Association to Commemorate the Chinese Serving in the American Civil War, Part 23

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An American serving in the Chinese Taiping Civil War

Frederick Townsend Ward of Salem, Massachusetts

An American serving in the Chinese Taiping Civil War
Frederick Townsend Ward of Salem, Massachusetts

{The table has turned. This time, this web page is designated to honor an American who had served in the Taiping Civil War in China, which is contemporaneous to the American Civil War.}

An American serving in the Chinese Army in the Taiping Civil War (1850 to 1864). He served in that war for three years (1860 to 1862) was promoted to a General. He became a naturalized Chinese citizen and a 3rd class Mandarin, as well as marrying a Chinese girl as his wife. He found and trained his "Ever Victorious Army" and won many battles against the Taiping Rebels, defending Shanghai, defending the Chinese Government. The scared Rebels called him The Devil Soldier. At the end, he even gave up his own life in serving China. He was the most highly honored American in China in the 19th century. This native son is now mostly forgotten in the United States and the webmaster would like to introduce him to the American public. Here is his story.

His name is Frederick Townsend Ward, born on November 29, 1831 in Salem, Massachusetts, and Salem is the seaport connected with the China Trade. He grew up poor, and dropped out of High School. He loved sailing and took trips visiting Hong Kong and China. He attempted to go to West Point but since he had no political connection, he couldn't. Instead in 1848, Ward enrolled at a military school in Vermont later known as Norwich University, where he learned strategy, tactics and engineering. In December 1849, he sailed for San Francisco with a ship captained by his father. Ward mentioned that he met the famed Italian nationalist / military leader, Giuseppe Garibaldi. Ward met William Walker in 1852. Walker raised a private army and entered Sonora (today's New Mexico and Arizona) and declared it a "republic" with himself as president. Walker was arrested and stood trial in U.S., but later, Walker managed to become the president of Nicaragua. When the Crimea War broke out, Ward got a lieutenancy in the French Army and journeyed through France to Russia. Ward sailed to China in 1859. (1)

The Taiping Rebellion was led by HUNG Sau Chuen from Kwang Si Province in 1850 and within a short time, took over the southern half of the Country. They stalled. In defense, TSANG Kwok Faun of the Ching Government organized an army to suppress the Rebels. The Rebels took Naking as their capital and planned to expand to Shanghai, where a large population of British and French and some Americans lived. At first, the foreigners observed the agreement of Neutrality. But when the violence spread, some of them organized the Foreign Arms Corps, made up of foreigners to defend themselves and fought against the Chinese Rebels, led by Federick Townsend Ward.

President Lincoln appointed Anson Burlingame as the American minister to China in October 1861. Burlingame also came from Massachusetts and struck up a friendship with Ward in China. Burlingame graduated from Harvard Law school, practiced in Boston, elected to the House of Representatives and defended his colleague Charles Summer by challenging Preston Brooks for a dual. Brooks severely beat Summer with a cane. Brooks backed down on the dual with Burlingame in 1856. This is what Burlingame wrote about Ward in his first impression:
"Ward is instructing the Chinese in the use of European weapons and has about two thousand of them (Chinese) trained whom he has led in a most desperate manner, successfully, in several recent battles. I know nothing of him save what I have learned from Sir James Hope, {British Admiral stationed in Shanghai} the Chinese and himself. He says he was born in Salem Massachusetts ----- went to sea as a boy ----- became mate of a ship and then was a Texas Ranger ----- California gold miner ----- instructor in the Mexican service ----- was with Walker, for which he was outlawed by his government; at the Crimea and then joined the Chinese army where he has gradually risen to influence and power. He is now their best officer and for his recent successes has been recommended by the Chinese and the English for greater promotion. He says he is a loyal American and though a Chinese by adoption he desires above all things that his country shall have its full weight in the affairs of China." (2)

