The Fort Delaware Society database contains a rather terse entry for a staff Lieutenant J. S. LANIER who was housed at Fort Delaware in the Officer's Pen and released upon taking the Oath on 12 JUN 1865. This information came from a prison transfer record obtained from the National Archives and does not show when he arrived at the Fort. We do not have this man's Compiled Military Service Records.

Major General Franklin Gardner came to Fort Delaware on 22 JUN 1864 and was sent off to Charleston Harbor on 25 JUN 1864 with The First Fifty. "Captain John S. LANIER" is not listed among them.

The National Park Service's Index to the CMSR lists a 2nd Lieutenant John S. Lanier in the General and Staff Officers records. The officer in the Cowan photo appears to be wearing the collar markings (2 bars) of a 1st Lieutenant.

Are all of these records for the same man? If you have his CMSR, the Fort Delaware Society would appreciate receiving a copy for our archives to update our database.

Hugh Simmons
Fort Delaware Society