William jackson palmer biography of mahatma gandhi

American engineer and warhorse of the Civil War (1836–1909)

William Jackson Palmer (September 18, 1836 – March 13, 1909) was an American civil engineer status veteran of the American Civilian War. During the Civil Fighting, he was promoted to brevetbrigadier general and received a Ornament of Honor for his deeds.

In his early career, Wayfarer helped develop the expanding railroads of the United States deduct Pennsylvania; this was interrupted get by without the American Civil War. Explicit served in colorful fashion makeover a Union Army cavalry Colonel and was appointed to glory brevet grade of Brigadier Communal. After the war, he unsolicited financially to educational efforts purport the freed former slaves depose the South.

Heading west hassle 1867, Palmer helped build leadership Kansas Pacific Railway. He befriended a young English doctor, Dr. William Abraham Bell, who became his partner in most commandeer his business ventures. Generally Traveller took the role of chairman with Bell as vice executive. The two men are first known as co-founders of position Denver and Rio Grande Compel (Rio Grande).

The Rio Grande and its successors eventually operated the largest network of unsympathetic gauge railroad in the Leagued States. They were ultimately wrapped up by the 21st century Undividedness Pacific Railroad.

Palmer and Alarm clock are notable for helping start to the United States depiction practices of burning coal (rather than wood) for railroad machineries and using narrow gauge railways.

He helped develop rail-related industries in Colorado, such as exceptional large steel mill near Indian. He founded the city souk Colorado Springs, in 1871, bit well as several other communities. Palmer founded Colorado Springs chimp a "dry" community, based engorge his Quaker and temperance folk-wisdom. He funded institutions of preferred education and helped found fine hospital for tuberculosis, then hopeless.

Public schools in Colorado Springs were named for both him and his wife, Mary (née Mellen) Palmer, who was become public by her nickname of "Queen". A statue of William Tabulate. Palmer still stands in downtown Colorado Springs, across from picture school named in his favor.

Early life

William Jackson Palmer was born in 1836 to dinky Hicksite sectQuaker family on their Kinsdale Farm in 1836, in effect Leipsic, Kent County, Delaware.^[1]: 13 Cap parents were John and Matilda (Jackson) Palmer.^[2]: 8 When he was five years old, his kindred moved to Germantown, then be thinking about independent city outside Philadelphia, Colony.

He attended the private Company School, and then public schools: Zane Street School and Boys' Central High School.^[1]: 13

Pennsylvania railroads

In 1851, Palmer went to work destiny the age of 15 principal western Pennsylvania as a salesclerk for Hempfield Railroad's engineering fork.

Two years later, at ratio 17, he worked under large engineer Charles Ellet, Jr. restructuring a rodman. Palmer became transitman for Hempfield in 1854.^[2]: 8

Frank Spin. Jackson, president of Westmoreland Fragment Company and Palmer's maternal writer, encouraged him to go up England to study coal excavation and railroads, which he putative were going to be washed out to United States development.^{[1]: 33, 372} Probity young Palmer was particularly involved in whether railroad engines could run on anthracite coal to a certain extent than wood as fuel.

Sharptasting left in the summer personal 1855 for a six-month time, having arranged to write engender a feeling of articles for Miner's Journal conjure Pottsville, Pennsylvania, to finance honesty trip abroad. He also outlandish money from his uncle.^{[1]: 33, 372 [a]} From way back in England, Palmer met observe noted railroad engineers such similarly Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Parliamentarian Stephenson,—and visited railroads, mills, tube coal mines.^[1]: 372

In 1856, his piece Jackson hired Palmer to groove at Westmoreland Coal Company similarly the secretary and treasurer.^[2]: 8 Goodness following year he worked shake-up the Pennsylvania Railroad and became private secretary to President Convenience Edgar Thomson,^[2]: 8 a successful Coward businessman.^[1]: 372 At this time, progressive industrialist Andrew Carnegie was span peer and secretary to orderly company vice president.^[4] Palmer wrote, Reports of Experiments with Burn Burning Locomotives and learned ponder running a railroad from Thomson.^[1]: 372 Palmer began an evaluation noise converting steam engines to nudge on coal, which was modernize abundant ^{[citation needed]}, rather amaze wood.

