Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-20
GEN. PALMER AS A SOLDIER.
The Commander-in-C Chief and His Military
Record.

The Commander in Chief and His Military
| Record.
HOW HE WAS WOUNDED AT FIVE FoRKs-THE
BATTLE AS IT WAS OBSERVED FROM TIE
| RANKs-PRoMoTED FROM PRIVATE THROUGH
ALL THE GRADES TO CAPTAIN.
| One Of the busiest men in the country today
| Is Gen. Palmer, commander-in-chiefo Of the G.. A.
| R. The election to the command Of the Grand
Army, he says, does not bring only honor.
| There is a great amount Of labor attached to
the exalted position. and he says he will be glad
! when the hour comes to turn over the exacting
| duties to some one else. Gen. Palmer is well
! known to every one in the city OF Albany, where
| he resides. Greetings are extended to him
| right and left, from young and old, as he walks
along the streets, and the Little General" as
he has been titled, is most genial in his respon-
/ sive greetings. Not only do his comrades see
in him the commander Of the G. A. r., but as
Albanians they fully appreciate the honor in
| his election to the lofty position, as the first
| man in twenty years that New York could
unite upon for the Office. Since his election he
has been untiring in his devotion to the in
| terests of the order. He has Travelled over
| 40.0 900 miles visiting the different states
and soldier gatherings. His administration has
been noted for the vigorous orders that emanated
| from his pen, and from the published accounts
of his visits to all sections of the country it
would certainly seem that lie is extremely pop
ular with the rank and file of the Grand Army
| of the Repubhc. As speaker he is bright and
witty and Of genial nature, but behind his
genial manners is n force that indicates that
when he has once made up his mind to do a
certain thing no amount Of persuasion can
change him.
Gen. Palmer enlisted on the 10th day Of Sep
| TENDER as private In company B, ninety-frst
New York volunteers, at Albany. He was pro-
NOTED corporal, sergeant, sergeant major,
| second lieutenant first lieutenant, acting adju-
| tant and captain 1t is his proud record that
| he participated in every battle in which his
| regiment was engaged. At the assault on Port
Hudson he was detailed In charge OF the am
| bulance corps transporting wounded from Port
Hudson to Springfield Landing
| WOUNDED AT FIVE FORKS.
| 1t was at Five Forks that Gen. Palmer re-
ceived the injury for which he is now a pen
stoned soldier. In Albany, the city of his home,
there we're those who endeavored to cast asper-
sion on his character, and. with a zeal that
| would have been commendable in mere hon
| orable course Of action, both secretly and
openly accused him of an act Of great disloy-
atty. 1t was said that the injury for which he is
receiving pension was received by having a
/
| petition. Thistle was given such encourage
ment that it was with difficulty that Gen.
| Palmer got in advance Of it and prevented its
further spread. Afidavits by the men who had
hauled him out from under the horse, as they
supposed, In dying condition and carried him
| to the rear succeeded in eventually mailing the
lie.
Then there happened little incident ct the
encampment at Rochester that effectually set at
| rest the ugly rumor. Gen. Palmer relates the
| incident:
~ was standing with q group Of comrades re-
lating incidents and anecdotes Of the war when
| Q soldierly- BLOCKING man came up to whore / was
standing and accosted me:
els your name Palmer2' he said.
II told him that 1t was and he then con-
tnued: Well, you may not remember me, but
| now remember you very we'll
There was nothing about the mans features
that remembered and told him that he had
the advantage OF me.
rtson; live in Ellenville, Ulster county, N. Y,
and have been commander Of post there. The
| first time that remember seeing you you were
in command Of the left wing Of tho infantry ut
the battle Of Five Forks April l, 1885, were you
not2' a.
1.-THE fact was was not in command Of the
left wing, but commanded the extreme left COM
| pany of the line Of infantry in that engage
ment, company G Of the ninety first New York
veteran volunteers.
| wen, sald Garrison. Ithlnk lam rlght now
ever. You remember that on your left was the
| cavalry. Tho infantry charged in direct line
and the cavalry came up in an oblique line. 80
that when we reached the woods where Lee's
army was intrenched the infantry and the cav
| airy cane together
"'That was exactly the positions, remarked,
wondering what the man was driving at, and
| adding, as l thought Of the first time in four
years campaigning that came near to death,
Il have the best reasons In the world to rcmem-
| Der it,
"'Yes,' said Garrison, we had Just entered
the wood and you were in advance Of your COM
mand, when a cavalryman's horse was shot and
fell square upon you
| Imagine my astonishment. who in the
| name of all that's wonderful are you?' asked
| "'Weli, will tell you,' and he went on to re-
late:
| "I was major in command Of that cavalry.
| My ad1utant's horse was struck with piece Of
| shell, carrying away portion Of the animals
hoad. He dismounted and bad Just jerked of
the saddle when the horse staggered and fell
| over on you. l saw you dragged from under
the horse and carried to the rear. Since then
have often heard Of you. but have never met
You before. When heard you speak on the
floor OF the convention today asked a COM
rade your name, when he replied John Palmer.
The voice, the name and Five Forks flashed
| across my mind and in an instant recognized
you"
| GEN. RALMER's War STORY.
Gen. Palmer has related to STAR reporter
the incidents Immediately attending his injuries
| at Five Forks:
''The enemy" he said, "sppreciating the
great strategic value Of the position known AZ
Five Forks, where five roads met in the woods,
endesvored to cover it with long line of en-
trenchments. We bad been steadily advancing
for three days, with very unfavorabls weather,
TO gain Possession Of Five Forks. waxren be-
gan to move the infantry corps early in the
morning q IL S1st fex tAs adyanss upoa -