Original Items. One-of-a-Kind Grouping. This is the tremendous epaulette & Daguerotype grouping of Lieutenant Gustavus Ferdinand Gardiner, 9th Infantry Regiment, who served with the regiment in Mexico seeing heavy combat, and passing away from Typhoid fever on March 16th, 1848, only a month after the end of the war.

The grouping consists of Gardiner’s gorgeous Silver epaulettes with their original fringe still well-retained. Each epaulette has a Federal Eagle button with an I in the shield, denoting Infantry. Both epaulettes are marked on the underside to J. EARLE JUNIOR & CO. of Boston, Massachusetts, which is correct as Gardiner was originally a lieutenant of the Massachusetts Infantry Regiment before being granted a Lieutenancy in the 9th Regiment by the President. The epaulettes are in fantastic condition for their age, as is the case which has some heavy paint chipping on the exterior. There is a ovular compartment in the case which is empty. The case measures 9¾ x 6¼ x 4” and is in good overall shape with the original latch retained. The carrying handle is intact as well.

Also included is a gorgeous Daguerotype photograph of Gardiner, the case for which has broken in half. The photo measures 2⅜ x 2⅞”, and depicts Gardiner in uniform. Also included is a small “Calling Card” of Gardiner & his wife, reading Mr. & Mrs. G.F. Gardiner, the card having been made by a Boston maker. There are two small notes written by Gardiner’s son, Samuel E. Gardiner, identifying the Epaulets as “Worn in Mexican War”. There are also some printed pages of research on Gardiner.

This is a tremendous identified grouping to an officer who fought through the Mexican-American War and died of Typhoid Fever shortly after its conclusion. Gardiner was a native of Rhode Island, a good officer, an honest man, and greatly beloved by all his friends and acquaintances. He left behind relatives in his native State who deeply mourned his decease in a distant land and away from the care and sympathies of a home and its associations. This group comes ready for further research and display.

As a result of the Mexican–American War, in April 1847, the 9th Infantry was again organized, as one of the ten one-year regiments authorized by the Act of 11 February 1847. It was recruited primarily from the six New England states. It was briefly commanded by Colonel (and future President of the United States) Franklin Pierce before Pierce was promoted to brigadier general and commander of the brigade that included the 9th Regiment. Pierce was succeeded by Colonel Truman B. Ransom, who was killed in the assault upon Chapultepec Castle. Ransom was succeeded by Colonel Jones M. Withers, who resigned 23 May 1848, and he was succeeded by Colonel Henry L. Webb.

The regiment served in the Mexico City campaign and was in the Battle of Contreras, Battle of Churubusco, Battle of Molino del Rey and at the Battle of Chapultepec where it took a distinguished part. At the Battle of Chapultepec it was in support of the storming force, but joined with it as a part of the assault on the citadel. Sixteen officers and eleven enlisted men of the regiment were mentioned by name in the report of Major General Gideon Pillow for meritorious conduct in this battle, among the former being Second Lieutenant R. C. Drum, later a general. Another officer who served with the regiment was Major William B. Taliaferro, who became a major general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.