Macoupin County IL - George Levi Palmer - Civil War Veteran

Donated by Linda Gatewood
Linda writes, "The real credit goes to Lulu Kate Palmer Davis Leslie Boyd, my great grandmother.  She worked on the family genealogy well into her 90's and left mountains of pictures, letters and documents."

Jack Cox is a gr gr grandson of George Levi Palmer

George Levi Palmer enlisted at Carlinville, Macoupin County, Illinois on July 19, 1861, joining Company K of the 7th Illinois Volunteer Infantry as a Private. He was described as having brow eyes, brown hair, dark complexion, height 5 ft 10 in. On December 21, 1863, he was discharged to reenlist in the same company as a Veteran Volunteer. In October 1862, George was captured at the battle of Corinth, Mississippi. He was mistakenly reported killed in action but was later paroled near Vicksburg. In October 1864, he was captured again at the battle of Allatoona Pass, George, was kept as a prisoner at Andersonville, then escaped to rejoin his unit. He was mustered out on July 9, 1865. The 7th Illinois was unique in that the soldiers purchased and carried the Henry Repeating Rifle, a lever action 16 shooter. The following information is a quote from the adjutant's report for the 7th Illinois:

"The 7th, armed with the Henry rifle, (or 16 shooter,) did gallant and fearful work - successfully repelling four separate charges made by the desperate and hungry enemy on the line occupied by them - its torn and bleeding ranks told at what a fearful cost. Its colors, under which fell many a gallant bearer that day, were never lowered. colonel Rowett, who commanded the Seventh the last four hours of the battle of Allatoona, where Sherman had stored millions of rations, while according to all the highest meed of praise for gallant conduct and stubborn courage, insists that without the aid of the 16-shooters, French's 6,000 rebels would have overwhelmed the gallant 1,500 of The Pass."

Linda writes, "George was living in Grafton at the time of his death (Dec. 6, 1897).  The headline in the newspaper read: Shot for a quarter.  It was originally reported that a George H. Palmer was shot but W. G. Secor, his old comrade wrote a letter and the answer proves that the conclusion they were one and the same person was correct.

I believe this article was in the Greenfield Newspaper."
"The following extracts from his letter (George Palmer) will be of interest to many of our readers  as Mr. Palmer was favorably known by a great number of them. The letter was written by a friend, as Mr. Palmer had not recovered sufficiently to use the pen:

Mr. Palmer made up a raft on Macoupin  Island and run down to Otter Creek and had to cut it up in order to get it through the narrow channel there.  They had several very large logs in the center of the raft that we not fastened and when the raft was taken apart those logs floated down the river, but not out of sight.  A man by the name of Walker caught one of them and tied it up.  When Mr. Palmer came by with his raft he and one of his men took the log and put it in the raft.  They did not get more than half a mile when Walker came down the bank of the river with his gun and demanded pay for catching the log.  Mr. Palmer told him he would pay him and wanted to know how much he wanted.  Walker would not say and did not say until after he had done the shooting, when he told them he only wanted 25 cents.
Mr. Palmer was shot from the center of his thighs on both legs to the soles of his feet.  Blood poison set in and he has had a very serious time.  His legs and feet are much better now, but it has left him very weak, so much so that he must be lifted like an infant.  He say tell all his old comrades that he thinks of them ofter, especially Harvey Valentine.  The prospects for his getting along all right are very good.  The raft has about 300 logs in it and all of them are extra large and must be moved  with a boat.  It is lying about six miles above Grafton and it places Mr. Palmer in a financial strait until it can be towed to St. Louis.  Your letter did him a world of good and he extends an invitation to his comrades and friends to come and see him when convenient.

Mr. Palmer was one of the brave members of Col. Dick Rowett's famous regiment, Co. K, 7th Ill. Infty..and was a comrade of our citizen, H. L. Valentine.  He served his country faithfully and was one of Andersonville's prisoners for many terrible months.  It is a shame that such a man be shot down by such an unprincipled wretch for the paltry sum of 25 cents.  His numerous friends in Greenfield hope for his early recovery and that the inhuman brute that caused his agony may meet his just desserts."

Note:  George Palmer did not recover and died December 6, 1897.  I found where the trial began for Mr. Walker but did not find anything on the outcome. Sorry to be so long winded but I thought some of the people and places might be of interest to you.