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THE MUTINY IN GENERAL PALMER'S 15th PENNSYLVANIA

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Contributed by: Dave Hughes on 4/19/2008

There is no more contrast imaginable between the victorious actions in the first years of the Civil War of the 1st Colorado Volunteer Infantry Regiment at Glorieta Pass, N,M., while Colorado City was the Territorial Capital, and the mutinous actions of General Palmer's 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry at the Battle of Murfreesboro, Tenn., December 1862.

The actions of the 15th Pennsylania, which some called the "worst mutiny of US troops in the Civil War," sharply contrast with the actions of the outnumbered 1st Colorado in March 1862 in winning what others have called the "Little Gettysburg of the West." Halting Confederate dreams for a Western Empire.

But we have a big statue of General Palmer on a horse in downtown Colorado Springs. He's called a "Civil War hero" by those who live east of I-25 and go to school there. But there is not even a stone marker in the original Colorado City on West Colorado Avenue to commemorate the decisive victory against the Confederacy in the west or celebrate the hero of Glorieta Pass, Colonel John Chivington, whose battlefield actions saved Colorado - and Colorado City - for the Union.

Never heard this history before? And you think Palmer was a hero, and Chivington only a 'Sand Creek Massacre' heel?

Well, it's time to lift the veil of myth from the real history of these two men and what went on in 1862, 10 years before Colorado Springs, where there are no springs, was even founded.

The facts are not in dispute. It's the interpretation of those facts, what facts have conveniently been forgotten or suppressed, and how local people have been taught to believe, that makes the difference.

First, Glorieta. The Civil War started in April, 1861, just as Congress authorized Colorado Territory. The only Federal troops that were in or close to Colorado Territory were called eastward to fight the war. There were shootouts in downtown Denver City between hot headed abolitionists and sesessionists. Jeff Davis, President of the Confederacy, knew what Pikes Peak or Bust meant as well as did President Lincoln. Gold. Which both needed to finance their war.

Davis sent 4,000 Texas Confederates up the Rio Grande through New Mexico toward Denver to capture Colorado's gold fields. The brand new first Governor of Colorado, William Gilpin saw the threat, signed $375,000 in promissory notes on the Federal Treasury to raise the 1st Colorado Volunteer Infantry Regiment to march south to oppose the Rebs.There wasn'tenough money for horses.

Gilpin offered Methodist Reverend Chivington the Chaplaincy of the Regiment. Chivington refused. He wanted to fight those sinful slave owners. So he was made a Major, the third ranking officer of the Regiment.

In a celebrated forced foot march, the 1st Colorado traveled 400 miles between Denver City, through Colorado City, to Fort Union in northern New Mexico - the last 92 miles being covered in 36 hours in a snow storm

The first Colorado beat the all-mounted Texas Confederate Army to Fort Union, with all its supplies the rebs wanted.

Over the next week, Major Chivington led the units that whipped the rebs in Apache Canon, capturing 80, and then marched around the flank of the Texans in the dark and utterly destroyed all the supplies of the Confederate Army, which was forced to retreat all the way back to Texas.

All through it he was an inspirational combat leader. A huge man on a big horse, he was a target they never hit. When the milktoast of a Regimental Commander Colonel Slough resigned near the end of the battle, the officers of the 1st Colorado petitioned General Canby to make Chivington the Colonel of the Regiment. He did so.

The 1st Colorado marched back to Colorado City, where it camped for two months being outfitted with horses, and became the 1st Colorado Volunteer Cavalry.

The 1st Colorado then rode forth to fight the Indians who took advantage of the drawdown of troops to the east and started attacking settlers and blocking even stagecoaches from reaching Denver. That culminated in Sand Creek, which some call a massacre, but a lot of us call it a Battle giving the Cheyenne and Arapahoe what they deserved. Even then they killed Colorado City young boys afterwards.

Now Murfreesborough and the 15th Pennsylvania. The Civil War was starting up, so Captain William Palmer, having formed a smaller unit called the Anderson Troop, approached the Union Leadership and said he would raise a regiment of the finest Pennsylvania boys as the 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment, provided they would not be used in "offensive combat." Palmer's ideas was to create elite soldiers to guard the headquarters.

Well, no commander in his right mind would make that deal. In fact, when Palmer approached General Sherman, he said no, and wrote the Assistant Secretary of War, "I merely desire to put it on the record that even such guards at this time are vain things."

