Charles Carroll Wood

Lieutenant Charles Carroll Wood (born 19 March 1876 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada – died 11 November 1899 in Belmont, Orange Free State) was the first Canadian Officer to die in the Second Boer War. As a member of a family that had distinguished itself in America, his great grandfather being Zachary Taylor, 12th President of the United States, he was buried with full military honours. Wood's promising military career was cut short. Also known as Lieut. C. C. Wood, on the news of his death, Queen Victoria wrote a letter of condolence to his family and, at the Queen's request, Lieut. Wood's portrait was sent to her at Windsor. Robert E. Lee Jr. was among others to send his condolences to Wood's family having met Wood in Halifax, Nova Scotia, three years earlier. Lieut. Wood's memorial service at St. Luke's Cathedral in Halifax, Nova Scotia, was attended by Lord Seymour, then Commander of the British Troops in Canada, the British Services and the Canadian Militia, in uniform. Lieut. Wood's memorial service was officiated by Bishop Courtney. In addition to being the descendant of a President, he was the son of John Taylor Wood and a grand-nephew of Jefferson Davis who served as President of the Confederate States of America from 1861 to 1865. His brother was Zachary Taylor Wood. On his maternal side, Wood was a descendant of Charles Carroll of Carrollton, a signatory of the American Declaration of Independence. An obituary stated that the 'lamented death of this promising young officer, when fighting in defence of the Mother Country, will be deeply felt by all, and will be an enduring example of the Colonial sons of the Empire'.