Thomas J. Ward

He stormed with the volunteers into Vicksburg's deadly fire!

Private Thomas J. Ward volunteered for the storming party sent against the Confederate defenses at Vicksburg on 22 May 1863. The assignment placed the volunteers at the front of a major assault and exposed them to concentrated fire before the main Union force could follow.

Ward was born on 18 August 1837 at Romney, in what is now West Virginia. He served in Company C, 116th Illinois Infantry. Although the source export records his later rank as Sergeant Major, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society identifies him as a private at the time of his Medal of Honor action.

On 22 May Ward joined the volunteer storming party in the attack on the Vicksburg works. His citation recognizes his gallantry in that charge.

Medal of Honor Citation (condensed)

Ward displayed gallantry as a member of the volunteer storming party during the assault on Vicksburg on 22 May 1863.

The Medal of Honor was presented on 27 July 1894. Ward died on 30 March 1924 at Anaconda, Montana, and was buried in Upper Hill Cemetery. His qualifying Army service supports the Civil War Campaign Medal. No additional federal campaign medal, clasp, or ribbon device is established.

The presentation date corrects the later date found in the existing biography.