One of the apprentices on the paper for eighteen months, was Harry Palmer, who became one of the best newspaper men in this section. He was born at Mount Zion, Clearfield County, Pa., December 22, 1843. He was a song of Rev. Henry Palmer, a Methodist minister, his father and mother were pioneers in Northern Pennsylvania. He enlisted in Company H, Ninth Pennsylvania Reserves in the month of April 1861; enlisted for “three years or during the war” in the month of May 1861, at “Camp Wright,” up the Allegheny river; reached Washington City just after the first battle of Bull Run; took part in the battle of Dranesville, the first victory won by the Army of the Potomac; shot through the body at the battle of Gaines’ Mill, front of Richmond; prisoner of war 45 days, confined in Crew’s tobacco warehouse and on Belle Island; paroled with “desperately wounded”; off duty 10 months; rejoined regiment night before the first Fredericksburg fight; captured by Gen. White’s guerillas on Meade’s Mine Run advance; served almost a year in Andersonville, Savannah, Charleston jail yard and other Southern prisons, and gained liberty by assuming the name of a dead sailor, William Morrison, as a special parole of sailors had been agreed upon between teh Federal and Confederate Secretaries of the Navy. His regiment had been discharged several months before his release, and he reached home as one risen from the dead. Served in the Civil War 3 years and 7 months. He served in the Spanish-American War as Color Bearer of the Tenth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, U.S. Infantry; took part in the battle of Malate, below Manila, on the night of July 31, 1898, and morning of August 1, 1898, when the U.S. forces captured Manila; had charge of the sharpshooters of the Tenth Pennsylvania Regiment on the morning of the 1st of Augsut, at Malate, and was commended by Colonel A. L. Hawkins for the good work of his men. Discharge papers, signed by his Colonel, read as follows:
“Character excellent, and a model soldier.”
He was over 12 years in the service of the “Pittsburgh Chronicle” as printer and solicitor; nine years with “The Beaver Valley News” as advertising solicitor; one year as manager of the “Daily Herald” McKeesport, Pa., nine years as owner and manager of “The East Liverpool News Review;” now located at Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California, with The Pacific Real Estate Company, Palmer, Cate & Co.
Currently a resident of Burke, Virginia - I'm originally from the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I have been a student of the Pennsylvania Reserves since 1997 and thoroughly enjoy telling their story. By trade I'm a former IT Professional but presently working as a Letter Carrier for the United States Postal Service.
