William Gardner (abt. 1832 - aft. 1864)

Born about 1832 in Ireland

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Biography

William Gardner was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Seaman William Gardner served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: May 20, 1864
Side: USA
Regiment(s): USS Galena, Union Navy

William enlisted in the U.S. Navy on May 20, 1864 in New York.^[1]

USS Galena.

He was assigned to the USS Galena and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Mobile Bay in August 1864.

Research Notes

Battle of Mobile Bay.

From the Naval History and Heritage Command website^[2] :

Citation for Award: As seaman on board the USS Galena in the engagement at Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Serving gallantly during this fierce battle which resulted in the capture of the rebel ram Tennessee and the damaging of Fort Morgan. Gardner behaved with conspicuous coolness under the fire of the enemy.

Reverse: Inscribed "Personal Valor / William Gardner / USS Oneida / Mobile Bay, Aug 5 1864"

Battle Station.

It is unclear why the reverse of the medal mistakenly cites him on board the USS Oneida. During the Battle of Mobile Bay, Admiral Farragut ordered his ships to be lashed together in pairs so that if one were disabled, the other could tow it. Galena and Oneida were lashed together and formed the last pair in the Union column. A Confederate shell struck Oneida’s starboard boiler disabling it. Thanks to Farragut’s pairing of ships, Galena was able to pull Oneida out of range of the fort guns.

When William enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1864, he stated his age, 32, and Ireland as place of birth. His marital status wasn't given but he states that he was a "mariner" by occupation with over a year of experience. He enlisted for a 3-year term. He joined the USS Galena crew on its second commission and the ship was decommissioned in November 1864^[3]

It's unclear how long William remained in the U.S. Navy, but records indicate his highest rank was "cook."

The portrait used in the Wikipedia article^[4] was taken from the "Virtual USS Galena Cemetery" on Find a Grave^[5] but there's no evidence that William became a naval officer and the image lacks additional provenance.

A William Gardner who was born in 1832 in Dublin, Ireland, appears in the Merchant Navy Seamen Records for the United Kingdom. William was aged 24 in 1856.^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Naval Enlistment Rendezvous, 1855-1891," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XGMH-53N : 15 July 2017), William Gardner, May 1864; citing p. 342, volume 34, place of enlistment New York, NARA microfilm publication M1953 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 24; FHL microfilm 2,381,765.
2. ↑ “William Gardner–Medals of Honor,” Naval History and Heritage Command website, accessed 16 Apr 2022, https://www.history.navy.mil/our-collections/artifacts/uniforms-and-personal-equipment/awards/medals/MedalofHonorCU0/william-gardner.html .
3. ↑ .“Galena I”, Naval History and Heritage Command website, accessed 16 Apr 2022, https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/g/galena-i.html .
4. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "William Gardner (sailor)," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=William_Gardner_(sailor)&oldid=970667730 (accessed April 18, 2022).
5. ↑ “William Gardner (1832- )”, USS Galena Virtual Cemetery, Find a Grave Memorial ID 9912331, accesses 17 Apr 2022, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/9912331/william-gardner .
6. ↑ "United Kingdom, Merchant Navy Seamen Records, 1835-1941," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KCQF-59C : 10 December 2017), William Gardner, ; From "Merchant Navy Seamen1835-1941," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing BT 112-116, 119-120, series BT116, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.