Palmer, John McAuley, 1870-1955

U.S. Army officer and author.

From the description of John McAuley Palmer papers, 1863-1977 (bulk 1900-1949). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 76017626

Grandson of Illinois governor John Palmer, graduate of West Point and career army officer attaining rank of Brigadier General. His aunt, Jessie Palmer Weber was librarian at the Illinois State Historical Library for many years.

From the description of Letter, Sept. 10, 1925. (Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library). WorldCat record id: 53398565

West Point graduate, 1892, career army officer attaining rank of brigadier general and grandson of Civil War general and Illinois governor of the same name.

From the description of Manuscript of an army of the people, 1916. (Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library). WorldCat record id: 53398560

Biographical Note

• 1870, 23 Apr.: Born, Carlinville, Ill.
• 1892: B.S., United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y. Commissioned second lieutenant, Fifteenth Infantry Regiment
• 1893: Married Maude Laning
• 1899: Assigned to occupation duty in Cuba
• 1900: Served in the China Relief Expedition during the Boxer Rebellion
• 1901 - 1906 : Instructor of chemistry, United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y.
• 1906 - 1907 : Governor, Lanao district, Philippine Islands
• 1908 - 1910 : Student, United States Army School of the Line and the Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kans.
• 1911 - 1912 : Served on the Army General Staff where he proposed tactical reorganization of the United States Army
• 1916: Published An Army of the People. New York and London: G. P. Putnam’s Sons
• 1916 - 1920 : Returned to the Army General Staff and participated in the organization of the American Expeditionary Forces
• 1917: Assisted in writing the Draft Act of 1917 Selected by John J. Pershing as assistant chief of staff for operations for the American Expeditionary Forces
• 1918: Commanded the Fifty-eighth Infantry Brigade of the Twenty-ninth Division in assault of the Hindenburg line north of Verdun
• 1919 - 1920 : Military adviser, Senate Committee on Military Affairs
• 1920: Assisted in writing the Defense Act of 1920
• 1921 - 1923 : Aide-de-camp to John J. Pershing
• 1922: Promoted to brigadier general
• 1923 - 1925 : Commander, Nineteenth Infantry Brigade, Canal Zone, Panama
• 1926: Retired
• 1927: Published Statesmanship or War. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Co.
• 1930: Published Washington, Lincoln, Wilson. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Doran & Co.
• 1937: Published General von Steuben. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press
• 1940: Assisted in writing the Selective Service Act of 1940\
• 1941: Published America in Arms. London: H. Milford, Oxford University Press
• 1941 - 1946 : Recalled to active duty as adviser to George C. Marshall
• 1955, 26 Oct.: Died, Washington, D.C.

From the guide to the John McAuley Palmer Papers, 1863-1977, (bulk 1900-1949), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)