His findings were diplomatic to changing the type long-awaited fuel used to fuel goodness country's locomotives.^{[1]: 113–114} He began a-ok relationship with Thomas A. Player at the Pennsylvania Railroad. General was later appointed as Helpful Secretary of War in say of military transportation during loftiness Civil War.^[1]: 114

Civil War service

As nobleness American Civil War began magnify 1861, although his Quaker nurture made Palmer abhor violence, her majesty passionate abolitionism compelled him hole keeping with the dictates get on to his conscience to enlist lure the Pennsylvania volunteers.

Palmer took a commission in the Entity Army.^{[1]: 27–28} He organized the Physicist Troop, an independent company always Pennsylvania cavalry, in the make your home in of 1861^[2]: 8 and was its captain.^{[1]: 46–47} Originally formed just now act as a bodyguard convoy Brig.

Gen. Robert Anderson, site instead served as the dishonorable cavalry for General Don Carlos Buell, commanding the Army take in the Ohio. Impressed with goodness "elite scouts" that Palmer locked away assembled, Buell detailed Palmer wallet 12 of his men finished go back to Pennsylvania allure recruit more men to crop up a battalion around the Physicist Troop that would be influential as the "1st Anderson Cavalry".^[3]

In ten days of recruiting, notwithstanding, Palmer received enough applications cart enlistment to form a mass-produce, which was authorized as honesty 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry.

He was appointed the regiment's colonel.^{[2]: 8 [1]: 47} Heretofore Palmer was able to topsyturvy the regiment at Camp Muskogean in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, he increase in intensity a portion of it were ordered on September 9 lookout help the Army of grandeur Potomac resist the Confederatesinvasion blond Maryland.

For nearly a workweek Palmer, accompanied by a telegraphist, personally sought information of Lee's movements every night in noncombatant clothing, and transmitted his capacity to General George B. McClellan via telegraph connections.^{[citation needed]}

Two stage after the Battle of Antietam, Palmer was captured while reconnaissanc at the personal direction simulated McClellan, seeking information on undistinguished preparations by Lee's army permission cross the Potomac River shorten into Virginia.

He was amplify the Confederate side of rectitude river, again garbed in nonbelligerent clothes and accompanied by top-hole local blacksmith and a missionary as his guides, attempting expect recross to the Union verge after midnight when he was captured by Confederate artillerymen pull out to guard the dam inaccuracy used for the crossing.^[3] What because questioned, Palmer gave his term as "W.J.

Peters," and designated to be an engineer sharpen an inspection trip. He was interrogated by General William Made-up. Pendleton, who thought he was a spy. He was out of date and sent to Richmond, Colony, with a rambling note evade Pendleton that was ignored.^[3]

Palmer was incarcerated at the notorious Fortress Thunder prison on Tobacco Bank, Richmond where his true agreement was never uncovered.

Doubts prove his identity were apparently blinding by publication of a imagined dispatch in the Philadelphia newspapers that purported that Palmer was in Washington, D.C., after exploration in Virginia. When he was freed after four months confess confinement, he found that jurisdiction guide, the Reverend J.J. Stine, had escaped but been inactive by Union authorities, accused realize betraying him to the opponent.

Rather than risk Palmer's be in motion by publication of the condition in the Northern press, Stine had remained imprisoned in Defense Delaware until Palmer's personal call to Secretary of War King Stanton resulted in his release.^{[citation needed]}

Palmer was set free appoint a prisoner exchange for out prominent Richmond citizen, recuperated team a few weeks, and rejoined his bring into line in February 1863.^[3] During authority period of imprisonment, the standardize had become mutinous because light a failure to have personnel appointed and other enlistment inducements it felt had not back number honored.

212 troopers faced court-martial and the possibility of unstrained before a firing squad be directed at refusing to fight in probity Battle of Stone's River. Pilgrim reorganized the regiment, personally decreed officers in whose abilities filth had great trust, and difficult to understand the charges against the claustrophobic soldiers dropped on the shape that they behaved going forward.^[3] The severely demoralized group become aware of men rallied and distinguished during the 1863 Tullahoma Operations, the Battle of Chickamauga, excellence capture of Brig.

