Civil War Identified Officer's Service Medal of Lt. Alexander Gardner 88th PA Infantry / SOLD

Civil War Identified Officer's Service Medal of Lt. Alexander Gardner 88th PA Infantry - Inventory Number: IDE 035 / On-hold

Fine silver Civil War Officer's service medal: the silver bar at the top of the medal is engraved with the officer's name:  "Lt Alex S Gardner".  From the upper bar is suspended a dark blue grosgrain ribbon that has a metal ring that attached to an elaborately scrolled, silver disk that had Gardner's initials engraved on it.  The back of the top bar has a Civil War period T-bar style pin for attachment to the wearer's coat.  The entire medal; silver and ribbon is in excellent condition.  One of the small Scottish thistles on the engraved disk is missing.  Gardner or Gardiner (as it appears on some rosters) mustered into the 88th PA Infantry in November of 1861 and left service in WIA at Bull Run in August of 1864.  

Medal measures as follows: Length - 4"; Width of ribbon - 1.75".

Accompanied by binder containing soldier's and regimental history.  

Alexander S. Gardiner:

Enlisted on 11/7/1861 as a 1st Sergeant.

On 11/7/1861 he mustered into "G" Co. PA 88th Infantry 

He was Mustered Out on 12/7/1864

He was listed as:

* Wounded (date and place not stated)

Promotions:

* 1st Lieut 11/23/1863 

* Capt 8/21/1864 (Not Mustered)

* 2nd Lieut 11/11/1864 

Other Information:

Member of GAR Post # 10 (Lieut John T Greble) in Philadelphia, PA

Died 12/13/1901

PENNSYLVANIA 88TH INFANTRY (Three Years)

     Eighty-eighth Infantry.-Cols., George P. McLean, George W. Gile Louis Wagner; Lieut.-Cols., Joseph A. McLean, George W. Gile, Louis Wagner, Edmund A. Moss; Majs., George W. Gile, D. A. Griffith, Benezet F. Foust, John S. Steeple, Aaron Bright, Jr.  The 88th regiment, three companies of which were recruited in Berks county and the remainder in Philadelphia, was known as the Cameron Light Guards and was mustered into the U. S. service at Philadelphia in Sept., 1861 for a three years' term.  It was ordered to Washington on Oct. 1, and assigned to guard duty at Alexandria, where it received its arms and equipment.  On Feb. 18, 1862, five companies were detailed for garrison duty in forts on the Potomac, and on April 17, the regiment, reunited, moved to Cloud's mills, to guard the line of the Orange & Alexandria railroad from Bull Run to Fairfax Court House.  May 7, the command was ordered to report to Gen. McDowell and assigned to Gen. Ricketts' division, with which it fought at Cedar mountain, Thoroughfare gap, the second Bull Run, Chantilly, Antietam and Fredericksburg, its heaviest loss being at Bull Run, where 15 were killed, 102 wounded and 48 missing.  It went into winter quarters at Fletcher's Chapel and, with the exception of the "Mud March," remained there until April 28, 1863, when it started on the Chancellorsville movement.  Its part in this was not important, but its service at Gettysburg was brilliant and resulted in the capture of the colors of the 16th Ala. and 23rd N. C.  The regiment shared in the movements of the army during the remainder of the year, ending with the Mine Run campaign, after which it went into winter quarters at Culpeper.  Enough men reenlisted to insure the continuance of the 88th as a veteran organization and on May 3, 1864, it broke camp and spent the next three days in guarding wagon trains on their way to the Wilderness.  Engagements followed in rapid succession at Spottsylvania, the North Anna river Bethesda Church, Cold Harbor and White Oak swamp and on June 16, the command arrived at Petersburg.  Here it was engaged on June 18, and at the Weldon railroad in August, besides performing arduous siege duties.  In Feb., 1865, it joined in the Hatcher's run movement being engaged at Dabney's mills and afterward encamping on Hatcher's run.  It participated in the final assault on Petersburg and in the pursuit after the evacuation of the city and returned to Washington, where it was mustered out of the service on June 30, 1865.

Inventory Number: IDE 035 / On-hold