In a report to Secretary of State Seward, Minister of China Burlingame wrote:
"The (Chinese) rebellion still rages but as yet it has made no direct assault upon Shanghai. Since the 2nd of February six battles have been fought within thirty miles of this place with great loss to the rebels. ------ Without giving you all the details of these battles, I will write in general terms that while there were not more than twelve hundred men, at any one time, on the side of the Imperialists, there were said to be from five to twenty thousand men on the side of the rebels ------ and while the rebels are superior to the Imperial soldiers in this part of the Empire ------ and nearly always beat them when the Imperialists are led by native officers ------ they are unequal to the Chinese, trained and led by Europeans or Americans. They were beaten in every battle with great slaughter." (3)

Charles Schmidt, an American officer who met Ward in Central America in early 1850s, left a testament to his commander, written in 1870s:
"General Ward was beloved and respected by all who knew him. Although not a highly educated man, he was shrewd and had common sense, and while in action he was very brave. This was not a reckless bravery, but a cool and daring bravery so requisite in a good leader. He would never send a man to a place where he would not go himself if required, but if he saw any person show the white feather, he would dismiss him instantly. He showed great tact in his difficult position, and managed to keep his own in spite of the intrigues and flatteries of British officers and periodical difficulties with the Chinese government officials who did not always rightly interpret the General's motives for certain actions ------ He was ever active and alert, trying to improve his force in order to accomplish that which he had undertaken to do for the Chinese government." (4)

Daniel Jerome Macgowan, an American Baptist missionary / physician / reporter, who came to China in 1843 and practiced medicine for nearly two decades, also later trained Hong Neok Woo, an American Civil War veteran who returned to China, to be a pharmacist and a medical man. Macgowan wrote about Ward and his lieutenant, his second in command, Henry Andrea Burgevine of North Carolina:
"Ward and Burgevine were typical of the regions that gave them birth, and had they remained in the United States, they would have been zealous participants in the strife that was desolating the fairest portion of the New World. One would have been fighting for the Republic and freedom; the other for disunion and servitude. As it was, they argued much and often on the slaveholders' rebellion, but always amicably." (5) So, you see, the American Civil War was fought with words between two trusted friends half the world away.

John K. Fairbank, the China Expert in Harvard, wrote about Ward:
"------- In all these dealing with foreign military figures, the Ching [Manchu] officials ---- feel it essential that if a foreigner is to lead a force of Chinese troops he must have imperial military status. This is conferred upon him personally from the Emperor, as on any Ching official. In return the foreigner is reported to be respectful, submissive, grateful, and loyal. ------ Their [Ward and Burgevine] opportunism must be watched and their sincerity kept under inspection, but the fact that they, almost alone among the foreign community of the time, have made a gesture of seeking registration as Chinese subjects makes it possible for them to lead a strategic military force in a vital sector of China." (6)

Peking Gazette commented on Ward in the battle of Ching Pu:
"General Ward has, many times before, led his men against this city of Ching Pu, but especially in this battle he was regardless of personal danger in leading and urging his soldiers on to the slaughter. For this he is worthy of our highest praise." In reporting the battle to General TSANG Kwok Faun, LEE Hung Cheong (Ward's superior) similarly gave the lion's share of the credit to Ward, describing his comrade as leading "his men forward while at the same time, he kept firing with rockets and guns." (7)

Ward and his Ever Victorious Army with much smaller number of men, won many battles against superior number of soldiers of the Rebel force. The Rebels called them The Devil Soldiers. At first, when Ward fought the Rebels, he might have intended to profit himself by looting the defeated enemy for personal gain. But later he gradually changed to a person who wholeheartedly supported the suppression of the Rebellion. Not only did he order his troops to stop looting, he also used his own fund to buy the best weapons, supplies and gunboats, relying on the Ching Government to reimburse him eventually. He had been lucky, and had his close call several times, but gaining many victories. At last, Ward's luck ran out this time in 1862, a bullet hit his abdomen. He was sent to the field hospital, lingering for while, and lost his life serving as a Brig. General on the Chinese Government force.