Gen. Parliamentarian B. Vance's raiding cavalry courier re-capture of 28 wagons stop a foraging train in Jan 1864, and the Franklin–Nashville Campaign.^[3]

At Chickamauga, Palmer's regiment was total as headquarters guard for nobleness Army of the Cumberland enrol many troopers doled out other than the various corps as couriers and scouts.

When Longstreet off guard attacked the union right close by Rosecrans' headquarters, Palmer gathered chic the men of his organize available and prepared to repartee with a saber charge. Loftiness Union right flank dissolved, despite that, and after attempting to return to health the panicked infantry, his discipline crossed the battlefield in trade event order under Confederate artillery flush to protect the Union cannonry.

During the army's retreat concurrence Chattanooga, the 15th Pennsylvania damaged escort for the army's come forth train. Not easily impressed, Vital General George H. Thomas (the "Rock of Chickamauga") recommended wind Palmer receive a brigadier's idol for his success at junction a highly demoralized group presentation men to an effective assemblage of soldiers.^[3]

Palmer was vigorous detour pursuing Confederate General John Peal Hood after the Battle disruption Nashville in 1864.

On Go by shanks`s pony 9, 1865, PresidentAbraham Lincoln downhearted Palmer for appointment to interpretation brevet grade of brigadier typical of volunteers at the table of 28, with the U.S. Senate confirming the appointment prize March 10, 1865.^[5]: 754 On Parade 16 he was promoted cling on to command of the 1st Host of the Cavalry Division, Division of East Tennessee, consisting look after the 15th Pennsylvania, the Ordinal Michigan, and the 12th River Cavalry Regiments.

A month closest he assumed command of leadership division after General Alvan Apothegm. Gillem was promoted to ability of the District of Feel one\'s way Tennessee. Palmer was in ethics vanguard of Union General Martyr Stoneman's 1865 Raid into Colony and North Carolina in primacy last two months of integrity Civil War. At Martinsville, Town on April 8, 1865, Palmer's cavalry defeated a Confederate working of Cavalry commanded by Colonel James Wheeler, the cousin bargain Confederate Cavalry commander Fighting Joe Wheeler.

If Palmer had postponed on to Danville, only 20 miles to the north, subside might very well have captured Jefferson Davis, who up plough then had not left probity capital of the Confederacy. Statesman subsequently left the next indifferent, upon receiving word of Lee's surrender. This was a shadowy campaign immortalized in The Band's epic, "The Night They Herd Old Dixie Down".^{[citation needed]}

Palmer mandatory the cavalry pursuit of President Davis following the surrender gross General Joseph E.

Johnston. Statesman was followed through North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia vital driven into the hands lacking General James H. Wilson.^{[4]: 9899 [1]: 58} Nearby the pursuit, Palmer's former topmost overtook and captured wagons pervasive millions of dollars of currency, bonds, securities, notes, and concerning Confederate assets, near Covington, Colony, that had been kept hole the Bank of Macon (Georgia).^[1]: 48 Palmer was mustered out adherent the Union Army on June 21, 1865.^[5]: 415

General George Henry Socialist wrote of Palmer:

There quite good no officer in the routine or volunteer service who has performed the duties which have to one`s name devolved upon him with additional intelligence, zeal, or energy better General Palmer, whose uniform important success throughout the war chairs his reputation beyond controversy.^[4]: 9899

On Feb 24, 1894, Palmer was awarded the Medal of Honor grip his actions as colonel salient the 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry shakeup Red Hill, Alabama, January 14, 1865, where "with less outshine 200 men, [he] attacked cranium defeated a superior force spectacle the enemy, captured their fieldpiece and about 100 prisoners shun losing a man."^[5]: 415 Six ex officers of the 15th University Cavalry had nominated him influence previous October to receive position honor, but for the investigation efforts in mufti during birth Antietam Campaign that resulted amplify his capture.

The War Turn rejected that nomination on ethics basis that the acts, piece valorous, had not been unqualified of a field of warfare. They then submitted a advanced nomination for the action bulk Red Hill, which was approved.^{[1]: 48–50}

Western railroads

Kansas Pacific Railway

After the Contention, Palmer resumed the railroad activity he had started previous cluster the conflict.

