George Henry Palmer – Major, United States Army

George Henry Palmer of New York.
Bugler, Troop G, 1st Illinois Cavalry, 24 April to 9 October 1861
First Lieutenant, 83rd Illinois Infantry, 21 August 1862
Captain, 4 February 1863
Honorably mustered out 26 June 1865
Second Lieutenant, 27th U. S. Infantry, 22 January 1867
Unsassigned, 14 June 1869
Assigned to 16th U. S. Infantry 15 December 1870
Captain, 20 March 1885
Major, 4th U. S. Infantry, 11 January 1899
Retired 27 February 1899
Awarded Medal of Honor, 10 March 1896, for most distinguished gallantry in action at the battle of Lexington, Missouri, 18, 19 and 20 September 1861, volunteering to fight in the trenches and also leading a charge which resulted in the recapture of a Union hospital together with the capture of rebels then occupying the same while serving as bugler, Company G, 1st Illinois Cavalry Volunteers.
Died 7 April 1907

He earned the Medal of Honor while serving in the Civil War as a Musician with the 1st Illinois Volunteer Cavalry at Lexington, Missouri, on September 20, 1861. The Medal was actually presentled to him on March 10, 1896.

Palmer remained in the Army, serving long and hard with the 4th United States Infantry.  On his death in 1901 he was buried with honors in Arlington National Cemetery.

His son Bruce Palmer, Brigadier General, United States Army, and his grandson, Bruce Palmer, Jr., General, United States Army, also both buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

PALMER, GEORGE H.

Rank and organization: Musician, 1st Illinois Cavalry. Place and date. At Lexington, Missouri, 20 September 1861. Entered service at: Illinois. Birth: New York. Date of issue. 10 March 1896.

Citation:

Volunteered to fight in the trenches and also led a charge which resulted in the recapture of a Union hospital, together with Confederate sharpshooters then occupying the same.

PALMER, GEORGE H
MAJOR 4TH US INF

• BURIED AT: SECTION 3  SITE 2104
  ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

PALMER, ESTELLE HOBEN W/O GEORGE H

• DATE OF DEATH: 11/01/1933
• BURIED AT: SECTION SO  SITE 2104
  ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
• WIFE OF GH PALMER, MAJ 4TH U S INFTY

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard