Civil War Confederate Major General. When the Civil War began, he was serving in the Union Army as a Captain at Fort Bridger in Utah Territory. Sympathetic to the South, he resigned his commission and joined the Confederate Army as a Colonel. He commanded a cavalry brigade at the battles of Shiloh, Perryville and was promoted Brigadier General in the fall of 1862. In March 1863, he was promoted Major General in command of the forces for the defense at Port Hudson on the Mississippi River. On May 27, 1863, the first assault of the Siege Port Hudson began with Gardner's corps completely surrounded by Federal troops. For 47 days, he conducted an outstanding defense of a fortification besieged by a much larger army until forced to surrendered on July 9, 1863. He was taken to a Union prison camp and released in late 1864. After the war, he retired to his family farm in Lafayette, Louisiana.
Civil War Confederate Major General. When the Civil War began, he was serving in the Union Army as a Captain at Fort Bridger in Utah Territory. Sympathetic to the South, he resigned his commission and joined the Confederate Army as a Colonel. He commanded a cavalry brigade at the battles of Shiloh, Perryville and was promoted Brigadier General in the fall of 1862. In March 1863, he was promoted Major General in command of the forces for the defense at Port Hudson on the Mississippi River. On May 27, 1863, the first assault of the Siege Port Hudson began with Gardner's corps completely surrounded by Federal troops. For 47 days, he conducted an outstanding defense of a fortification besieged by a much larger army until forced to surrendered on July 9, 1863. He was taken to a Union prison camp and released in late 1864. After the war, he retired to his family farm in Lafayette, Louisiana.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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