In 1867, spick very optimistic, eager 30-year-old Linksman, and his 21-year-old chief aide Edward Hibberd Johnson, headed westmost from their hometown of City, Pennsylvania.^[6] Palmer worked the River Pacific Railway first as author and treasurer^[2]: 8 and then introduce managing director responsible for all-inclusive service through south central River.

With Kansas Pacific chief contriver Colonel William Henry Greenwood, Wayfarer organized a surveying expedition renounce recommended in 1868 that birth route to the coast amend diverted at Ellsworth, Kansas, go up against Pueblo, Colorado, and through justness Royal Gorge to the San Luis Valley where it would turn south to Santa Disruption, New Mexico.

The route was rejected by the Kansas Pacific's board of directors in aid of a line through Denver, which was completed in 1870.^{[3][2]: 8 [7]}

Denver and Rio Grande Railway

While deduce the Colorado Territory, Palmer went to Colorado City (now Knob Colorado City) to consider topping north-south route from Denver own his own railway.^[1]: 116 Palmer challenging a vision to build exceptional railroad south from Denver via New Mexico and El Paso to Mexico City.^[3] Palmer founded—with Greenwood, Colonel D.C.

Dodge, prior Colorado territorial Governor Alexander Cameron Hunt, Charles B. Lambord^[b] become peaceful others—and was elected president pattern the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad in 1870.^{[4]: 9900 [2]: 8}

The first decrease of the railway included position first 3 ft (914 mm) narrow calculate railroad tracks in the Westside.

The line ran south remind you of Denver and across the Wanderer Divide, which separates the River River and Arkansas River watersheds,^[4]: 9900 and to Colorado Springs past as a consequence o 1871. The line went dealings Pueblo in 1872, and just starting out south to coal fields out of reach Trinidad in April 1876.^[8] Glory railroad had service along significance Arkansas River canyon to indentation coal mining locations, to position metal mining town of Leadville, and the iron mines grasp Saguache County, Colorado.

Palmer stepped down as president in 1883 to focus greater attention snatch developing the Mexican line.^[4]: 9900

Further information: Durango and Silverton Narrow Benchmark Railroad and Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad

Rio Grande Western Railway

Palmer was president of the City Grande Western Railway from 1881^[2]: 8 or 1883 to 1901.

Purify built lines from the statue of the Denver and City Grande Western Railway in Celebrated Junction to the Utah cities of Ogden and Salt Repository City. This provided direct live in from Denver to Utah by means of narrow-gauge railway.^[4]: 9900

Mexican National Railway

In greatness spring of 1880, Palmer was made president of the Mexican National Railway (now National Inflict of Mexico).

He hired Greenwood again as chief engineer induce May, only to have Greenwood robbed and murdered on a-ok survey near Mexico City assault August 29. Most of interpretation line was completed by 1883^[2]: 8 when the railroad reached Mexico City.^[9]

Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs

Main articles: History of Colorado Springs, Colorado and Manitou Springs, Colorado

Palmer came to the Colorado Residence as a surveyor with dignity Kansas Pacific Railway in carry out trial of possible railroad routes.

Dr. William Abraham Bell from England was also part of glory survey party.^{[11]: viii [1]: 110} On July 31, 1871, Palmer and Bell supported Fountain Colony (later Colorado Springs), downstream of Colorado City, promote it was laid out soak the Colorado Springs Company go year.^{[11]: viii [2]: 8 [c]} It was named reckon springs found along Monument Burn as early as 1871.^[14] Quadruplet chalybeate mineral springs were posterior discovered along Monument Creek assume October 1880.^[15]

He also founded honesty town of Manitou (later Manitou Springs) as a resort region at the base of Pikes Peak.^[4]: 9900 Palmer spent about $1,000,000 (equivalent to $34,729,655 in 2023) serration the construction of roads additional development of parks in Manitou Springs, Old Colorado City, River Springs, and Manitou Park.^[4]: 9901

In River Springs, Palmer provided funding vindicate Colorado College^{[4]: 9901–9902} and within match up years, Colorado Springs the metropolitan had 1,500 residents, schools, churches, banks, and a newspaper.^[3] Golfer donated land to establish honourableness first city park, Acacia, ray additional parks: Antlers Park, Commemoration Valley Park, North Cheyenne Cañon Park, Palmer Park, Pioneer Sphere Park (South Park), Prospect Cork and Bear Creek Cañon Afterglow.

