up of African American soldiers. History The 24th Infantry Regiment (on ...

by the

Pecos River The Pecos River ( ; ) originates in north-central New Mexico and flows into Texas, emptying into the Rio Grande. Its headwaters are on the eastern slope of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range in Mora County north of Pecos, New Mexico, at an elev ...

where, " th 3 other men, he participated in a charge against 25 hostiles while on a scouting patrol." A month later, on May 28, 1875, Ward was issued the Medal of Honor for his actions during the engagement. Two of the other men who took part in the charge,

Pompey Factor Pompey Factor (c. 1849 – March 29, 1928) was a Black Seminole who served as a United States Army Indian Scout and received America's highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the American Indian Wars, Indian War ...

and Isaac Payne, both Black Seminoles, also received Medals of Honor. Ward was discharged from the army in October 1894, and worked as a farmer for the rest of his life.Texas State Cemetery Profile
/ref> He died at age 62 or 63 and was buried at the Seminole Indian Scout Cemetery in

Brackettville, Texas Brackettville is a city in Kinney County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,341 at the 2020 census, down from 1,688 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Kinney County. History Founded in 1852 as "Las Moras" (the name of a ne ...

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Sergeant, 24th U.S. Infantry Indian Scouts Place and date: At Pecos River, Tex., April 25, 1875. Entered service at. Fort Duncan, Tex. Birth: Arkansas. Date of issue: May 28, 1875. Citation.

With 3 other men, he participated in a charge against 25 hostiles while on a scouting patrol.

References

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* * * 1840s births 1911 deaths United States Army Medal of Honor recipients Black Seminole people Native American United States military personnel United States Army soldiers United States Army Indian Scouts People from Kinney County, Texas American Indian Wars recipients of the Medal of Honor 20th-century African-American military personnel 20th-century Native American people 19th-century Native American people {{US-army-bio-stub

Biography

Medal of Honor citation

See also

References

External links