John S. GARDNER

Mary Gardner Appears before a judge in Clinton County, Michigan, on this 13th day of January A.D. 1872.….Mary Gardner, aged 52 years, who being duly sworn according to law, makes the following declaration in order to obtain the pension promised by the acts of Congress granting pension to dependent mothers; that she is the wife of George W. Gardner, and mother to John S. Gardner, who enlisted under the name of John S. Gardner at Lansing, Michigan, on or about the 13th day of August, AD 1861, in Company "G" of the 16th Regiment of Michigan Infantry Vols. In the War of 1861, who died of gunshot wound, at Gaines Hill battle Virginia, on the 27 day of June AD 1862. That said son John S. Gardner left neither widow nor child under sixteen years of age surviving; that she was dependent upon said son for support; that her husband said George W. Gardner has been a cripple in the right foot, leg, and arm for twenty years or more, so that said foot, leg and arm are to a considerable extent disabled; that for two years previous and two or more years after said John S. enlisted said George W. was severely disabled by inflammatory rheumatism and inflammation of the eyes, so that he (said George W.) could not do more than one-fourth as much work as he would have performed if a well man; that said George W. has had the asthma for several years; and has been so disabled that he cannot labor at all at manual labor, and can render no support at all; that there was one child, a brother of said John S. who survived him, who was under sixteen years age as his (said John S.'s) death; that said brother's name is George M. Gardner, and was born at DeWitt, Clinton County, Michigan, on the 29th day of March, AD 1853.

That she has not heretofore received or applied for pension; that she has not aided or abetted the rebellion; that she hereby appoints Henry M. Perrin, of St. Johns, Michigan, her attorney to prosecute the above claim; that her residence is Bath, Clinton County, Michigan, and that her Post Office address is Bath, Clinton County, Michigan.

Signature: Mary Gardner

This is the only letter from son, John S. Gardner, that Mary had kept. It was submitted as proof that they were dependent on his income. Mispellings and punctuation as written are included. He died four days after writing this letter.:

Head Quarters

Army of the Potomac

June 23rd, 1862

Dear Parents,

I received yours of the 16th but I did not see but little in your hand writing it was in Helmers. I am sorry to here of your eyes being so bad I suppose by your letter that you have three yoke of oxen you have a good team to break ____ with. I should be very happy to be there to assist you but it is not so desined and therefore it can not be. I wrote about the ring and intended to send it but that and the rosey made to big a bulk therefore I did not put it in. it was a wooden one with his enitials carved on it as far as money is conserned I have sent you a $20 dollars check on the assistant treasure of the United States New York it was put in the Office the 11th of this month and I hope you have received it ___ this reaches you if you want to dispose of it you can sign sign it over as I have to you as follows, (Pay the within to, so and so, and order date it the day of the month and sign your name, G.W. Gardner. You can use it as at you own ____ assist yourself all you can. You have disposed of your Horses have you not I will be there to hold the plow next spring if nothing happens - if you receive the money you can send me some stamps as they are very hard to get here, but I have a half a dozen left yet we have to send to Washington then we are not sure of them so you can see I will send you $20 more next pay day if I am alive which I grant I will. I am so glad to here that you are thriving so fairly there is something tells me that you will thrive and do well on your little farm I should like to be there to eat a Steamburg cake with you they are a far favored there as they are here. I have not seen Sam Christopher since I left Camp Hampton but I did not know that he was wounded I read of the death of Case Z. Wicom in the New York Tribune. Now if I am wounded I will try my utmost and endure to get home. Now you want to know what I think about the war coming to a close it is just like this if Gen. Burnside advances on Petersburg and takes it and we are succesful there at Richmond it will put an end to the rebellion but they intend to divide us into (Goriles??) Bands if they do we will have to leave small forces in all of these places but the Mane Army will be discharged and sent home all of the Volunteers there is regulars enough to hold them they ___ ___ of fighting under the Black flag the rebels if they do Gen McClellan aught to send for the Natives and scower the country and kill and ___ ____ one of them but I do not want to fight under a Black Flag you see if they fight under it there will be some of the most disasterus Murders ever known the Black Flag means they they give nor ask no questions kill every boddy. There is no more shooting on picket they sent in a flag of truce to Gen McClellan to ____ Shooting the sentinels on picket. I think it is a noble plan, it is very warm weather here at present and I dare say that if this reaches you that the disine will be bought then we will ____ who is to die or who is to live. Father, Ann Eliza sent me her miniature and one of the young lady beside her she is the hansomest young lady I ever saw her name is Lottie Moloney in regard to that piece that sent to you you need not have it published unless you want to I can not think of much of importance and I will close give my love to all til Ma to have patience I will soon be there this from you affectionate son John to his parent Mr. G.W. and Mary Gardner

Write often

---- ---- ---

Helmer when you go to Dewitt tell Almira to write to me tell her I wrote the last. Helmer you write a very good hand only practice and you will soon ____ it when you make a Capitol Ø make it like that one Ø Ø Ø they are easy and quick ____ I have written to Grand Ma Gardner No More from you affectsionate Son and Brother in the grand Army of the Union

John S. Gardner

(written in each corner of the page is "write often")

27 March 1872:

I Alpheus N.(?) Madden being duly sworn do depose and say that on this day made an affidavit or deposition in the claim of Mary Gardner, mother of John S. Gardner who was Private in Company "G" of the 16th Regiment of Michigan, Infantry Vols. for pension.

I do further depose and say that said Mary and George W. Gardner, the father of said John S. have not property enough to keep them from want for more than one or two years at _____.