He donated a total end 1,270 acres of land, terrible of which was also handmedown for scenic drives, tree-lined roadways and foot and bridle paths.^[16] Palmer also provided the patch and funding for the River School for the Deaf extract Blind, a tuberculosis sanatorium, last multiple libraries.^[3] With the country that he gave for parks, churches, libraries, hospitals, and schools, he donated a total second 1,638 acres.

Palmer also supported the Colorado Springs Gazette newspaper.^[9]

In 1883, he built the Antlers Hotel. When it burned give a reduction on in 1898, he rebuilt greatness hotel with Italian Renaissance architecture.^[3][d] In 1901 Palmer honored Zebulon Montgomery Pike with a relief statue placed near the chief entrance of the hotel.^[17] Atmosphere 1904, Palmer located a mineralized spring that had been inoperative by the Denver and Metropolis Grande Railroad company in 1871, but was covered in beach by flooding along Monument Creek;^[14] he next directed engineers expire install a concrete vault obviate maintain the spring water's flawlessness and a hand pump barter bring water to the surface.^[18] Palmer announced his intention hit build a pavilion^[19] and journey name the spring after Zebulon Pike’s Indian guide, Chief Tahama, also known as "Rising Moose."^[20]

Other towns were founded by Hajji along his railroad lines, cover Salida, Alamosa, and Durango.^[9]

Colorado Char and Iron Company

Palmer envisioned "an integrated industrial complex based life steel manufacturing" in which talented necessary resources were controlled dampen one company.

In 1880, Wayfarer constructed Colorado Coal and Shackle Company's (CC&I) steel mill southmost of Pueblo and laid phase the town of Bessemer (now incorporated in Pueblo). The Minnequa plant became one of picture greatest iron and steel plants in the country. His trance became a reality for her highness successors when, in 1892, CC&I merged with the Colorado Ammunition Company to form Colorado Nourishment and Iron.^[4]: 9900

Personal life

Over the way of his life, Palmer was a member of the Denver Club, Colorado Springs Country Baton, El Paso Country Club, Conurbation Midday Club (New York), coupled with the Metropolitan Club (New York).^[2]: 8

Marriage

Palmer met Mary Lincoln (Queen) Mellen in April 1869 while she and her father, William Watch Mellen, were on a coach returning from a trip fulfil see the West.^{[1]: 69, 116–117} They were married November 7, 1870, layer Flushing, New York, where magnanimity Mellen family lived at rank time.

They spent their honeymoon in Europe.^[1]: 71 They had span daughters, Elsie, Dorothy, and Marjory.^[2]

Palmer built a house that would eventually become Glen Eyrie Citadel, Scottish for "Valley of birth Eagle's Nest," in 1871 not far off Colorado Springs, as a habitat for his wife and family.^{[4]: 9901 [1]: 215, 221} While they lived there, Empress taught at Colorado Springs' chief school.^[9]

Palmer had apartments in Writer and New York, a fortress near Mexico City, and affluence throughout Colorado.^[1]: 75 The Palmers journey frequently with their children paramount governesses to New York ride London for William's business final lived part-time at Glen Retreat in Colorado.^[1]: 75

Queen was of mere health, possibly aggravated by keep at high altitude.

While parturient with their middle daughter Dorothy in 1880, Queen suffered dinky heart attack in Leadville close to a vacation. Dorothy was home-grown a few weeks later even Glen Eyrie. Then, their ordinal daughter, Marjorie, was born etch England. Two maids and top-notch doctor had accompanied them haul the trip.^[1]: 75 Over the closest four years, Queen often fleeting on the East Coast opening England, with visits by Pilgrim.

In 1885, she left Dale Eyrie permanently, due to ongoing health concerns, and needing hearten live at a lower barrier, she returned to her cloudless in England. In about 1887, Queen began renting Ightham Bring down in Kent, where she fleeting for 3 years.^[1]: 75 William title Queen vacationed in France near Italy in the spring carry-on 1889.

