Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 08.djvu/198

 PALMER

PALMER

PALMER, James Shedden, naval officer, was born in New Jersey in 1810. He was warranted midshipman in the U.S. navy, Jan. 1, 1825, was promoted passed midsliipman, June 4, 1831, and lieutenant, Dec. 17, 1836. In the Mexican war he ct>mmanded the Flirt on blockading duty: was i>ronioted commander, Sept. 14, 1855; com- manded the Iroquois of the Mediterranean squad- ron in 18G1, and was tran^^ferred to Dupont's Atlantic blockading fleet. His failure to capture the Confederate privateer Sidiiter in West Indian waters in 1861 called for an investigation, through which lie wjis exonerated and restored to his command. He was promoted captain, July 16, 1862, and commanded the Iroquois, which led the advance in the passage of the Vicksburg bat- teries, forcing the surrender of Baton Rouge and Natchez, and taking part in the fight with the ram Arkansas. In the passage of Vicksburg, when the admiral's flagship stoi)ped her engines to enable the vessels following to close up. Cap- tain Palmer, fearing that the Hartford was dis- abled, stopped the Iroquois, which led the line, in order to draw the fire from the forts, and thus relieve the admiral's ship. This action at first called for the censure of the admiral, but when he comprehended the motive, he accepted the courtesy and Captain Palmer became his close friend. He was pronioted commodore, Feb. 7, 18G3, and in March, 1863, served as Farragufs fleet captain in the passage of the Port Hudson batteries. He was naval commander at New Orleans, La., in 1864, and afterward commanded the West Gulf squadron in the capture and de- struction of blockade runners. He conducted the movement that resulted in the fall of Mobile and led the first division in the final attack on the city. He was promoted rear-admiral, July 25, 1866, for services during the war, and was placed in command of the West India squadron. In the "Life and Letters of Farragut " he is warmly praised as an officer. He died of yellow fever at St. Tliomas. AV.L. Dec. 7, 1S67.

PALMER, John McAuley, senator, was born at Eagle Creek, Scott county, Ky.,Sept. 13, 1817; son of Louis D. and Ann (Tutt) Palmer, both natives of Virginia, and great-grandson of Charles ^IcAuley, who emigrated from Ireland. His great- grandfather, Thomas Pahner, came to Virginia from England, and liis grandfather, Isaac Palmer, was a soMier in the American Revolution, 1776- 84. His father was a soldier in Col. Jolm Allen's regiment in the war of 1812. He escaped the massacre at Raisin River and was married in 1813. The family removed to Christian county, Ky., during John's boyhood, and in 1831 to within ten miles of Alton, 111. He received his first in- struction from Isaiah Boone; learned the trade of plasterer; attended Alton college in 1834, but

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leaving for lack of means to pay his tuition, was employed as a cooper, peddler and school teacher; studied law, 1835-38; was admitted to the bar in 1839, and practised in Carlinville, 111., 1839-61. He was the defeated Democratic candidate for county clerk in 1839,

and in 1840 he sup- ported Martin Van Buren for president. He was judge of pro- bate for Macoupin county, 111., 1843-47; a member of the state constitutional con- vention of 1847; judge of probate, 1848; coun- ty judge, 1849-51, and a member of the Illi- nois senate, 1852-54. As a Democrat he did not agree with his party on the slavery question, resigned from the senate in 1854, and was elected by the anti-Nebraska faction in 1855. He was president of the Republican state convention of 1856, resigned his seat in the senate a second time in 1856, and was a delegate to the Republi- can national convention at Philadelphia, June 17, 1856, where he supported the nomination of Judge McLean for the presidency, although he preferred Fremont and worked privately for his nomination. He was defeated as Republican candidate for representative in the 36th congress in 1858; was an elector at large from Illinois on the Lincoln and Hamlin ticket in 1861; a delegate to the Peace congress at Washington, D.C., in Feb- ruary, 1861, and was elected colonel of the 14th Illi- nois infantry in April, 1861. He accompanied Gen. John C. Fremont in his expedition to Spring- field, Mo.; was promoted brigadier-general of volunteers, Dec. 20, 1861; assigned to the com- mand of the 3d division under Gen. John Pope, and took part in the capture of New Madrid, March 14, and Island No. 10, April 8, 1862. He commanded the 1st brigade, 1st division, Arniy of the Mississippi, during the siege of Corinth, April 30-May 30, and was ordered liome May 29, on account of sickness. He organized the 122d Illinois volunteers in August, 1862, and in the following September was assigned to the com- mand of the 4th (afterward the 1st) division, Crittenden's left wing. Rosecrans' Army of the Cumberland, at the battle of Stone River, Nov. 29, 1802, where he was promoted major-general of volunteers, and in the battle of Chickamauga commanded the 2d division, 1st army corps, Sept. 19-20, 1863. He commanded the 14th army corps in the Chattanooga campaign and in the Atlanta campaign until August, 1864, when he