CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1907-09-05
CANON CITY VETERAN TELLS
ABOUT GEN. PALMER'S. RAIDS


ABOUT GEN. PALMER'S RAIDS
8. C. Stinemyer, a resident OF Canon
City, who for some months past has
ben In San Diego, Calf. Is back from
Colorado Springs, where he attended
the reunion of the Fifteenth Pennsyl-
vania Cavalry at the guest OF his old
commander, General Palmer. The gen.
erosity OF the general. who paid the
transportation of all survivors from
their home station to the Springs
was greatly appreciated by Mr.. Slime
myer.
Mr.. Stinemyer Is loud in his praise
of the very enjoyable entertainment
provided by General Palmer. There
are, on the regimental roll. 2s5 sur
vivors of the regiment. Just how many
old soldiers were present at the
Springs had not been decided when
the reunion came to an end, as some
late arrivals had failed to register.
There was big turnout. however. and
every comrade enjoyed himself I'M
mensely.
Mr.. Stinemyer, and in faact all OF
the guests, were pleased to find Gen
eral Palmer In really better health
than they had expected. Instead OF be-
ing fatigued by the mental excitement.
the general seemed stronger at the
end OF the reunion than at the begin
ming. He presided at the last busi-
usual able manner.
The Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cav
airy was one OF the most noted COM
mands OF the Civil War. 1t was organ
lied in the vicinity of Philadelphia,
and went into service with the first
movement south. Mr.. Stinemyer was
under age at that time. however, and
did not join the regiment until two
years before the close of the war. 1t
was then stationed at Chattanooga.
Tenn. The regiment was always iso-
lated from the main bodies OF the
Union army, and most OF Its services
was done in raids and special mis-
sions.
While the fighting at Nashville, in
the latter part OF 1864 was going on,
the Fifteenth was ordered to Hunts
Vile, and later to Decatur. At this time
General Hood had started on his fam
out retreat, and Palmer's regiment
was thrown In the vanguard OF the
pursuers. At Decatur the retreating
army burned the bridge behind them,
but the emergency had been forseen.
and a fiat boat brought down the Ten
nesse river to take Palmer and his
men over. The regiment, only about
300 strong, crossed at night.
After they landed, standing In the
woods In the dense darkness. General
Palmer addressed his men. He told
them that much work would be ex-
pected OF them within the next week
and asked them to be brave and un-
firing.
Then the forced march started. The
pontoon wagons, comprising tfg
pontoon train, were captured. That
night Stinemyer was made a member
OF detail to ride back seven miles
over the wagon road, see that all
wagons were burned and all mules
shot. The detail did It's work we'll, and
the pontoon train was soon a thing
of the past.
The pursuit continued as far as Abb
erdeen. Miss. During the pursuit 210
wagons and provisions were captured
and destroyed and the Fifteenth re-
turned to Decatur with more prisoners
than the membership of the command.
The regiment was then ordered to
Knoxville, where 1t remained in camp
until General Stoneman's raid was
planned. But It was "Stoneman's
Raid" in name only because after
Bulls Gap had been passed. General
Stoneman was deposed and General
Palmer placed In command OF the ex-
pedition. This raid lasted until Lees
surrender. when the regiment was
mustered out with high honors.
The Fifteenth was the only regiment
In the Civil war that ever turned over
good money to the government From
the banks at Rome and Macon, Ga,
3365,000 In did and $675 900 In fed
eral currency was secured and sent
to headquarters. At this time some
two and . half millions OF Confsder-