Frederick Townsend Ward (November 29, 1831 – September 22, 1862) was an American sailor and soldier of fortune known for his military service in Imperial China during the Taiping Rebellion.

Credit for the concept of training Chinese in Western military tactics and arming them with the best available weaponry is sometimes given to Ward, other times to Li Hongzhang, a local Imperial commander "ordered to cooperate with — and keep an eye on — Ward's unruly contingent" and other times to Burgevine, who according to some began the training while Ward was recuperating, having been inspired by the sight of a Chinese gun crew acting under French direction.

By the summer of 1861, a training camp for Ward was set up, where he trained the Chinese in gunnery, tactics, drills, customs, and ceremonies of both the Western and Chinese armies. The Chinese soldiers trained by Ward were able to respond to Western verbal, as well as non-verbal, commands. They wore Western-style uniforms for which they were often mocked. Later, when the Ever Victorious Army gained prestige, those uniforms became a symbol of pride. These troops were financed both by the government and from the private funds of nobles. It was important to pay these troops well as compensation for not looting. Ward strictly forbade looting in order to keep the locals supporting his troops.

Ward's army achieved victories in every encounter they had with the Taiping forces. In fact, they were so efficient in their endeavours that by March 1862, the Qing government officially named them the Ever Victorious Army, and this is how they are still known to history. Ward himself was made a 4th-rank and then a 3rd-rank mandarin, which was the highest title the Manchu administration had for foreigners or "barbarians."

Ward was mortally wounded in the Battle of Cixi, about 10 miles from Ningbo on September 21, 1862, when he was shot in the abdomen. One version is that he was wounded at the base of the city wall. Ward had survived 14 previous battlefield injuries.