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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Private · U.S. Army

Peter W. Gardiner

Private Peter W. Gardiner, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on April 23, 1875 at Sappa Creek, Kansas during the Indian Campaigns.

Indian Campaigns April 23, 1875

Private Peter W. Gardiner was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on April 23, 1875 at Sappa Creek, Kansas during the Indian Campaigns. At the time he was serving with Company H, 6th U.S. Cavalry. Gardiner was about 34 years old.

7 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on November 16, 1876.

Gardiner was born in 1841 in Carlisle, Schoharie County, New York. His Medal of Honor is credited to New York, New York. Gardiner died in 1883 in Fort Lowell, Arizona, at the age of about 42. Records also list him as Gardner, Peter W..

Gardiner is one of 426 Medal of Honor recipients from the Indian Campaigns and one of 678 credited to New York.

Official Medal of Honor citation

With five other men he waded in mud and water up the creek to a position directly behind an entrenched Cheyenne position, who were using natural bank pits to good advantage against the main column. This surprise attack from the enemy rear broke their resistance.

Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.

Timeline

  1. 1841
    Born in Carlisle, Schoharie County, New York
  2. April 23, 1875
    Act of valor — Sappa Creek, Kansas
    Age about 34. Company H, 6th U.S. Cavalry
  3. November 16, 1876
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. 1883
    Died in Fort Lowell, Arizona
    Age about 42.

Also honored for actions on April 23, 1875

JA James F. Ayers Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1875 MD Michael Dawson Trumpeter · Army Indian Campaigns · 1875 EH Elisha Simpson Hornaday Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1875 JL James Lowthers Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1875 FP Frederick Platten Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1875 Marcus M. Robbins Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1875 RT Richard Longstreet Tea Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1875

Same unit

JC John Connor Corporal · Army Indian Campaigns · 1870 JH John Harrington Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1874 TK Thomas Kerrigan Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1870 GK George Krause Kitchen Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1874 WM William W. Morris Corporal · Army Indian Campaigns · 1874 ES Edward Clay Sharpless Corporal · Army Indian Campaigns · 1874 CS Charles E. Smith Corporal · Army Indian Campaigns · 1870 AS Alonzo Stokes First Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1870

More Indian Campaigns recipients from New York

BI Bernard John dowling Irwin Assistant Surgeon · Army Indian Campaigns · 1861 WD William de Armond Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1874 ✦ JM John McHugh Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 William McBryar Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1890 JS John P. Schnitzer Wagoner · Army Indian Campaigns · 1882 JO John Francis O'Sullivan Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1874
Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.