John J. Garner (1837 - 1864)

John J Garner was a member of the 9th Tennessee Cavalry. Two of his brothers; Samuel Lance Garner and Nathan Curry Garner were also in this unit, and were assigned to Company E. There were two 9th TN Cavalries making this more complicated. Gant's had Companies A through G. They were enlisted from Maury and surrounding Counties. Ward's had Companies H, I & J. They were from Counties just to the east. One would believe John would join with his brothers putting him with Gant's. I cannot locate his enlistment to confirm. Did he join Ward's? If so...

A John J Garner from Company H of the 9th TN Cavalry, was captured at Tazewell Farm on January 24th, 1864 and was transferred to Rock Island Arsenal Prison, Illinois on February 2nd, 1864. He died there on February 26th, 1864 (source: Fold3) from pleurisy - an inflamation of the tissue surrounding the lungs. There is a NY Times article listing the capture of a Confederate Supply Convoy, including General Vance, in Tazewell, TN on 1/24/1864. The 9th Tennessee Cavalry (Ward's) was in action in that area.The 9th Tennessee Cavalry (Gant's) was in Louisiana.

The headstone, of this John J Garner, lists his unit as Company H of the 9th Kentucky Cavalry, however that does not appear to be correct. The list of prisoners is difficult to decipher. The POW record lists a George W Gaunce on the line above John J Garner and Tennessee was listed as his Unit, with ditto marks for john J Garner. The Gaunce record was corrected to Kentucky, confirming that Geo W Gaunce was from Co. B, 9th Ky in the roster. When that entry was corrected from Tennessee, it appears the Clerk should have corrected John J's ditto marks back to TN, but failed to make the entry. Gaunce was captured at Cleveland, TN which is in the Southeastern part of the State. John J was captured at Tazewell which is in the Northern part.The locations are over a hundred miles apart and the captures were within days of each other. I believe this could be our John J Garner as there is no John Garner listed in the roles of the 9th Kentucky Cavalry. I have researched all 7 John J Garners, who fought for the Confederacy, and have ruled them all out as surviving the war or being buried elsewhere. The burial record card lists his unit as the 9th Georgia, which is another error. In searches of CSA Rosters and records from Fold3, there is no John J Garner on the roles of the 9th Georgia Regiment. The interment records from Fold3 indicate clearly that this John J Garner was from the 9th Tennessee Cavalry and is buried in Grave # 628. I believe this is the son of James Runnels and Martha Curry Garner.

John's wife; Elizabeth Armantha Boyce Garner, remarried in 1868. She married Samuel Miles Sarp, another CSA veteran who served with the 19th Tennessee Cavalry. (Biffle's)

Fred A (Garner) Riegel [email address removed]