1/9 Plate Ambrotype of Lt. John M. Ward Co. B 6^th South Carolina Cavalry – This is a nice, great resolution, ninth plate ambrotype of Lt. John W. Ward of Co. B 6^th South Carolina Cavalry. The image is housed in a full case; behind the image is s small, period piece of paper, with a period inked ID – “John M. Ward”. Lt. Ward is depicted in his Confederate officer’s frock coat and kepi; although the resolution is excellent, we cannot make out the details of his belt plate, other than to note that it is a two-piece, tongue and wreath type. We currently have a South Carolina officer’s kepi, almost identical to Lt. Ward’s cap; our cap was found at the home of a returning, western theater, Union veteran and had been in a collection, in the Missouri State Historical Society; research seems to indicate that the Union veteran’s regiment had engaged the 6^th SC, in the war’s western theater.

Lt. Ward enlisted in as a 2^nd Lt. in Captain Lewis’ Company, Aiken’s Regiment, Mounted Partisan Rangers, in July, 1862. Sometime in 1863, Lt. Ward was arrested and taken to Charleston, to await court martial and a resultant verdict. The accusation against Ward was seemingly based upon a disagreement between Ward and another officer. Ward would ultimately be exonerated – there are numerous copies of his written supplications and statements of innocence, sent to Confederate officials, including Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard, in the National Archives. Ward would ultimately regain his position in the 6^th SC and finish out the war in service, in that regiment.

This is an interesting, Confederate image, in fine condition. We will include a rather large compendium of Ward’s records, letters and associated information, from the Archives.

John M. Ward

John Ward

in the 1850 United States Federal Census

John M Ward

in the 1870 United States Federal Census