Item No. 1551169

Oliver Hazard Palmer was a reluctant colonel. When President Lincoln called for additional volunteers in the summer of 1862 Palmer had been supportive, working to organize recruits from his native Rochester into the 108th New York Infantry. When the man selected to lead the regiment withdrew on the eve of battle, the 47-year-old Palmer, who lacked any kind of military education or experience, was appointed in his place as colonel. With little time to train his men, or himself, the 108th was rushed to join the Army of the Potomac during the panic surrounding Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s invasion of Maryland. In their first battle—Antietam—the 108th lost nearly two hundred men in their attack on the “Sunken Road.” December found the regiment attacking another sunken road—this time at Fredericksburg.

By February the reluctant Colonel Palmer has had enough and on the 28th writes to his wife that he had “worked up my courage to the sticking point and this morning presented my papers to the Sec of War asking to be relieved.” Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, Palmer writes, “glanced over the papers and simply remarked it was a strong case but they disliked to part with good officers.” He continues:

I think my resignation will be accepted. It is possible I may be required to go to the Regt and offer it there. I hope not, but must wait & see. It has required a good deal of effort to reach this point, but I am so thoroughly satisfied that my duty is at home that I dare not let the pride of feeling control.

Noting that “my entire business will be broken up unless I am where I can attend to it,” he adds that their “manner of living” would also be broken up. “This I can’t consent to unless under compulsion.” He promises to write her again in a few days and instructs her not to “say anything about what I am doing out of the family.”

Palmer next relates having met with the wife of General John H. Martindale, who was then Military Governor of Washington, DC. “She wants her husband to resign and he is quite disposed to do it,” he writes, but as a West Point graduate Mardindale “lacks the excuse of want of military education.” New York Senator Ira Harris, Palmer writes, “wants me to hold on.” He then writes of meeting General Edwin V. Sumner, under whose command the 108th served at both Antietam and Fredericksburg. Sumner, who would die in New York just three weeks later, “seemed very glad to see me” and, when asked for his thoughts on Palmer’s resignation, “said don’t do it.”

Of Washington Palmer writes, “it is one sea of mud here.” The city was packed, “every hotel crammed full of guests.” He then writes that he had difficulty finding a room, even at his “pet home” the Kirkwood House, and that the proprietor “gave me his room for the night.”

Palmer’s resignation would be accepted and he was discharged two days later on March 2 and he returned to civilian life.

The letter was written on three pages of a bifolium letter sheet measuring about 5” x 8”. It is in very good condition with light toning and minor soiling along the top margin. Creased at the original mailing folds. The full transcript appears below.

Washington Feby 28, 1863

My Dear Wife
I have worked up my courage to the sticking point and this morning presented my papers to the Sec of War asking to be relieved. I can’t know the result until Monday morning. He glanced over the papers and simply remarked it was a strong case but they disliked to part with good officers. I think my resignation will be accepted. It is possible I may be required to go to the Regt and offer it there. I hope not, but must wait & see. It has required a good deal of effort to reach this point, but I am so thoroughly satisfied that my duty is at home that I dare not let the pride of feeling control. I fear Geo. E. will give out, and if he should my entire business will be broken up unless I am where I can attend to it. This, of course, would involve breaking up manner of living generally. This I can’t consent to unless under compulsion. I will write you again on Monday. In the meantime don’t say anything about what I am doing out of the family. I have to get a letter tonight from home for I am exceedingly anxious to learn how you are getting along.

I called on Mrs. Martindale last evening and spent an hour or more. She is feeling quite sad. She wants her husband to resign and he is quite disposed to do it. He lacks the excuse of want of military education. He is exubatious in his approval of my cause. Senator Harris wants me to hold on. I met Genl. Sumner yesterday in the street. He seemed very glad to see me. I told I thought of retiring. He said don’t do it, at present at any rate, but he can’t know the reasons requiring it as well as I do. And of course I could make no explanation to him. I am very glad to meet & find him so cordial.

It is one sea of mud here. Every hotel crammed full of guests. I had hard time to get a room even at my pet home the Kirkwood. One of the proprietors absolutely gave me his room for the night. I have seen my friend [Davis?] and found him well. Have agreed to call & see his wife.

Kiss my darling babies including Jasmine and take care as ever
Yours affectionately
O. H. Palmer