Augustus Peabody Gardner (November 5, 1865 – January 14, 1918) was an American military officer and Republican Party politician from Massachusetts. He represented the North Shore region in the Massachusetts Senate and United States House of Representatives in the early 20th century. Through his marriage to Constance Lodge, Gardner was the son-in-law of

Henry Cabot Lodge Henry Cabot Lodge (May 12, 1850 November 9, 1924) was an American Republican politician, historian, and statesman from Massachusetts. He served in the United States Senate from 1893 to 1924 and is best known for his positions on foreign policy. ...

Early life and education

Gardner was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on November 5, 1865, to Joseph Peabody Gardner and Harriet Sears Amory. He was the descendant of Thomas Gardner. His mother died in 1865. After his father died in 1875, Augustus and his two brothers were informally adopted by his uncle John Lowell Gardner II and John's wife

Isabella Stewart Gardner Isabella Stewart Gardner (April 14, 1840 – July 17, 1924) was a leading American art collector, philanthropist, and patron of the arts. She founded the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. Gardner possessed an energetic intellectual cu ...

. He graduated from

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...

in 1886. He studied law at Harvard Law School but never practiced, instead devoting himself to the management of his estate. On June 14, 1892, Gardner married Constance Lodge, daughter of then-Representative and soon-to-be Senator

at Saint Anne's Church in

Nahant, Massachusetts Nahant is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,334 at the 2020 census, which makes it the smallest municipality by population in Essex County. With just of land area, it is the smallest municipality by are ...

Spanish–American War

Gardner served in the

Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (cloc ...

as a captain and assistant adjutant general on the staff of Major General

James Wilson James Wilson may refer to: Politicians and government officials Canada *James Wilson (Upper Canada politician) (1770–1847), English-born farmer and political figure in Upper Canada * James Crocket Wilson (1841–1899), Canadian MP from Quebe ...

and fought at the Battle of Coamo. He served from May 12 to December 31, 1898.

Politics

Gardner was a member of the Republican Party, like his father-in-law. He was elected to the

Massachusetts Senate The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the st ...

in 1899 and served from 1900 to 1901. Gardner was then elected to the Fifty-seventh Congress by special election, after the resignation of United States Representative William H. Moody. Gardner was reelected to the eight succeeding Congresses (November 4, 1902 – May 15, 1917). Gardner was the chairman of the United States House Committee on Industrial Arts and Expositions during the Fifty-ninth and Sixtieth Congresses. In the House, Gardner favored limiting the powers of the Speaker, placing him in opposition to Republican Speaker Joseph Cannon and his allies. He favored restrictions on immigration and a build-up of the American national military, as opposed to reliance on state militias. In 1913, Gardner was the Republican nominee for Governor of Massachusetts, but finished third behind Democrat David I. Walsh and Progressive Charles Sumner Bird.

World War I

Rescue of the Lodges from France

At the beginning of World War I, Gardner's sister-in-law, Mrs. George Cabot Lodge and her children (

Henry Henry may refer to: People *Henry (given name) * Henry (surname) * Henry Lau, Canadian singer and musician who performs under the mononym Henry Royalty * Portuguese royalty ** King-Cardinal Henry, King of Portugal ** Henry, Count of Portugal, ...

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Secon ...

, and Helene) were stranded in France. In August 1914, Gardner traveled to France to extract them and bring them to safety in London.

Resignation from Congress and enlistment

Shortly after the United States declared war on Germany in April 1917, Gardner resigned from Congress to enter the army on May 24, 1917, as a

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

in the Adjutant General's Department. He was first assigned to the headquarters of the Eastern Department at

Governors Island Governors Island is a island in New York Harbor, within the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is located approximately south of Manhattan Island, and is separated from Brooklyn to the east by the Buttermilk Channel. The National Park ...

in New York Harbor and later as adjutant of the 31st Division. Desiring combat duty, he requested and accepted a demotion to the rank of major on December 8, 1917. He was then placed in command of the 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry, 31st Division at

Camp Wheeler Camp Wheeler was a United States Army base near Macon, Georgia. The camp was a staging location for many US Army units during World War I and World War II. It was named for Joseph Wheeler, a general in the Confederate States of America's Army and ...

in Georgia.

Death

Gardner died of

pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severi ...

while on active duty at Macon, Georgia, on January 14, 1918. He was buried in

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...

. In 1923, he was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for meritorious service during World War I. His award citation states, "His entire service was characterized by untiring zeal, devotion to duty and marked success."''American Decorations, 1862–1926''. pg. 706. His other military awards were the

Spanish Campaign Medal The Spanish Campaign Medal was a military award of the United States Armed Forces which recognized those men of the U.S. military who had served in the Spanish–American War. Although a single decoration, there were two versions of the Spanish C ...

and the World War I Victory Medal. Constance later re-married to Major General Charles Clarence Williams, U.S. Army Chief of Ordnance.

References

* ;Notes

External links

Thomas Gardner Society
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gardner, Augustus Peabody 1865 births 1918 deaths Republican Party Massachusetts state senators Harvard University alumni Peabody family Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) Deaths from pneumonia in Georgia (U.S. state) Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts United States Army colonels 19th-century American politicians Harvard Law School alumni Burials at Arlington National Cemetery