He served four years in the Michigan House of Representatives, and received an honorary brevet to brigadier general after his service in the war.

[1] Ward had been an active member of a Wisconsin chapter of the Wide Awakes, a militant youth organization which supported the election of Abraham Lincoln and were enthusiastic for the Union cause.

[2]: 423  They attached to the brigade of John Joseph Abercrombie, and engaged in skirmishing with Confederate forces under T. J. Jackson at Martinsburg, Virginia, in early July 1861.

[3]: 598 This time, Ward and his regiment were ordered to the western theater of the war, and attached to the Army of the Tennessee, under Ulysses S. Grant.

The 14th Wisconsin had not yet been organized into a brigade when the Battle of Shiloh broke out on the morning of April 6, 1862, and were waiting for orders in the vicinity of Savannah, Tennessee, about nine miles from the battlefield.

[3]: 601  The regiment remained on provost duty at Pittsburg Landing after the battle, without tents or proper provisions, and were exposed to nearly constant rain.

Over the next week, they assaulted the Vicksburg fortifications and skirmished with the defenders, including a costly charge on May 22 that resulted in 107 casualties among the 14th Wisconsin.

The 14th was honored by their brigade and given the advance position on entering the city, General Thomas E. G. Ransom commented that, "every man and officer of the Fourteenth was a hero."

Colonel Ward was forced to return with only a portion of his command, leaving Major Asa Worden to collect the stragglers in Milwaukee.

[3]: 607 Colonel Ward and his portion of the regiment returned to Vicksburg on March 6, 1864, in time to join the Red River campaign.

[3]: 608 In May, Colonel Ward and his brigade were sent to Memphis, Tennessee, and joined the Tupelo expedition under General Andrew Jackson Smith.

[3]: 609  They skirmished with enemy cavalry during the march, and participated in the victory at the Battle of Tupelo, but the expedition soon had to return to Memphis due to spoiled rations.

[3]: 609 On September 1, Ward was back in command of the 14th Wisconsin, and was sent on an expedition with three other regiments under Colonel William Graves, to reconnoiter the approach to Augusta, Arkansas.

[3]: 610 They returned to St. Louis in November 1864, but soon were directed to Nashville, to assist General George Henry Thomas in the defense against a Confederate attack led by John Bell Hood.

Colonel Ward's brigade was directed to dislodge remaining Confederate forces in the vicinity of Granny White Pike.

[3]: 612 On January 13, 1866, President Andrew Johnson nominated Colonel Ward for a brevet to brigadier general, effective back to March 13, 1865.