But a General Buell was more amenable. Anderson Troop became his bodyguard and by August of 1862 the Regiment was recruited and formed from 1,000 educated, moneyed young men from Pennsylvania, whom Palmer promised would only be used as elite guard units in defensive action.

Then Palmer did a stupid thing. On his own, with two civilians, he rode off into Confederate territory in civilian clothes to spy. He had hoped to "determine Lee's movements and intentions." He was captured, and for four months, posing as a civilian he was first imprisoned, then parolled with other civilians and set free.

While he was a prisoner, from his own foolishness and ego, 'his' Regiment was moved into position. General Rosecrans, commanding the Army of the Cumberland, needed all the force he could get. He ordered the 15th Pennsylvania into the line at Murfreesborough. The Lt. Colonel commanding fell sick, and abandoned the Regiment. Only 16 officers and 200 men obeyed orders and rode off. Some 546 stacked arms and refused to go. Because they were from the most prominent families in Pennsylvania, the senior officers did not want to court-martial them. Political.

It was a mess. Replacement officers were appointed, but only 34 mutineers obeyed an order to march the next time. A small number of those who obeyed when they went into action, their carbines, having mud in their barrels, exploded.

Then another attempt to pursue retreating Confederates resulted in being counterattacked, and the two remaining field grade officers were killed. Before a mass courtmartial was held, Colonel Palmer got back to the unit. He got control of the unit at last, after his actions at a critical time led to the worst mutiny in the war. And a disgrace to the honor of the Union Army.

They did serve credibly to the end of the war. For later actions, Palmer was awarded the Medal of Honor (nothing like the standards of the current one) and made a General right near the end.

Then with money from England arranged by Dr. Bell, he went into the railroad business and founded Colorado and Manitou Springs with 16 Army buddies, having as little to do with Colorado City as possible. And with a compliant District Court Judge, even beat out John Chivington for title to 80 acres in the heart of Manitou Springs which he had purchased fair and square in 1864.

Fast forward. In 1907 when it was time for the Last Reunion of the Veterans of the 15th Pennsylvania, Palmer was invalided from a fall from a horse and couldn't travel to Pennsylvania. But being rich by then paid for the travel of 271 vets from Pennsylvania to Colorado Springs at his expense. For two weeks the 'veterans' partied in the Antlers Hotel, adored by the townsfolk, and celebrated by the press. And not one thing was said, or printed in the Gazette, or ever mentioned in the 784-page Unit History of the 15th Cavalry, that 109 of the 271 men who attended are still shown in Federal Rolls as mutinous and deserters.

But there is a lot in the Federal Records. But as I say, we have "General" Palmer on a big horse downtown. And nothing in Old Colorado City.

Its about time to put up a statue to Colonel Chivington, the real hero of the Civil War here in the West, on that slab I had put down next to the Bancroft Park Cabin 30 years ago, and awaits a Civil War marker of some type. To mark when Colorado City won in the West, while General Palmer was losing it in the East.

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Showing 1-10 of 12 comments

Submitted By: Dave Hughes

posted on 4/30/2008 @ 8:19:23 PM

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'prejudiced and angry.' No, as a Colorado Springs Native with a very long both military and civic career, I can't stand Hypocrites. And believe you me I found that hypocricy abounds in this city. Starting with a City Council and town leaders who call themselve 'conservative republicans'who are against 'government' intruding into 'business' but then turned around and used the government power of Urban Renewal and Eminent Domain to DESTORY the history of downtown. Pure doubletalk. And can you believe than downtown Chamber of Commerce were AGAINST the revitalization of what YOU now know as Old Colorado City! Because they had screwed up downtown, were jealous, and tried to prevent the Mayor putting economic development federal funds into the run down westside! I had to fight them all the way for 30 years.

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Submitted By: Dave Hughes

posted on 4/30/2008 @ 8:05:51 PM

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The General went right to the OFFICIAL US Government records of the Civil War, among other sources. If you simply go to Google and 'Civil War' and Murfreesboro and the 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry, even today you will read LOTS of academic sources for the Civil War - one of the MOST researched wars in our history.

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Submitted By: Ingrid Mcdonald

posted on 4/30/2008 @ 7:32:33 PM

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I wonder what references the General used to gather these facts. What original sources were available. His research was done far after the incident. Your "comments" to Ms. Hartshorn do make you sound prejudiced and angry.