North China Herald reported on the news of Ward's death and commentary:
"Without a military education, Ward displayed on many occasions the qualities of a General. The biography of this man has yet to be written; and whatever be his antecedents the chief events of his life would be interesting. All we can remark, from the little we have gleaned of his life, is that he has been an important actor in the Taiping drama; and we should be the last to register on the annals of the campaign, any circumstance detrimental to his character before he entered upon those scenes of warfare. 'Tell me not of what I was, but of what I am,' is a good motto for such wandering son of fortune." (8)

General LEE Hung Cheong, superior of General Ward, spoke kindly on Ward at his funeral: (Many years later, it was the same LEE who greeted General Ulysses S. Grant visiting China during his around the world tour after Grant had finished serving two terms of Presidency.)
"From the time of the arrival of Your Majesty's Minister, LEE Hung Cheong, at Shanghai, to take charge of affairs, [Ward] was in all respects obedient to the orders he received, and whether he received orders to harass the city of Chin-shan-wei or to force back the rebels at Liu-ho, he was everywhere successful. Still further, he bent all his energy on the recapture of Ching Pu, and was absorbed in a plan for sweeping away the rebels from Soo Chow. Such loyalty and valor, issuing from his natural disposition, is extraordinary when compared with these virtues of the best officers of China; and among foreign officers it is not easy to find one worthy of equal honor." (9)

Prince Kung and Yehonala Empress Dowager Chi Hay concurred in accessing Ward's performance, ordered to honor Ward:
"We have read the memorial, and feel that Brigadier Ward, a man of heroic disposition, a soldier without dishonor, deserves Our commendation and compassion. Lee Hung Cheong has already ordered Wu Hsu and others to attend to the proper rites of sepulture, and We now direct the two Prefects that special temples to his memory be built at Ningpo and Sung-chiang. Let this case be submitted to the Board of Rites, who will propose to Us further honors so as to show our extraordinary consideration towards him, and also that his loyal spirit may rest in peace. This from the Emperor! Respect it!" (10)

British Colonel Charles George Gordon ("Chinese" Gordon) succeeded General Ward to command the Ever Victorious Army. (Many years later, General Gordon gained his fame in the desperate and steadfast defense of Khartoum in Sudan. His command was annihilated.)

Ward's Memorial hall was built in Sung-chiang in 1876-77. Sung-chiang was one of Ward's great victorious battles. On his shrine, high praises of kind words were carved on the panels. On the horizontal board, the words could be loosely translated to, "Facing the enemy with the same determination."

His Chinese comrades composed a pair of Parallel Verse in his honor, placed vertically on each side of the two columns of the shrine. The left column said, "As the cloud opened upon the blessed land, he had shown his unyielding loyalty in the temple." The right column said, "An unusual man from oversea left his name and fame from ten thousand li away, with his blood shed." {Translated by the webmaster from Chinese to English.}

A Memorial with Ward's headstone could be found at the Harmony Grove in Salem, Mass.

Today, the Peabody and Essex Museum (Essex Institute) in Salem, Massachusetts still maintained a collection of Ward's papers. A library dealing with Chinese history and culture at the Museum is named after Ward, in his honor.

The first American Legion was named The Frederick Ward Post an American Club in Shanghai, China. The readers could find old pictures and other related materials on Ward in this web site link.

The credit of the source of this summary page, including quotations, came mainly from the book, The Devil Soldier, written by Caleb Carr. The webmaster also had visited the Peabody and Essex Museum in Salem, Mass., where most of Ward's materials were stored.

Footnotes source and quotations source:
(1) Caleb Carr, The Devil Soldier, Random House, N.Y., 1992.
(2) Burlingame to Seward, March 7, 1862, DUSMC (Dispatches of U.S. Ministers to China), R.6.59, microfilm 92, roll 21, National Archives.
(3) Burlingame to Seward, March 7, 1862, DUSMC, R.6.59, microfilm 112, roll 5, National Archives.
(4) Schmidt: his memo on Ward's character, DUSMC, R.6.59, microfilm 112, roll 5, National Archives.
(5) Daniel J. Macgowan, Memoirs of Generals Ward, Burgevine and the Ever Victorious Army, Far East, vol.2(1877).
(6) John K. Fairbank, The Chinese World Order, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 1968.
(7) Peking Gazette, NCH (North China Herald), October 4, 1862.
(8) North China Herald, NCH, January 3, 1863.
(9) Rantoul, LEE Hung Cheong's (Li Hung Chang) memorial, pp. 47- 48.
(10) Rantoul, Imperial decree on Ward, p. 45.

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