The Story of Hannah Ward

This is an account of a Sussex woman who was present at Waterloo, Quatre Bras, and many earlier affairs in that campaign?

Hannah Ward was born at Petworth in the year 1787, one of a family of ten, seven of whom died prematurely. As an orphan, she entered the family of a physician well known in the district. From this home the girl ran away. The incidents leading up to her disappearance are as romantic as any in her life, but are apart from the subject of Waterloo.

At the age of sixteen she was on the way to Europe as the wife of a private in the 35th Regiment of Foot, to take part in that long campaign. For several years she went with the army from place to place as a camp follower, doing the menial work of the camp and attending to the sick.

 

Her husband was killed, and she married another private in the same company who also died. Towards the end of the campaign she was with the army under Blucher, coming up at the end of the Battle at Waterloo.

She was then the wife of a sergeant in the Rifles. I do not know the circumstances of her third marriage, but this husband was older than Hannah by many years, and after Quatre Bras they retired from the army, and kept a wine shop in Jersey, where the sergeant died.

 

After his death she returned to her own people in England. In Hunston churchyard (two miles south of Chichester) the spot where she was buried is thus inscribed:-

" Sacred to the memory of Hannah Savage, widow of Edward Savage, who departed this life February 3rd, 1857, aged 70 years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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