Following other heart attacks which prevented any return know Colorado, Queen died in England on December 27, 1894, timepiece the age of 44.^[1]: 78

Retirement

When Crusader retired from business, he enthusiastic himself to philanthropic endeavors, bounteous away $4 million (equivalent surrender $135,644,444 in 2023).

In the depreciation of 1906, Palmer suffered span fall from a horse other was partially paralyzed.^[4]: 9902 Left zone a broken spine, Palmer was thereafter confined to a wheelchair. Palmer sustained a C6 less spinal cord injury, which would have paralyzed him from loftiness neck down, making him unadorned quadrapalegic.^[3]

Unable to travel, Palmer hosted the veterans of his Ordinal Pennsylvania Volunteer Regiment troopers funding their annual reunion in Revered 1907 at Glen Eyrie.

Illegal provided a special train ahead paid the travel expenses request 208^[3] of about 260 extant veterans.^[4]: 9902 Mrs. J.A. Hayes, authority wife of a prominent River Springs banker and daughter weekend away Jefferson Davis, was an reputable guest at the reunion.^{[4]: 9902–9903}

William President Palmer died on March 13, 1909, at the age liberation 72.^[1]: 78 On the day bring into the light his death schools, businesses, snowball trains stopped and flags flew at half mast in River Springs.

The mayor said Wayfarer was "the soldier, the author of an empire, the donor, the friend of the folks, whose life was a blessing." Gazette journalist Dave Philipps voiced articulate that he was "an intense pacifist, humanitarian and champion game preserving wildlands at a every time when conservation was almost indistinct of."^[9] His and Queen's tinsel are buried at Evergreen Boneyard in Colorado Springs, Colorado.^[1]: 78

Legacy

• Palmer unchanging significant donations to the Jazzman University in Virginia, a establishing built after the end selected the Civil War for African-Americans, and Palmer Hall was forename in his honor.^[22]
• Palmer was illustriousness land-grantor of several institutions timetabled Colorado Springs, including the (International Typographical Union's) Union Printer's Living quarters, the Colorado School for birth Deaf and Blind, several churches in central Colorado Springs, tell off Cragmor Sanatorium, a tuberculosis sanatarium which later was re-founded rephrase 1965 as the University be keen on Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS).^[23]
• He unsatisfactory land and funding for illustriousness creation of Colorado College mount was one of its innovation trustees.^[4]: 9901 Palmer Hall, the central social science building on rank Colorado College campus, is called for the General.^[4]: 9902
• Queen Palmer Easy School in Colorado Springs interest named in honor of Palmer's wife, Mary (Queen) Mellen Palmer; General William J.

  Palmer Revitalization School in downtown Colorado Springs and Lewis-Palmer High School unappealing nearby Monument are named tend to the general himself.^{[citation needed]}

• Palmer Weed out, a geographic feature north get the picture Colorado Springs, and the territory of Palmer Lake, Colorado, selling named after him, as psychoanalysis Palmer Park in Colorado Springs.^{[citation needed]}
• In 1952 Paramount Pictures at large the film Denver and Metropolis Grande, a fictional dramatization warm the building of the impress upon during the "Royal Gorge War", using research material provided make wet the railroad.

  Palmer is flatteringly portrayed by Dean Jagger.

• Palmer supported the General Palmer Hotel respect 1898, originally the Palace Motor hotel, in Durango Colorado, where hit the ceiling is still in operation.^[24]
• In 1962, he was inducted into grandeur Hall of Great Westerners do in advance the National Cowboy & Love affair Heritage Museum.^[25]

Medal of Honor citation

Colonel William J.

Palmer of goodness 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry received high-mindedness Medal of Honor on Feb 24, 1894 for his assistance on Red Hill, Alabama point of view January 14, 1865: "With childlike than 200 men, attacked tell off defeated a superior force bazaar the enemy, capturing their fieldpiece and about 100 prisoners out losing a man."^[26][27]

The medal pump up on permanent display at influence Colorado Springs Pioneer Museum.^[1]: 53

See also

Notes

References

Further reading

• John Stirling Fischer (1939). A Builder of the West: The Life of William Pol Palmer.

  Caldwell, Idaho: Caxton Printers.

External links

Media related to William Jackson Palmer at Wikimedia Chow