William Nicholas Ballard
Representing: Confederate
Unit History
- 4th Kentucky Infantry CSA H
Full Unit History
4th KENTUCKY VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
Organized: 9/13/1861 Camp Burnett Montgomery, TN
Mustered In: Inf. Not Avail. Camp Burnett Montgomery, TN
Surrendered/Mustered Out: 5/6 - 7/1865 Washington, GA
Regimental History
REGIMENTAL HISTORY:
The 4th Kentucky, a three year infantry regiment, was part of the 1st Kentucky Brigade, CSA. Its term of service was within the western theater of the American Civil War (ACW).
Following organization and muster the 4th moved northward into Kentucky campaigning at Bowling Green. It remained there until early 1862.
The regiment saw its first combat at Shiloh/Pittsburg Landing, TN (4/6 - 7/1862). During this baptism by fire the unit lost 49% of its strength. It then fell back to Corinth, MS before being ordered to Vicksburg to aid in that city's defense.
Soon, however, the unit was ordered to join the forces of Confed. Gen. Braxton Bragg whose troops were engaged in the Kentucky Campaign. This precipitated a move to Murfreesboro, TN.
During the Battle of Stones River, GA (1/2/1863) the regiment came under heavy artillery fire. The Kentucky Brigade, including the 4th, charged a heavily defended Union position. This cost the regiment several men including two color-bearers.
Later in '63, the Brigade was ordered back to Vicksburg, MS but did not arrive in time to prevent that city's capture by Federal forces (7/4/1863). It was next under fire at Jacksonville (5/14/1863). There, it confronted and routed a Union Kentucky regiment which it routed, capturing two of its cannon which were then turned and used to fire upon the retreating bluecoats.
Following the battle of Chattanooga, TN's Missionary Ridge (8/21/1863) the 4th was called upon to guard the retreating Confederate army's rear. It then went into winter quarters at Dalton, GA.
May, 1864. The Atlanta, GA Campaign. The 4th initially took up a position on Rocky Face Ridge, but ended up becoming part of the retreating Rebel force as Union troops under Gen. W.T. Sherman pushed back their enemies.
The 1st Brigade, again including the 4th, made an unsupported charge at New Hope Church This 5/25 – 5/26/1864 attack cost it 51% of its strength.
At Jonesboro (8/31/1864). the brigade was ordered to attack the entrenched Federals. That movement came to an unfortunate halt and cost the 4th its original color-bearer who had carried the flag since the beginning of the unit's history.
The 4th was next ordered to Griffin, GA and converted to mounted infantry. It then engaged in delaying actions during Union Gen. Sherman's "march to the sea."
In early 1865 the 4th moved to Augusta, GA. It fought its last engagement (4/29/1865) near Stateburg, SC.
At the close of the war the 4th was ordered to Washington, GA. There, on 5/7/1865, it surrendered.
REGIMENTAL LOSSES:
No loss numbers available.
Soldier History
SOLDIER:
Residence: Inf. Not Avail. Age: 19.5 yrs.
Enlisted/Enrolled: 9/21/1862 * Richmond, KY Rank: Pvt.
Mustered In: 921/1862 Richmond, KY
Deserted: 12/25/1863 Dalton, GA
Highest Rank: Pvt.
Rank At Desertion: Pvt.
Family History
PERSONAL/FAMILY HISTORY:
NOTE: The birth - to - death biographical profile of William Ballard was created in May/June, 2022 during the waning days of the Covid-19 medical pandemic. It contains less depth of detail than many other biographies within this website because military service, pension and other veteran-related files housed in Washington, D.C.'s National Archives were not available. At a later time those documents may be obtained and the data contained therein added to the narrative which follows.
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William Nicholas Ballard was born on 3/23/1843. The location of his birth was somewhere within the state of Kentucky.
Parenting William were Thompson R. Ballard (b. 12/9/1809 Albemarle County, VA - d. after 1880 MO) and Charlotte (nee Wood b. 5/10/1811 VA - d. 7/16/1886 Marion County, MO). The Ballards were farmers.
