The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-28

The Kind or Fighting He Did Described in Er-
tracts from Ofhcini

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir: While
reading a history of the Twenty-second lseSi-
ment, y. G. S. y. V, by George w. Wingate.
some time ago. / remember coming across the
name Of Asa Bird Gardiner, who was a Captain
in the regiment. The historian states that the
enemy threw some shells into Carlisle. one of
which struck a building, wounding Capt. Gar
diner; but states also, very ingcnuously, that
the gallant officer was nevertheless able to
mount his horse and ride away the next day.
This is. no doubt, the distinguished service for
which the "Colonel" received his e medal Of
honor" and it is the only medal granted to any
of the officers or men of the regiments compos.
ing Smiths brigade, COUGHS division OF the De.
partmcnt of the Susquchanna.
When the Confedcrltes invaded Pennsylvania
in 1868 the War Department called on the New
York and Pennsylvania militia to turn out, and
issued &. o. No. 1876, June 80, 1863. promising a
medal of honor to all the troops from other
States that volunteered for service in Pcnnsyl-
vania. Gen. George w. Wingate calls it "a
medal that is usually only promised for distin-
guished and desperate services. as a forlorn
hope" "Col." Asa Bird Gard ner is the
o ly one OF the 1901 militiamen that
threw down the pen and the yardstick
and rushed to the assistance OF the Government
who has claimed and received the reward of
OF ofr tHc Vent aG tty .secomd f Reriment tfc Ma G. thf $ n =, =,
in which Asa Bird Gardiner was n Captain, will
show in what estimation these troops were held
by tho officers placed over them by the War
Department.. Here Is an extract from Gen.
smiths report to Gen. williams. Assistant
AdiutantGeneral, Army OF tho Potomac page
29i-5):
My ommand 10 an incoherent mass. and II
1t Is to join the ARM OF tho Potomac l would
suggest : at the ~brigades. five in number be at.
tached to old divisions. ana thus dispersc the
greenncss. They cannot be manuuvred, and as
a m II is quite helpless except in the
kind of duty l have kept them on in the noun.
tains. / have here about 1000 men, and | sup.
pose 1000 have struggled since | left Carlisle.
! am utterly powerless and without aid in the
short time allowed to me 10 infuse discipline
into these troops"
Gen. Couch wrote thus to Gen. Meade July 9,
1868:
Gen. Smith. on the 4th and 9th. received
your orders. Al l A. NJ. to-day / directed him
to obey your orders, unless he found the enemy
in retreat and could operate effectively where
he had been ordered to strike at Cashtown OF
Chambersburg. He should have nearly 1000
men. but one.nalf are very worthless, and 1000
cavalry, with n battery, can capture the whole
party in an open country
After returning from this arduous campaign
IN the mountains of Pennsylvania with the mil
lila, forty mil, . away from the field OF Gettys
burg, Col" Gardiner received an appointment
the Judge Advocates department. What n rec
ord! Two years and three months after thu
sumter gun reused the North to arm Asa BirC
gardiner woke up and joined a militia regiment
HOW many fond mothers, whose eager mpctu
GUS boys donned the blue uniform and followed
that their sons were not rs careful OF themselves
- thn w%onld-1e District Attorney, of Create
New York GEORGE f.. BARTON,
4l0 Union street. borough OF Brooklyn.