John Lane Gardner

Background

John Lane Gardner was born on August 1, 1793, in Boston. He was the son of Robert Gardner.

Career

John Lane Gardner was appointed the third lieutenant in the 4th Infantry, May 20, 1813, and promoted to second lieutenant, March 28, 1814.

He served on the northern frontier through the War of 1812, partly with his regiment and partly as an aide to Brig. -Gen. Thomas A. Smith. He was wounded, March 30, 1814, at the La Colle Mill affair, where Wilkinson suffered ignominious defeat.

At the close of the war, he was transferred to the artillery, and in 1818 was promoted to the first lieutenant. For the next eleven years, he was on duty in Washington in the office of the quartermaster-general, and for a short time afterward was quartermaster at West Point.

His captaincy in the artillery dated from November 1, 1823. Returning to regimental duty in 1830, he commanded his company in the Florida War and on garrison duty until he was promoted to major, October 13, 1845.

He was the author of a little book published anonymously in 1839, entitled Military Control, or Command and Government of the Army. His regiment, the 4th Artillery, served chiefly as infantry during the Mexican War.

He commanded it in Scott’s campaign from Vera Cruz to the city of Mexico, and for his conduct at Cerro Gordo and Contreras was twice brevetted. After the war, he commanded the district of Florida and was promoted to lieutenant-colonel, August 3, 1852.

In 1860, he was commanding Fort Moultrie, in Charleston Harbor.

The government left him with scanty instructions so that he was reluctant to take any decisive measures for defense. He did, however, see to it that his post was well provisioned, and he recommended a substantial increase in the garrison.

An attempt to transfer a stock of ammunition from the Charleston Arsenal to Fort Moultrie caused the secretary of war, John Floyd, to supersede him by Maj. Robert Anderson, who was a Southerner by birth.

Gardner was promoted to colonel July 23, 1861, and was retired on November 1 of that year, but performed some further duty, on recruiting and the like. He was brevetted brigadier-general in 1865.

He died at Wilmington, Delaware.

Achievements

• Gardner served on the northern frontier through the War of 1812. After the war, for the next eleven years he was on duty in Washington in the office of the quartermaster-general, and for a short time afterward was quartermaster at West Point. He was the author of a little book published anonymously in 1839, entitled Military Control, or Command and Government of the Army.

Politics

In politics, Gardner was quite Southern, frequently asserting that the South had been treated outrageously in the question of the Territories, and defrauded of her just rights in other respects.

He acquiesced, however, in the necessity of defending the fort should it be attacked; but as he lived with his family outside of the walls, he could not take a very active part himself.

Personality

Quotes from others about the person

• "Gardner had done good service in the War of 1812 and in Mexico, ” wrote Abner Doubleday, who served under him; “but now, owing to his advanced age, was ill-fitted to weather the storm that was about to burst upon us. "

Connections

In 1825, Gardner married Caroline, daughter of Charles Washington Goldsborough.

Father:

Robert Gardner

Wife:

Caroline Goldsborough