John Lane Gardner (1793–1869) served in the U.S. Army eventually achieving the rank of brevet Brigadier General after serving in the American Civil War having also served in the War of 1812, the Second Seminole War and the Mexican–American War. After Gardner retired from military service he devoted time to recruiting for the Army.
Biography
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1793 during George Washington's second term Gardner joined the U.S. Army during the War of 1812 where he found his place as a career army officer. Just before the Civil War he was commander of the garrison at Fort Moultrie but was relieved of command because he undermined the plans of Secretary of War John B. Floyd, who would soon join the Confederacy, and was planning to place control of the forts in Charleston Harbor in Confederate hands. Gardner served over 40 years in the U.S. Army.
War of 1812
Gardner served during the War of 1812 and was appointed in the Army with the rank of Third Lieutenant, with the 4th Infantry on May 20, 1813. His first experience of combat was in Canada where he was wounded in the Battle of La Cole Mills on March 30, 1814, while serving under General James Wilkinson. He served as aide-de-camp to Brigadier General T. A. Smith.
Seminole War
Gardner fought in the second Seminole War in Florida against the various Seminole Indian tribes between 1835 and 1839, including at the Battle of Wahoo Swamp on November 21, 1836. Shortly after the war, Gardner wrote and published the book Military Control in which he pointed out various faults with existing military organization and management.
Mexican–American War
During the Mexican–American War, Gardner served under Major General Winfield Scott. He was promoted to major in 1845 and commanded the 4th Artillery Regiment from 1846 to 1848. He was stationed at Fort Polk in Texas between July 29, 1846, and January 31, 1847. He fought at the Battle of Cerro Gordo on April 18, 1847, and was brevetted as a lieutenant colonel "for Gallant and Meritorious Conduct". He served in the Battle of Contreras on August 20, 1847, and was brevetted as a Colonel for his role on August 20, 1847, also "for Gallant and Meritorious Conduct". At the Battle of Cerro Gordon he commanded a company of the 7th Infantry, many of whom were killed or wounded during combat. He was later praised by his commanders, including Scott in his report of April 23, 1847, for his signal services.
During the occupation of northern Mexico there were various mining operations in place. To prevent the fraudulent shipment of bullion to the Mexican or to other foreign governments Scott had it sent to the nearest assay office administrated through a system of permits from the local American commanders. In January 1848, Gardner oversaw these operations and enforced the collection of taxes on bullion as Superintendent of Assessment for the Federal District.
Civil War
As commander of Company A of the 4th U.S. Artillery Regiment, Gardner, along with Captain Abner Doubleday, his wife and Company E, arrived from Fort Capron, Florida, reaching their new post aboard the steamer Gordon on June 16, 1858, joining Captain Truman Seymour's Company H to jointly constitute Moultrie's new U.S. Army garrison. In August, yellow fever broke out amongst the companies of newly arrived artillerymen, infecting 49 and eventually killing 28. To reduce the possibility of further spreading of the epidemic, Washington authorized Gardner to temporarily move his command outside the fort into a healthier locale during the hot summer season. Subsequently, Gardner was absent from Fort Moultrie throughout most of the summer of 1859, scouting out potential arrangements around Smithville, North Carolina. Doubleday acted as commandant during Gardner's absence.