John William Tudor Gardiner

John William Tudor Gardiner Born Jun. 5, 1817, Gardiner, ME.​ (Ap'd Me.)

Military History. — Cadet at the Military Academy, July 1, 1836, to July 1, 1840, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to

Bvt. Second Lieut., 1st Dragoons, July 1, 1840.

Second Lieut., 1st Dragoons, Dec. 31, 1840.

Served: at the Cavalry School for Practice, Carlisle, Pa., 1840‑41; on frontier duty at Ft. Leavenworth, Kan., 1841‑42, — Ft. Gibson, I. T., 1842, Ft. Leavenworth, Kan., 1842, — Ft. Gibson, I. T., 1842‑43, — Ft. Washita, I. T., 1843‑44, 1844‑46, — Ft. Wayne, I. T., 1846, — Ft.

(First Lieut., 1st Dragoons, Apr. 21, 1846)

Gibson, I. T., 1846, Ft. Smith, Ark., 1846‑47, — and Ft. Washita, I. T., 1847; in the War with Mexico, 1847‑48; on frontier duty at Crow p50 Wing, Min., 1848, — Ft. Snelling, Min., 1848‑49, — Expedition to the Red River of the North, 1849, — Ft. Des Moines, Io., 1850, — and Ft. Snelling,

(Captain, 1st Dragoons, Oct. 9, 1851)

Min., 1850‑52; on sick leave of absence, 1852‑53; on Exploration of Northern Pacific Railroad route, Apr. 14 to June 17, 1853; on voyage to California, when, by the wreck of the steamer San Francisco,​b he was compelled to return, 1853‑54; and on sick leave of absence, 1854‑55; on frontier duty at Ft. Tejon, Cal., 1855‑58; and on sick leave of absence, 1858‑61.

Major, 2d Cavalry, Oct. 26, 1861.

Retired from Active Service, Nov. 14, 1861, for Disability resulting from Long and Faithful Service, and from Disease and Exposure of the Line of Duty.

Served during the Rebellion of the Seceding States, 1861‑66: on Mustering duty, Apr. to May, 1861; unemployed, 1861‑62; as Superintendent of Volunteer Recruiting Service for the State of Maine, 1862‑63; as Acting Asst. Provost Marshal General, Superintendent of Recruiting Service, and Chief Mustering and Disbursing Officer for the State of Maine, Apr. 22, 1863, to Nov. 17, 1864; as Mustering and Disbursing Officer at Augusta, Me., Dec. 8, 1864, to Apr. 30, 1865.

Bvt. Lieut.‑Col., Mar. 13, 1865, for Meritorious Services during the Rebellion.

Served on Recruiting service, Sep. 1, 1865, to Jan. 1, 1868.

Died, Sep. 27, 1879, at Gardiner, Me.: Aged 62.

See Annual Association of Graduates, U. S. M. A., 1880, for an obituary notice.º

Thayer's Notes: a Col. Gardiner's full name and birth data are from his AOG obituary.

• Coverage of the wreck filled the newspapers for weeks. Interesting accounts are given by several of the survivors in The New York Times, Jan. 16, 1854, in which details are given of Gardiner's experiences, adding to the account in his AOG obituary linked above.
• https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/America/United_States/Army/USMA/Cullums_Register/1042*.html

The Wreck of the San Francisco at sea, east of Charleston, South Carolina

Several times we approached ports in the United States, when by adverse winds we were driven back into the Gulf Stream. We were at one time in sight of Nantucket Shoals, and had to stand out to sea to avoid running ashore. At another time, by soundings, we supposed ourselves to be within •ten miles of Sandy Hook, and three lights being in sight, the Captain became quite sure that they were the Sandy Hook lights, (probably these lights proceeded from the relief steamer Alabama, as she took out a reflecting light). The greatest state of uncertainty prevailed as to our whereabouts, the weather being so thick that for several days the Captain was unable to take his observation. During all this time, the greater part of us has been stowed away in the hold, where one hundred bales of cotton had been taken out to make the necessary room — the Government officer having contracted to pay the highest market value for the cargo that was thrown overboard.

