The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-13

Brilliant Career of Ward in Command of the
Foreign Legion.

New York Tidbits.
The remarkable career of Ward. the American
soldier of fortune, who preceded Gordon in com
mand of the Foreign Legion in China, was re-
lated to Tribune reporter recently by a friend
of the soldier, who knew him from boyhood.
He said Ward was a most remarkable man
"a greater man, in my opinion, than Gordon
though the hero of Khartoum commands
my deep admiration. Ward was born IN
Salem, Mass, and when he was a boy
went to with his father who was ship
master When the Crimean war broke out
young Ward enlisted in the French army aud
became a sublieutenant Unfortunately he be-
came involved in quarrel with his captain. and
resigning his command, he challenged that Off
Ger to a duel. The challenge was accepted, and
Ward killed the captain Years after, when
fortune smiled on him, Ward sent large sum
of money to Paris to be invested for the support
of the widow and child of her former captain.
Wards next venture COM
merclal to Vera Cruz. 1t proved
unsuccessful, and he was then sent by
me to the west coast of Mexico TO buy lot of
brass cannon which had been condemned. He
embarked on this enterprise in vessel which
took down to Central America lot of Walkers
flibusters. The adventurous character of Walk
er's enterprise appealed to Wards fancy, but he
saw IN 1t so much to condemn and so much that
was repugnant to him in the character of large
part of those who made up the filibustering
party, that he did not join the expedition.
Having completed his work the west coast
ol 4ueAicO, Vdru went 10 Dan francisco ana got
berth as an officer of ship going to China.
He received his discharge in China and entered
there .he service of the Emperor. He rose rap
idly in favor and rank and organized the For
egn League TO fight for the Emperor against the
Tapping rebels. He married a Chinese lady of
OF their most exalted order. In order
to marry woman of the rank which
he did, he was told that he must renounce
Christianity. He declined to do this, and the
matter was finally settled by his marrying her
by proxy. He became a citizen of China, and
subject of the Emperor Once he was seized by
the English and French admirals and kept for
some time prisoner. He was told that if he
would claim American citizenship he would be
liberated. This he refused to do, saving
" 1 was born in America and love my native
land, but have sworn allegiance to the Emperor
and am Chinese
HE was finally released and continued his
most successful and brilliant military career.
He ordered three gunboats built in America,
which were to go up the Pekin river and the
canal and fly his Mandarin flag before the gates
of Pekin. | was building the boats for him
when he was killed. He was the most powerful
man in China, and, had he lived, l believe he
had the genius and the daring to have made
pire. When our civil war broke out he wrote
to me, My heart is with my native
land IN her struggle against rebellion.
Were l free ! would return at once to offer my
life and my sword to my country. But my work
is here He was killed while rashly exposing
himself in reconnaissance before some city
which he was besieging. He was one of the
bravest most temperate, upright and honorable
of men; of boundless ambition and dazzling
genius He was a young man, only thirty six
or thirty-seven, at the time of his death. Though
he never received liberal education, he was
one of the best informed men ever saw a con-
slant student, good inguist, and great
reader of books of all kinds"