Charles Carroll Wood

Charles Carroll Wood (born 19 March 1876 in Halifax, Nova Scotia – died 11 November 1899 near Orange River, South Africa) was a Canadian military officer notable for being the first Canadian to die in the Second Boer War. His death occurred during combat at Belmont, close to Orange River, where he sustained wounds to the head and chest while engaged with Boer forces. In the same skirmish, his commanding officer, Colonel Cecil Edward Keith-Falconer of the Northumberland Fusiliers, was also killed.

Biographical background:

- Family and Ancestry: Wood was descended from prominent American and American Revolutionary War figures. His maternal lineage included the Carroll family of Carrollton, with Charles Carroll of Carrollton being a signer of the Declaration of Independence. He was a great-grandson of Zachary Taylor, the 12th President of the United States, and a grand-nephew of Jefferson Davis, the President of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. His great-great-grandfather was Colonel Richard Taylor, an officer in the Continental Army.

- Education and Early Life: Wood was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where his father, John Taylor Wood, resided after serving as a Confederate officer in the American Civil War. His mother was Lola Mackubin Wood. He was educated in England at Bedford Modern School from 1886 to 1889, then attended the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario, graduating in 1896.

Military Career:

- Upon his graduation, Wood was commissioned into the 1st Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. He served in India before being deployed to South Africa at the onset of the Second Boer War. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in 1899.

Death and Commemoration:

- On 11 November 1899, during the Battle of Belmont, Wood was wounded and subsequently died. He was buried with full military honors alongside Colonel Keith-Falconer in the same field.

- Following his death, a memorial service was held at St. Luke's Cathedral in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The service was attended by Lord Seymour, then the Commander of British Troops in Canada, representatives from British and Canadian military services, and was officiated by Bishop Courtney. The cathedral was reported to be crowded, with the pulpit draped in the British flag.

- Queen Victoria sent a letter of condolence to Wood’s family, and at her request, a portrait of Wood was sent to Windsor Castle.

- Robert E. Lee Jr., among others, also conveyed condolences, having met Wood three years earlier in Halifax.

Honors and Legacy:

- The community of Chaswood, Nova Scotia, was named to honor Wood and preserve his memory as the first Canadian soldier killed in South Africa.

- Memorials include being the first name on a statue in Halifax designed by Hamilton MacCarthy, commemorating Canadians who lost their lives in the Boer War; the cornerstone of this monument was laid in October 1901 by the future King George V, then Duke of York and Cornwall.

- Wood's name is inscribed on a memorial staircase at the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) in Kingston, Ontario, and there is a commemorative plaque dedicated to him on the staircase.

- His memory is also preserved through a statue in Toronto and other public commemorations, including a tree planting with a plaque by the children of Morris Street School in Halifax.

Family Relations:

- Father: John Taylor Wood, a former Confederate officer.

- Mother: Lola Mackubin Wood.

- Brother: Zachary Taylor Wood.

- Ancestry also links him to Charles Carroll of Carrollton and Jefferson Davis.

References to his memorialization persisted for decades after his death, highlighting the significance of his role in Canadian military history and the Boer War.