★ ★  Palmer, John McAuley

John McAuley Palmer

:us34stars:
Palmer 1.jpg


Born: September 13, 1817

Birthplace: Eagle Creek, Kentucky

Father: Louis D. Palmer 1781 – 1869
(Buried: Elmwood Cemetery, Litchfield, Illinois)​

Mother: Ann H. Tutt 1790 –

Wife: Malinda Ann Neeley 1828 – 1885
(Buried: Carlinville City Cemetery, Carlinville, Illinois)​

Wife: Hannah M. Lamb 1838 – 1927
(Buried: Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield, Illinois)​

Children:

John Mayo Palmer 1848 – 1903​
(Buried: Carlinville City Cemetery, Carlinville, Illinois)​
Margaret E. Palmer Jayne 1854 – 1903​
(Buried: Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield, Illinois)​
Harriet Malinda Palmer Crabbe 1857 – 1948​
(Buried: Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield, Illinois)​
Jessie Palmer Weber 1863 – 1926​
(Buried: Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield, Illinois)​
Louis J. Palmer 1865 – 1901​
(Buried: Carlinville City Cemetery, Carlinville, Illinois)​

Education:

Attended Alton College​

Occupation before War:

1835 – 1838: School Teacher and Clocks Peddler​
1839 – 1861: Attorney in Carlinville, Illinois​
1843: Probate Judge in Macoupin County, Illinois​
1847: Probate Judge in Macoupin County, Illinois​
1847: Member of Illinois State Constitutional Convention​
1849 – 1852: Judge of Macoupin County, Illinois Court​
1852 – 1854: Illinois State Senator​
1856: Illinois State Senator​
1859: Unsuccessful Candidate for United States Congress​
1860: Republican Party Presidential Elector​
Palmer.png


Civil War Career:

1861: Member of Washington, D.C. Peace Conference​
1861: Colonel of 14th Illinois Infantry Regiment​
1861 – 1862: Brigadier General, Union Army, Volunteers​
1862: Served in the Battle of Island No. 10​
1862 – 1866: Major General, Union Army Volunteers​
1862 – 1863: Served in the Battle of Stones River​
1863: Served in the Battle of Chickamuga, Georgia​
1863: Corps Commander during Chattanooga Campaign​
Military Governor for Kentucky​

Occupation after War:

1869 – 1873: Governor of Illinois​
1888: Unsuccessful Candidate for Governor of Illinois​
1891 – 1897: United States Senator from Illinois​
1893 – 1895: Senate Chairman of Pensions Committee​
1896: Unsuccessful Gold Democratic Presidential Candidate​
1897 – 1900: Attorney in Springfield, Illinois​

Died:
September 25, 1900

Place of Death: Springfield, Illinois

Cause of Death: Bad Health

Age at time of Death: 83 years old

Burial Place: Carlinville City Cemetery, Carlinville, Illinois
 
Last edited by a moderator:
He was relieved at his own request after a dispute with Gen. John Schofield on August 7, 1864 while Sherman's forces were in front of Atlanta. The dispute was over rank and Palmer was asking to be apart from Sherman's Army. This was were he was sent to departmental command in Kentucky.
 
Palmer Park is a Chicago neighborhood centered on Palmer Square Park. It's a sub neighborhood of the Logan Square neighborhood. The Army of the Cumberland is still playing second fiddle to the Army of the Tennessee. ;-)

076BB082-2B23-4EC6-9850-69D5066DB30A.png
 
When Palmer was named Military Governor of Kentucky he took over responsibility for anti-guerilla activities in the state. In May, 1865, on of the units under his command tracked down and fatally wounded William Quantrill.
He made it clear on his position of "hard war" on guerillas. I read where it was said that guerillas would not be allowed to surrender..."such men will be exterminated".
 
Palmer was, like Black Jack Logan, was one of those political generals who shockingly turned out quite capable. He commanded a division at Chickamauga, performing well in that battle, before being bumped up to command the reorganized 14th Corps at Chattanooga and the Atlanta Campaign. He constantly was in conflict with his superiors in the latter campaigns. At New Hope Church, he complained of his corps being split across the front to support other commands, rather than act as a concentrated force. Things came to a head at Utoy Creek, where he argued over rank, as Schofield, the commander of the Army of the Ohio to which he was attached for the maneuver, was junior to him. He resigned his post soon afterwards, and was reassigned.
 
Back
Top