George Taliaferro Ward

George Taliaferro Ward (1810 – May 5, 1862) was a cotton plantation owner and politician from Leon County, Florida. He served the Confederate States of America as a colonel during the American Civil War.

Personal
Ward was born in Fayette County, Kentucky and moved to Tallahassee, Florida in 1825 where he became Register of the Land Office succeeding Samuel R. Overton. In 1844 Ward married Sarah Jane Chaires of the wealthy cotton producing Chaires family of eastern Leon County and had at least three daughters, Georgima, Anna, and Mattie as well as brothers. Sarah Jane would inherit other properties that were later incorporated into Southwood.

Ward owned Waverly Plantation, Southwood Plantation and Clifford Place Plantation. Combined, Ward had 160 slaves, produced 7500 bushels of corn and 500 bales of cotton.

Duel
A duel took place between George Ward and a man named Robert W. Alston just north of Tallahassee. Prince Achille Murat was Ward's second and Dr. Randolph of Tallahassee was the attending physician. Mr. Alston hit George Ward first, breaking his leg. Ward hit the ground as Alston walked toward him, still shooting. One shot broke George Ward's arm. When Alston got directly over Ward, Alston had no shots left while Ward still had one. Alston evidently then folded his arms and declared, "I believe he will kill me after all." Ward fired his last shot and missed. Ward demanded more guns and insisted that Murat prop him up so that the contest might continue, but he fainted before his instructions could be carried out. It was later agreed to continue the duel, but before Ward recovered sufficiently to fight, Alston was killed in another duel.

Political
From 1838 through 1839 Ward served on the Florida Legislative Council from Leon County, Florida and attended the 1838 Florida Constitutional Convention in Port St. Joe, Florida. In 1845 he voted in the First Florida Election. In 1852 Ward ran for Governor of Florida on the Whig ticket losing to Democrat William D. Moseley.

Ward was seated in the Montgomery Convention on secession February 4, 1861. In April 1861 Ward ran for and was elected to the Confederate Provisional Congress. Later in the same year he was elected colonel of the 2nd Florida Infantry.

Civil War
In 1862 Ward's 2nd Florida Infantry was sent to Virginia to serve where he participated at the Yorktown Siege but lost his life to a gunshot wound at the Battle of Williamsburg. In 1862 the Ward family was presented the Confederate Battleflag.

San Marcos de Apalache located at St. Marks, Wakulla County, Florida was renamed to Fort Ward to honor George T. Ward.