Comments on: Captain Ward

By: bart woloson

bart woloson — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 16:28:54 +0000

I have seen reference to the “Camp Ward” connection to Eber Brock Ward, but do not have good origin. It is likely that he financed the 102nd. He was an active abolitionist and gave $10,000 to the “Free Kansas” movement in 1856. He was active in raising the Mich. 24th in late 1862, and he paid for fortification of the Detroit (down)River coming into Detroit to protect from invasion from Canada. He hired blacks including escaped slaves on his vessels. In one case the Cook on one of his vessels was sought by southern bounty hunters and he sent the man across the Detroit River to Windsor while he negotiated for his freedom from slavery. The freed slave subsequently made enough money on the Ward Line to buy freedom for the rest of his family. When EB Ward opened the Eureka Iron Works in the late 1850s he hired Irish imigrants and blacks for the hard labor paying $2 a day when ordinary labor rate was about $1 per day. Whites in Detroit vehemently protested against his hiring the blacks and he retorted in a blast in the Detroit press (where he also was a major shareholder) that he would hire anyone he wanted, white, black, horse or mule! – perhaps our first “equal opportunity employer”. There is recorded, a negro folk song that was still sung well into the 1900′s with the refrain “workin’ on the Ward Line”. The black population of Detroit in 1860 was 2.7% or about 1300 population. Eber Ward was their dominent employer and benefactor; it is no wonder that 102nd would have honored him with “Camp Ward”.

Please respond with origin of “Camp Ward” .

By: Paul Taylor

Paul Taylor — Thu, 05 May 2011 03:00:26 +0000

Jeff -

Having “Camp Ward” being named after E.B. Ward makes sense. May I ask where you learned that from?

Thanks,
Paul

By: Jeff O'Den

Jeff O'Den — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 18:35:42 +0000

Hi,

Would you know where I could find a drawing or photograph of Eber Brock Ward?

I am working on a documentary about Michigan’s only black regiment during the Civil War and discovered that black soldiers in that regiment, the 102nd U.S. Colored Troop, named their training camp in Detroit “Camp Ward” after E.B. Ward.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Thank you,

Jeff

By: Fred Schuster

Fred Schuster — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 08:00:03 +0000

I have been researching the Michigan family Ward’s for several years and this is not a name I have stumbled upon. Thankyou for sharing the details of this man. I look forward to more insight to Capt. Ward.

I you have any links to the Ward’s of Armada, Michigan please let me know.

The Armada Ward’s settled in the area about 1837 when Michigan was still a territory and virgin land.

You didn’t mention the last two brothers in the exerpts. Do you have their names?