Cañon City record., 1907-03-28

provement League, that anything
about him is just now of interest to
Canon City readers.
The following story of General
Palmer in war times Is taken from
the History of the Fifteenth Pennsyl-
vania Cavalry. written by Col. S. X.
Mcclure, for years editor OF the Phila-
delphia Inquirer:
An interesting story may be here
told OF the methods by which infor-
nation was obtained to guide the ac-
tions of great armies. / was then
assistant adjutant general of the
United States, assigned to duty at
Harrisburg TO make a draft under the
state laws OF Pennsylvania There
was no military force on the border
and not even an officer of the army
who had exercised any command of
troops. was compelled, therefore,
to exercise what little military au-
thorIty could be enforced under the
circumstances, and Governor Curtin
ordered a half-organIzed regiment OF
cavalry, that Capt. w. ]. Palmer was
recruiting at Carlisle, to report to me
at Chambersburg for duty as scouts.
| thus became commander OF an
army of nearly 100 men, or about one
man to each mile of border ! had TO
guard: but Captain Palmer proved TO
be a host within himself. as he ent-
cred the confederate lines every night
for nearly a week under various dis
guIses, obtained all Information pos
sible as to the movements of Lees
command. and with the aid of William
B. Wilson, an expert telegrapher. who
was cooperating with him, attached
his instrument to the FIRST telegraph
wire he struck and communicated to
me all movements OF the enemy, pres
ent and prospective. as far as he had
been able to ascertain them.
As rapidly as these kilograms
reached me they were sent to Gov
ernor Curtin, who promptly forward
ed them to the war department,
whence they were FASTENED TO General
McClellan's headquarters, who was
then moving through Maryland
against Lee: and all the important In
formation that Mcclellan received
from the front OF Lees army until
their lines faced each other at Anue-
tam. came from Captain Palmer's
nightly visits within the enemy's
lines and his prompt reports to me in
the morning Howell Cobb's division
finally reached as far north as Ha-
gertown. and Captain Palmer spent
most OF the night within Cobb's camp
and learned from leading subordinate
officers that the destination OF Lees
army was Pennsylvania, and that
Cobb's command would lead the
movement probably the next day,
II need hardly say that | hastened
the information TO Curtin. who hur-
ried II through to Washington.
whence Mcclellan received Il within
a few hours. Mcclellan was then ig-
norant of the exact movements OF
General Reynolds. whom he had sent
to Pennsylvania to organize n force
Of emergency men and bring them TO
the aid OF Mcclellan in western Mary
land. He did not know, therefore.
who was in command at Chambers
burg or what force was there. but
doubtless supposed that either Rey-
nolds or some part OF his command
was already there on Its way to join
him. General Mcclellan, on receipt
OF the news that Lee was likely TO ad-
vance into Pennsylvania. sent sub
stantially this telegram to the COM
mander of Chambersburg, without
naming him II am advised that
Lees probable destination is Pennsyl-
vania, and II he shall advance In that
direction, concentrate all your forces
and obstruct his march until can
overtake him and give battle"
The occasion called for prompt ac-
ton. As was the commander and
had less than 100 men, all told, and
not twenty OF them within fifteen
miles OF me. the prospect OF concsn-
trating my forces and marching out
to meet one OF Lees army corps was
not specially enticing. I promptly ad-
vised Curtin OF the situation and OF
the orders had received from Nc
Cleilan. Thaddeus Stevens happened
TO be in the executive chamber when
message was received. and McClel-
lan's order to me to confront one OF
Lees army corps with my force,
which did not amount to corporal's