Background
James Shedden Palmer was born on October 13, 1810 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, United States. His brother, William R. Palmer, who had risen from a lieutenancy in the topographical engineers to a brevet colonelcy, died in 1862.
James Shedden Palmer was born on October 13, 1810 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, United States. His brother, William R. Palmer, who had risen from a lieutenancy in the topographical engineers to a brevet colonelcy, died in 1862.
After becoming a midshipman on January 1, 1825, James Shedden Palmer served as a lieutenant on the Columbia in 1838 during her cruise around the world, and took part in the attack on Quallah Battoo, Sumatra, in retaliation for outrages on American traders. In the Mexican War he commanded the schooner Flirt and was engaged in blockade duty. At the outbreak of the Civil War he was in the Mediterranean in command of the steamship Iroquois but was soon ordered to the blockade of Savannah. In September his ship was sent to the West Indies to capture the Sumter, which under Semmes had escaped from New Orleans and was seizing Union merchantmen. Palmer found the Sumter in the harbor of St. Pierre, Martinique, and blockaded her, but was unable to prevent her escape one moonless night, for the harbor entrance was some fifteen miles wide and had two openings.
As a result of the disappointment of the North, Palmer was deprived of his command, though later a court of inquiry exonerated him. By the time he was restored to the command of the Iroquois, on May 1862, Farragut had already captured New Orleans. He sent Palmer, however, to take possession of Baton Rouge and Natchez. Palmer also led the Union fleet in the first passage by Vicksburg, and secured the respect of Farragut by remaining under the fire of the batteries to relieve what he thought was a dangerous concentration of fire on the Hartford. Farragut, not understanding the move, shouted through his trumpet, "Captain Palmer, what do you mean by disobeying my orders?" An explanation was given and Farragut never forgot the gallant act. Later he made Palmer commander of the Hartford and the latter piloted it past Port Hudson when the Mississippi grounded and had to be burned.
Palmer succeeded Farragut in command of the Union forces on the Mississippi and so missed taking part in the battle of Mobile Bay. Even in command of the West Gulf Squadron, where he also followed Farragut in the fall of 1864, he had his usual bad luck, for before the attack on Mobile City could take place he was superseded by Henry K. Thatcher. The latter, however, gave official credit to Palmer for the efficiency of the naval forces, and Palmer himself was in command of the ironclads.
On December 1865, Palmer was assigned the command of the West India Squadron in the Susquehanna, and was present at St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, when it was devastated by an earthquake and tidal wave. Probably as a result of his exertions for the stricken inhabitants, he contracted yellow fever and died within a few days. His remains were brought to New York, which he had considered his home, and funeral services were held at the navy yard on December 21, 1867.
James Shedden Palmer was brave and cool under fire, and was accustomed to go into battle dressed with scrupulous neatness and buttoning on his kid gloves as if he were entering a ballroom. Palmer, in spite of a reserve of manner and a dignified bearing which amounted almost to pomposity, possessed a warm and generous nature.
James Shedden Palmer was unmarried.