The confusion which had existed on board for several days, in regard to cooking in the galley, had been so great that stringent regulations were enforced by the officers on board, and orders were given that none but two cooks, who were appointed, should enter the galley. Guards were stationed at the doors to prevent intrusion. On the 11th of January, Lieutenant Fremont, the officer of the day, having gone forward, found two sailors in the galley, and gave orders to them to retire, which they refused to do, and on his attempting to eject them, they drew their knives upon him. On this, Lieutenant Fremont called for the corporal, and ordered him to bring the guard up to use the necessary force to carry out his orders, and demanded of the Captain the immediate arrest of the two sailors. Captain Low, however, pacified him by stating that in case these men were placed in irons the crew would mutiny, and they would lose the necessary assistance to work the vessel. Upon these grounds the Lieutenant allowed the matter to pass. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Fremont armed himself with a club the only weapon which at the moment was within his reach — and was about to drive the sailors from the galley. Upon this the crew collected together, and had the Lieutenant not desisted, there would undoubtedly have been a mutiny upon the spot.

On the evening of January 12, while standing in for Sandy Hook in a state of uncertainty as to our positive proximity to the coast, the Captain concluded to put out to sea again. In fact it was his only alternative, as a violent northwester was then blowing, and he was fearful of being driven on the Long Island coast. The crew, however, on ascertaining that the ship was again standing away from the shore, went in a body to the Captain, and refused any longer to perform their duties unless he would steer shoreward. Lieutenant Murray, on ascertaining the facts, immediately went forward, and after stating his position as a naval officer to the crew to give weight to his remarks, convinced them that the Captain was acting judiciously in bearing away, although they had actually extorted a promise from the captain that at 8 o'clock on the next morning he would make for the nearest shore, regardless of consequences. But few of the passengers of the Kilby were informed of this circumstance, and it can readily be imagined in the complication of our miseries, how much additional anxiety was thereby created. All night long we laid upon our cotton bales, praying for the morning. About 4 o'clock I was on deck with many other passengers, when a cry was heard that a ship was lying close by us, which we had not observed in consequence of the dense fog which prevailed at the time, but immediately upon our attention being directed to the quarter in which she lay, a vessel was plainly visibly looming up through the mist. The Captain immediately hailed her, and to the joy of all on deck, a light was seen passing along her deck. The hail was soon answered. Capt. Low stated that we were short of provisions, and the cheering answer, delivered in a stentorian voice, was "Send your boats alongside." The passengers now tumbled out of their berths and from the hold, in every style of garment, anxious to hear anything which might be communicated. The greatest state of anxiety prevailed as to her destination, and this was continued for some time. Owing to the officers being unable to determine who should man the small boat to go on board, Lieut. Murray promptly offered his services; but as it was necessary to effect a contract on behalf of the Government, it was the duty of Lieut. Fremont, the Quartermaster of the Regiment; and he was obliged, at the solicitation of all the officers, to go on board. On the return of the boat which carried Lieut. Fremont on board, word came to send all the passengers over; and, to our joy, we noticed, as the fog cleared away, that the Lucy Thompson was lowering two of her boats, which soon came alongside.

The second disembarkation of the passengers then commenced, which continued for about six hours. All were at length transferred, with the exception of Mr. Faleo, Madame Besse, and Mr. and Mrs. Abrio,º who, with about twelve of the United States troops, volunteered to remain behind to assist the captain in bringing his vessel into port. On reaching the ship, Capt. Pendleton immediately sent provisions and sails to the Kilby, sufficient to last them for several weeks.

I cannot describe the joy which followed, when the passengers, one by one, entered the cabin of the Lucy Thompson. Upon the table we found a most delicious meal of bread and butter, together with abundance of porter. The treatment we received from Capt. Pendleton was the most kind, generous and warm-hearted that one human being could show to another.

The ship was soon under way, and in a few hours a pilot-boat came in sight, and furnished us with a pilot.

The bark Kilby was then almost out of sight. About five hours after the pilot had boarded us we approached in sight of the light ship off Sandy Hook, where we remained until Saturday night, when the steam tug Titan arrived laden with every essential of clothing and provision for our comfort. She had been dispatched by Wm. H. Aspinwall, Esq. The passengers stepped on board and were conveyed to this City. On our way up Mr. Lloyd Aspinwall read a letter from his father tendering the hospitalities of his house to the officers and passengers on board; and my brother, who had also come in the Titan to receive us, read to a crowd of eager listeners the papers containing the particulars relating to the fate of our fellow passengers whom we had left on board the wreck.

I have thus endeavored to give the particulars of our shipwreck in the simplest matter-of‑fact language, without attempting to describe the sufferings of those on board, or to do justice to the noble conduct of the various officers and sailors, or to the Christian resignation and heroism of many of the passengers. No language can adequately describe the scenes of danger and terror through which we have passed; and words of gratitude and thankfulness are fittest to close my hurried narrative of the disaster of the ill-fated steamer San Francisco.