Based on available data, Thompson and Charlotte produced at least three children. William was the third. His older siblings were John David Ballard (b. 3/5/1835 Madison County, KY) and Mary E. Ballard (b. 8/9/1844 MO).
As noted by the children' birth states, at some point in time - after 3/3/1835, but before 8/9/1844 - Thompson moved his family from Kentucky to Missouri, settling in the community of Union located in Marion County. William, at that time, continued to reside on his parents' farm.
In 9/1862 William enlisted in the Confederate States Army. He did so, not in Missouri, but in his birth state of Kentucky. His infantry regiment was a Kentucky unit. The significance of this, if any, is not known. His enlistment period was "3 yrs. or during war."
Available ACW Confederate muster roll documents show Private Ballard present for duty 1/1/1863 through November and well into December. Of interest during this period are notations that, beginning in '63 he was receiving not only the pay of an infantry soldier, but that of a cavalry trooper as he was providing his own mount. Again, the significance of this arrangement is not known.
Sometime, likely in early 1865, the 4th would note that Private Ballard's name was on an honor roll "of officers and men of the organization named for distinguished valor on battlefield" during the 9/20/1863 battle of Chickamauga, GA. Private Ballard likely did not know of this as he had deserted from the army on Christmas Day, 12/25/1863, while encamped near Dalton, GA. For Private William Ballard, The War was over.
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We next hear from William in the U.S. Census of 1880. By that time he was farming in or near the community of Bethlehem located in Henry County, MO. Further, he was married and a father of two.
Based on the sketchy data available, it appears that at some point in time after leaving the Confederate Army William made his way back to Missouri. It was there, during 1873 he married.
William's bride was Mary Calista Stevens. Mary had been born during 1854 (no birth month or day date has been found for her) in Henry County, MO. How, when and where she and William had met are unknowns.
During their years together William and Mary produced three children. They were: Albert Ballard (b. 1/22/1874 Clinton, MO), Bertha May Ballard (b. 3/125/1876 Clinton Henry County, MO) and Charlotte Jane "Lottie" Ballard (b. 9/11/1884 Clinton Henry County, MO). All three were living at the dawn of the twentieth century.
As noted by the birth communities of two of the Ballard children, for some period of time the Ballards resided in or near the Henry County community of Clinton. U.S. Census data from both 1880 and 1900 (most of the 1890 census was destroyed by fire) tell a different story. Those tallies found the Ballards farming not in Clinton, but the Henry County community of Bethlehem. Based on this fact, it can be surmised that, likely, Mary returned to the Clinton home of her parents or another relative to give birth.
1910 presents a different picture of the Ballard's living location. At the beginning of the second decade of the twentieth century William and Mary were living in Port Madison on Bainbridge Island, Kitsap County, WA. What had drawn the family to this region of the Pacific Northwest and exactly when they arrived here are unknowns. In Port Madison William was operating a dairy farm.
William Ballard died on 11/10/1910 in (Port Madison), Kitsap County, WA. No details of his passing - which occurred at the age of sixty eight years and seven months - are available. The old soldier was/is buried in the Kane Cemetery located on Bainbridge Island in Kitsap County, WA.
At some point in time following her husband's death, Mary quitted the Port Madison dairy farm. The U.S. Census of 1920 found the widow living - apparently on her own - in the Bainbridge Island community of Rolling Bay. The same was true for 1930.
Mary died in Rolling Bay on 9/25/1933. Cause of the seventy eight and eleven month old's death was noted as "hemorrhage of the brain" with "arteriosclerosis" contributing. Notifying authorities of her passing was married daughter Charlotte "Lottie" Long. Burial was/is in the Kane Cemetery with William.
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* Enlistment and muster-in dates drawn from CSA military records. American Civil War Research Database lists both enlistment and m. i. dates as 9/6/1862.
POSTED: 1/22/2023
UPDATED:
Cemetery
Buried at Kane Masonic Cemetery AKA Port Madison