Charles Gardner
Catagory: history
American Drumline Hero
Charles Gardner grew up in Flint, Michigan and was just thirteen when his father joined the Second Michigan Infantry. Soon after his favorite teacher, S.C. Guild, signed up with the Eighth Michigan Volunteer Infantry. Seeing these two men head off to serve their country made Charles feel as though he too should be helping the cause.
Charley, already a good drummer, pleaded with his mother to let him volunteer and “take the place of a man who can handle a musket.” His mother eventually did consent, and Charley soon after joined the Eighth Michigan – Wandering Regiment.
As his regiment was on its way to Port Royal, South Carolina, Charley and his father were reunited in Washington, DC. This chance encounter was the last time they two saw each other—later that same year, in Alexandria, Virginia, his father died of typhoid fever. Charley’s teacher, Captain Guild, died in the battle at James Island, South Carolina, June 16, 1862.
Charley stayed with the regiment, enduring long marches, short rations and weeks of being besieged in Knoxville, Tennessee. During the siege of Knoxville, Charley was wounded, and appeared to be recovering. Sadly, on his way back to Detroit with his regimen he died.