JAMES LORIMER GRAHAM, Jr.

New‑York, Jan. 15, 1854.

Statement of Colonel William Gates, Commander of the Third Regiment of Artillery. The narrative of the events in relation to the disaster on board of the steamer San Francisco, I perceive, has been given by different persons who have preceded me. They are mainly correct. The whole number of persons under my command was about 520. This includes the women and children. Of these 106 were transferred on board of the Kilby, and brought to this port. I estimate that of the whole number which embarked for California from 200 to 220 were swept overboard by the raging sea. The names of the officers and citizens who were lost, including my son, Charles, have been given. On the second night of our voyage, when the vessel received the most furious dash of the wave which swept off the saloon, taking with it about 180 souls, the baggage and other property on deck, and throwing upon me and upon the heads of those below above a ton and a half of water, every soul believed that our time had come. Com. Watkins came aft and called for volunteers to aid him in endeavoring to save the ship. I cannot say too much in praise of this gallant commander and his equally gallant officers, to whose unremitted and untiring zeal for several days we are indebted for the salvation of our lives. When the good ship Kilby appeared in sight, on the morning of the 28th inst., notwithstanding the sea was then running at a great height, the Commodore boarded her with his boat, and soon made arrangements for the Kilby to receive on board all that vessel would contain. On his return the Commodore requested me to embark those under my command on that vessel. Fortunately the storm abated considerably, and we were able to carry to the Kilby 106 souls. The vessels had been tied together with a hawser, to facilitate the embarkation, but during the night the force of the gale parted the hawser, and in the morning we were out of sight. We cruised about, endeavoring to find the San Francisco, for three days without meeting with any success. It was fortunate for us that our Commissary, Lieut. Loeser, had contrived when the embarkation took place, to send over some bread and bacon. The boats which were used to convey us over were in a leaky condition, from not having been used for some time. The boats of the San Francisco — eight in number — had all been swept away, previously, by the gale. After we had searched for the San Francisco three days, Capt. Low — a most skillful commander, and a noble fellow — stated he considered it to be his duty to put all on board on short allowance, and to make his way, without further delay, to the nearest land. His sails, at that time, were badly tattered; and this, with the high seas, conspired to prevent their making more than •three miles an hour. The entire amount of provisions which we had on board, it was estimated, would last six or seven days, but we contrived to make them last sixteen days, by putting all upon an allowance of •a gill of water, a gill of tea, and a gill of corn per day. The corn was cooked in various ways, but latterly was parched. The Almighty was pleased to send us rain and snow on two occasions, to relieve our wants; and had it not been for these fortunate supplies we must have perished. So short of provisions, indeed, was the Kilby, that I think if it had not been for provisions and water taken by us from the San Francisco, the crew of the Kilby must have perished, for they had not a pound of meat on board when we reached that vessel. We feel bound to thank Captain Low for his noble conduct, and to praise the Almighty for his providence while we were tossed about in the Kilby at the mercy of the waves. As it is, we have been able to reach the land without the loss of a single person on board of that vessel, although we were afflicted with distresses and slight diseases from the want of sufficient food and water, more or less. On Wednesday last, although we were within •ten or twelve miles of land, we had the horrible prospect presented to us of being compelled to put out to sea again. We were during the night blown off fifty miles or more But, on Friday last, while in the midst of utter despair, the good ship Lucy Thompson, under the command of the generous Capt. Pendleton, hove in sight; and thus the Almighty again sent to our rescue a noble ship. It is with unbounded gratitude that I express my thanks to this gentleman for his kind and humane reception and entertainment of us all.

Mrs. Gates spoke also in high terms of approbation of several others who had been instrumental in saving life. Among them were Dr. Satterlee, Lieut. Charles Winder and others. She also spoke highly of the attentions of several of the waiters, among whom was a young man named Isaiah Carter; and further, of the hospitable treatment in the Lucy Thompson, by the officers and crew.​

Thayer's Notes:

• Sewall Fremont is given his correct rank of Captain in Colonel Gates' account.

• Among those not mentioned in these accounts, West Point graduates Lt. Col. Indicates a West Point graduate and gives his Class.John M. Washington and Capt. Indicates a West Point graduate and gives his Class.Horace B. Field both drowned.

• https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/America/United_States/_Topics/history/_Texts/newspapers/NY_Times/1854/January_16/Wreck_of_the_San_Francisco/survivors_accounts*.html