I do further depose and say that said George W. and Mary have but two children alive: Clarence H. and George M; that said Clarence H. is ____ unhealthy, with a wife and two children; that said Clarence H. cannot more than support himself and his wife and children that he has no property except a little personal property and is a day laborer; that said George M. is an unsteady young man upon whom said George W. and Mary can put no dependence.

Signed, Alpheus N. Madden

27 March 1872:

I George W. Madden being duly sworn do depose and say that I reside at Lansing, Michigan; that I was acquainted with John S. Gardner who was a Private in Company "G" of the 16th Regiment of Michigan Infantry Vols. for four years or more before he entered the service of the United States; that I have been acquainted with Mary Gardner, mother of said John S. Gardner for thirteen years; that I have been acquainted with George W. Gardner, father of said John S. Gardner for the past thirteen years.

I do further depose and say that said George W. owned no property except a horse and cow worth about sixty five dollars and household furniture worth not to exceed one hundred and fifty dollars when I first knew him; that said George W. has no property now except about thirty five dollars in a mortgaged ____ of horses and household furniture worth not to exceed one hundred dollars; that said George W. had inflammatory rheumatism and inflammation of the eyes severely when I fist knew him, so that he (said George W.) could do but very little work and could not more than about one-fourth support himself; that he (said George W.) had inflammatory rheumatism and inflammation of the eyes and was no better than when I first knew him for three or four years and until one or two years after said John S. enlisted; that after said last mentioned him, said George W. was some better and could labor from one fourth to one half ___ him; that for the past three years or more said George W. has not been able to labor at all and is an confirmed invalid.

I do further depose and say that said George W. has been a cripple ever since I knew him, in the right foot, arm and leg; besides the disability heretofore mentioned; that he now has a difficulty in breathing (he has asthma) and a liver difficulty.

I do further depose and say that said Mary Gardner had not property besides what said John S. had given her when said John S. enlisted in the service of the United States except one hundred dollars worth; that said John S. purchased a house and lot in Lansing Michigan and turned said hundred dollars belonging to said Mary towards the said property; that the deed for said house and lot was made to said Mary Gardner; that said Mary Gardner changed said house and lot for forty acres of land in Bath, Clinton County, Michigan; that said land is now mortgaged for nearly all it is worth, the mortgage on said land being ____ eight hundred and fifty dollars with accumulated interest; that the property given said Mary by said John S. has supported herself and husband, together with the money sent home by said John S. And bounties received.

I do further depose and say that said Mary Gardner has been an invalid for ___ years, and unable to do but very little work; that she has not been able to walk or labor at all for the past four or five years and a portion of that time has not been able to feed herself; that she is a confirmed invalid

I do further depose and say that said John S. Gardner left surviving him no wife or child or children, that he never married. I do further depose and say that in the year 1860 said John S. owned a team and did team work in Lansing, Michigan; that I was intimate with said John S.; that said John S. purchased four, meat, potatoes, sugar, tea and other groceries at various times during 1860 and took home to said Mary and George W.; that I have at various times seen said John S. purchase said articles and take home to said Mary and George W.; that said John S. also supported his said parents in 1861, until he enlisted; that I have frequently heard John S. say he was obliged to take care of said Mary and George W. from the time I first knew him (said John S. ) until he enlisted in the service of the United States.

I do further depose and say that said John S. was a healthy young man when he enlisted in the service of the United States.

I do further depose and say that I have no interest direct or indirect in the prosecution of the claim of Mary Gardner….

Signed, George W. Madden

17 October 1873:

We Alexander Cameron and Harvey Gordon being duly sworn do depose and say each for our selves that we reside in Lansing in said county (Ingham) and state (Michigan); that we were each acquainted with John S. Gardner who was a Private of Company "G: of the 16th Regiment of Michigan Infantry Vols from August 1861 or before.

We do each of us further depose and say that we saw said Gardner go in to the action at Gaines Mills (Or Gaines Hill) in Virginia, June 27, 1862, in line of duty, in said company and Regiment; that we were both in said Regiment and in said action on said June 27, 1862; that we were each on the retreat of said June 27 at said battle with said Gardner.. when said Gardner we missing; that as we were on the retreat and it was growing dark we did not see said Gardner when he was shot; but that it was reported by some _____ regiment who we cannot now remember that said Gardner was seen after he was shot; that we have not doubt that said Gardner was killed at said action at Gaines Mills (or Hill); that we do not know of any one or believe there is any one living who saw said Gardner after he was killed; that said Gardner was not among those taken prisoner from said 16th Regiment of Michigan Infantry; that said Gardner was a true and faithful soldier and would certainly have reported promptly had he not been killed.

Signed, Alexander Cameron, Harvey Gordon

The Pension application is approved Dec. 27, 1875:

Mary Gardner, mother of John S. Gardner, Private, Co. G., Regiment 16, Michigan Volunteers

Residence - Clinton County, Michigan. Post office - Bath, Clinton County, Michigan

Attorney - H.M. Perrin, St. Johns, Clinton Co., Michigan. Fee - $25 as per contract

Rate of pension, $8.00 per month, paid April 9, 1872.

Dates:

Enlistment, Aug. 17, 1861

Muster into rank, Aug. 21, 1861

Discharge, Died in service

Death, June 27, 1862

Cause of death, Supposed killed in battle

Place of death, Gaines Hill, Va

Mother's application filed, April 8, 1872

Claim completed, Oct. 27, 1873

Husband, invalid

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Email: Carol Gardner