Union Private Jessee Campbell "Cam" Ward. Co. D 33rd KY MTD Infantry & Co.K 26th KY. MTD Infantry

Joined
Dec 31, 2010
Location
Kingsport, Tennessee
Jesse is a 3 x great-grandpa of my wife on her father's side. "Cam" or "Camel" Ward, as he was known to some, filed for a Federal Army Pension Sept.12, 1887 in Hart County, KY. He apparently suffered from numerous ailments following the war. These affidavits concerning his service from two comrades, a fellow enlisted man, William Wyatt Davis, and their Lieutenant, William Franklin Gorin are part of his application. "Cam" appears to have received his most serious injury from his horse falling on him at The Battle of Saltville in S.W. Virginia.


SALTVILLE, VA.
OCT. 2ND, 1864


Saltville, Va. Oct. 2, 1864. U. S. Troops, District of
Kentucky. Bvt. Maj.-Gen. S. G. Burbridge with the troops of
his district, after driving the enemy from Clinch mountain and
Laurel gap, met him three miles and a half from Saltville and
forced him back into his intrenchments around the salt works.
Burbridge then deployed and attacked, driving the Confederates
from their works on their right and center and checking them
on their left. A destructive artillery fire finally compelled
the enemy to fall back to his main works, but the artillery
ammunition had about given out by evening and during the night
Burbridge withdrew, having suffered a loss of 54 killed, 190
wounded and 104 missing. The Confederate casualties, although
not definitely ascertained were undoubtedly as heavy. The
engagement was an incident of a raid into southwestern
Virginia.

Source: The Union Army, vol. 6​


State Of Kentucky
County of Green
Greensburgh, Ky, Dec 8, 1887

William F. Gorin states that he was 1st Lieutenant of Company D 33rd Regiment of Kentucky Volunteer Infantry and Captain of Company K 26th Regiment of Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, the war of 1861 to 1865. And that he is 50 years old and that he was well acquainted with Cam Ward who was a Private soldier in said companies and regiments.

He states that while in the line of duty at Munfordville, Ky in May or June 1863, said Ward was sick with a fever but was not sent to the hospital for treatment, but was treated in his quarters by surgeon W.H. Jett and was some time unable for duty, and again at Bowling Green Ky in August 1864, said Ward was sick for some time with fever in regimental hospital and was treated by hospital steward, Foster of said regiment. And would further state, that while on the raid to Saltville, Virginia, in September 1864, said ward's horse fell down with him and hurt his arm and shoulder, and he complained of being very sore for some time. I don't know anything about his condition since muster out in June 1865. I have no interest in this claim whatsoever.


Page 2 Camel Ward 33rd ky inf.jpg

March 9, 1890

"Dear Sir, In answer to your letter in regard to Cam Ward's disability, the first he complained of his back and shoulders, was to the best of (my) knowledge in September or October of 1864, on the retreat from (the) Salt Works (in Saltville), Virginia. His horse fell down on him and hurt his back and shoulders, so he said. I know he complained after that of his back and shoulders hurting him, which I never heard him complain before. His eyes were a little weak before he went to the war, but being in the cold and exposed his eyes got worse and times he said he couldn't more than see his way and I don't think he could from the way he walked. His eyes looked bad (through) two last years (of) 64 & 65 and still remain so.

And as to his lungs, I heard him complaining for the first (time) at Franklin, Tennessee. He had a bad cough and complained of his lungs hurting him very much. That was in January 1865, and from that time on till he was mustered out of service, he complained of his lungs hurting and he still complains of his lungs, and the time his horse fell down on him, he was hurt so bad, that me and B.B. Davis had to help him on his horse near Big Sandy River, Virginia".

Yours truly
William W. Davis

Page 10 Camel Ward muster-out.jpg

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/42519304/william-wyatt-davis

cam's pension.jpg
 
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