Artemas Ward

Artemas Ward, a politician and the first commander in chief during the American Revolutionary War, began as a prominent New England gentleman farmer.

Ward was born in 1727 to Nahum and Martha Ward in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. Ward studied at Harvard University, receiving two degrees from the school. He was known for his religious devotion and sense of tradition, even volunteering to help end swearing at his university. In 1750, he married Sarah Trowbridge; they eventually had eight children. Ward inherited and managed his parents’ farm and held local government positions, including town clerk and selectman.

Ward joined the militia in Massachusetts as a major in 1755. He commanded troops during the French and Indian War, gaining experience in combat during this time. After the war, he returned to political work and was elected to the Massachusetts legislature. During this time, he opposed the new taxes imposed on the colonies by Parliament. As tensions rose between the colonies and Britain in 1774, Ward advocated for purchasing weapons and supplies necessary to defend Massachusetts. After the battles at Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, Ward set off to Cambridge to set up a military base with several other military officers.

Ward began organizing a larger army necessary for the war to come. He helped begin the enlistment process and started to organize the necessary components for a formalized army, such as managing supplies and the soldiers' behavior. Ward was known for his hesitation to use discipline on his soldiers. He also preferred to find consensus amongst his fellow higher-ranking officers rather than just using his authority. Ward commanded some raids on Boston Harbor, even destroying a British ship. Ward also had his share of critics, including the politician and officer James Warren. After the failure to capture the peninsula during the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775, Ward’s critics grew even stronger.

In July of 1775, Ward turned over command of the army to General George Washington. Ward, second in seniority to Washington, moved to the army’s right wing. Ward helped plan the siege of Boston with Washington, arguing for the tactical importance of possessing Dorchester Heights. As the siege successfully concluded in March 1776, Ward submitted a letter of resignation to Washington. Ward had been struggling with health problems for a long while and felt that he could not continue his duties. Washington convinced him to retract his letter of resignation and supervise the defense of New England until his eventual retirement from military duties in March 1777. While Washington did convince him to stay, the two had many disagreements and were never personally close.

After his time in the military, Ward served in the Continental Congress from 1780 to 1781 and eventually served two terms in Congress from 1791 until 1795.

Sources

Bell, John. “George Washington’s Headquarters and Home.” Cambridge, MA: Longfellow House-Washington’s Headquarters, Department of the Interior, National Park Service, February 29, 2012.

“Sarah Trowbridge Ward 1724." General Artemas Ward House Museum, Harvard University. Accessed November 29, 2023. https://wardhouse.harvard.edu/sarah-trowbridge-1724

Martyn, Charles. The life of Artemas Ward, the first commander-in-chief of the American Revolution. New York: A. Ward, 1921.