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Submitted By: Dave Hughes

posted on 4/30/2008 @ 8:01:21 AM

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And why, even though the city pours $800,000 a year in tax money with 12 full time employees into the 'Pioneer's' Museum, has it IGNORED ALL THESE YEARS COLORADO CITY (there never has been a display of ITS history) - which is why we had to create our OWN Historical Society, create our OWN non profit, all volunteer, Museum, and sponsor our OWN History Programs.

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Submitted By: Dave Hughes

posted on 4/30/2008 @ 7:59:34 AM

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Sorry, Dianne, the reality for 130 years was, and still is, that greater 'Colorado Springs' east of I-25 looked DOWN on, first Colorado City Pioneers, then Colorado City between it and Manitou and THEN the Blue Collar working class WESTSIDE even after annexation. And until I came along (even though I grew up on Millionaires Row Wood Avenue) in 1976 and started researching, celebrating its SEPERATE history (from Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs), and restoring its buildings (after the hot shots of Colorado Springs DESTROYED their downtown buildings, 'Old Colorado City's ' Frontier, Pioneering, Indian Fighting, Gold Rushing, Railroad, Gold Mill history would have disappeared without a trace! Palmer and Bell's towns have had all the attention so far. Old Colorado City now has its share.

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Submitted By: Dave Hughes

posted on 4/30/2008 @ 7:40:30 AM

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My facts about Palmer's military service are impeccable. (1) The fact was Palmer wanted to be appointed commander of elite, moneyed, young Pennsylvanians who would NOT have to actually go out and fight Confederates! (2) Whose fault was it that his mutinous troopers did not want to fight when ordered to because (a) he PROMISED them they would not have to and (b) he, without orders foolishly got himself captured as a spy. The fact was (c) they Mutinied - and disobeying orders to fight FOR WHATEVER REASON is a courts martial offense. Soldiers don't get to pick their officers. So why, if their actions were legitimate did they LEAVE OUT any mention of that in their own Unit History? And why did the Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph. Palmer's paper 45 years later conveniently forget that 'incident' when they wrote up the Antlers Hotel Reunion?

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Submitted By: Dave Hughes

posted on 4/30/2008 @ 7:29:39 AM

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Now as for Palmer not wanting to extend his railroad into Colorado City with 'its saloons and brothels' the fact is (1) there WERE no saloons or brothels in Colorado City in 1871 - it was a quiet agriculture, with ordinary pioneer folk. What Palmer wanted was an UPSCALE TOWN OWNED BY HIS RICH INVESTORS BROUGHT IN FROM ENGLAND BY DR BELL, MOST FROM ENGLAND WHO BOUGHT THE 10,000 ACRES EAST OF COLORADO CITY. And did you know he pulled that scheme off THREE TIMES more? He pushed his railroad into the Wet Mountain Valley NEXT TO BUT NOT INTO Silver Cliff, Bell and his English Investors bought up the lots and killed off Silver Cliff by founding WESTCLIFFE (spelled with an 'E' from Bell's home in Dover England) And then he did that killing off Animas City, by the same way killing it while founding DURANGO! And his Railroad.

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Submitted By: Dave Hughes

posted on 4/30/2008 @ 7:20:10 AM

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Ha Ha. Lots of points to refute, Dianne. Lets start with 'Queen Palmer.' I thought she was born in England (perhaps rich Pennsylvania?) because even though Palmer build Glen Eyre for her, she never liked frontier Colorado, and while she had a medical problem, she left Palmer and Colorado, first went back east and MOVED with her THREE DAUGHTERS to England and never came back!

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Submitted By: Dianne Hartshorn

posted on 4/25/2008 @ 8:03:34 PM

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Mr. Hughes please put yourself in Mr. Palmer's place. If you wanted to bring in a railroad, and the railroad would bring prosperity to the region, would you want to locate it in an area of saloons and brothels? I love the west side but let’s be realistic. In regards to your research, you are a very learned man and a wealth of information, but one may question your facts in regards to Mr. Palmer. You said Queen Palmer came from England. She most certainly did not.

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Submitted By: Dianne Hartshorn

posted on 4/25/2008 @ 8:03:03 PM

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I do believe your feelings are prejudiced since Palmer did not set up his railroad in Colorado City but created his own community in Colorado Springs. You say Colorado Springs had no springs, but have you read about Monument Valley Park? General Palmer donated it to the city. It actually had a spring, Tahoma Spring.

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Showing 1-10 of 12 comments

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Dave Hughes

Colorado Springs , CO

Dave Hughes has posted 69 stories and 79 comments since joining on 3/1/2007. Dave Hughes 's average story rating is 4.89.

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