Brookings register. (Brookings, S.D.) 1890-1894, 1890-12-19
A JUST DOCUMENT.


Palmer is Honorabiy Discharged.
The following taken from the Sioux
Falls Press OF last Saturday will be
interesting reading for Judge c. 8.
Palmer's many friends:
Yesterday Judge c. g. Palmer 70.
ceived his discharge papers from the
war department for serving as a
soldier in the civil war. In 1862 Judge
c. S. Palmer, OF this city, then only
seventeen years old and living With
his father in Vermont, enlisted under
peculiar circumstances in the army.
He had an older brother, 8. M. Palmer,
who Is, by the way, alive today. The
latter decided one day to join the
army in answer to. the calls being
made by President Lincoln. 1t was
twelve miles from the Palmer home
stead to the company's quarters, and
to Join the journey had to be made.
So one bright day the two brothers
hitcned their fathers team and left
for the camp of Company f OF the
Thirteenth Vermont regiment OF the
volunteer infantry. The Judge was
expected to return and not an lnkling
had he given his parents OF his inten.
tion to join tho army. The separa-
tion between his father and mother
and older brother was one of those
rare family scenes which impress the
participants in q lasting manner. As
the boys were driving across the
country the Judge started out on his
mission TO persuade his brother who
had already enlisted to give up tho
project and let him 90 in hls stead.
Being q minor the judge could not en-
list without his fathers consent. His
older brother secuted the idea pro-
posed. When they reached the COM
pany quarters it was dark and both
retired for the night. Long before
day break the judge arose and dressed
himself in his brothers uniform,
shouldeIed his qua and then woke HIM
mp. The Older protested. but the
Judge remained obdurate and when
the roll call OF the company was made
he answered yes to o. M. PaImer's
name. Throughout the entire service
he always answered to that name.
When he was mustered out he was
mustered out in the name OF his
brother.
The Judge never thought he would
like to have the record OF the war de-
partment changed unf il last summer,
when he was IN Washington and
called on Senator E. imunds, to whom
he told his story, and that gentleman
expressed the opinion that possibly
it would require q special act of con-
gress and referred him to the secretary
of war, Gen. Proctor. The general
was an OLD rIend OF Judge Palmer,
served in the same brigade and knew
the circumstances Of his story. He
promised to attend to the matter
and requested affidavlts TO be filed.
Th. sergeant and surgeon of the COM
pany, who are still living and were
neighbors OF the judge from his boy
hood days and knew all the circum-
stances OF the case, filed their affida-
Wits and yesterday the judge received
a letter from the secretary of war an
nouncing that the war records had
been changed and enclosing an honor
able discharge from the army. After
a quarter of q century has passed by,
q certified discharge is issued from the
war d-par. ment. This paper will be
O. hist OF ical document that should be
previously cared for by the family as
it will be the connecting link OF one of
the most peculiar incidents IN the war.
The National Tribune OF Washington
in commenting upon the cir tances
OF the judges enlist mrnt remarked
that not another has ever come to
light similar TO that oil TudgeP almer's."