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Black Hawk War Message Board :: Black Hawk War :: Black Hawk War General Discussion :: Cholera deaths in Black Hawk War Author Topic: Cholera deaths in Black Hawk War (Read 76 times) diane New Member member is offline Joined: Aug 2009 Gender: Female Posts: 2 Cholera deaths in Black Hawk War « Thread Started on Aug 1, 2009, 7:43am » I'm new to this board. I have been searching for my ancestor, Thomas (?) Palmer from Philadelphia , Pa. who supposedly fought in this war and then died of cholera. I have found that many soldiers did die of cholera in the war. But I have not been able to find my Thomas Palmer . First off, was it possible that someone who lived in Philadelphia ( children and wife living in Philadelphia) was fighting in this war? Would that have placed him in a regular army unit? Secondly, where can I find listings of soldiers not from Illinois who served in the war? And/or a list of those who died from cholera while serving. I am not positive his name was Thomas , but that was the family lore handed down. Any thoughts or help greatly appreciated. Thanks- Diane Link to Post - Back to Top   Logged Larry Koschkee Full Member member is offline Joined: Mar 2002 Gender: Male Posts: 586 Re: Cholera deaths in Black Hawk War « Reply #1 on Aug 4, 2009, 10:19am » Hello Diane, The sources for searching for Palmer would be Militia Muster Rolls for the State of Illinois. The Illinois State Historical Society of Springfield IL published the rolls in book form in 1970. They were compiled and edited by Ellen Whitney along with a collection of books on the Black Hawk War. Unfortunately, the rolls have not been digitized. Iowa County Militia of the Michigan Territory (present day Wisconsin) have been digitized and I checked them for Palmer and got a hit for a Austen Palmer, Sergeant, who was stationed at Fort Blue in Captain James Jones company. United States Army records for the time may be found at the National Archives in Washington DC. I did a search for Palmer in Whitney's publication and came up with a Zalmon C. Palmer who was in the 6th U.S. Infantry. An account indicates he was in charge of 60 regulars at Dixon's Ferry and some of the regulars were deserting their post there for fear of cholera. The same account indicates Palmer had some health issues while at Dixon's Ferry but there was not specific mention of cholera. Should you want more information on this Zalmon C. Palmer...let me know. Larry Koschkee « Last Edit: Aug 4, 2009, 10:29am by Larry Koschkee » Link to Post - Back to Top   Logged Larry W. Koschkee "We must turn away from white man councils and go down the Red Path of life to TAWAPAHA (victory)." - Big Walker, Hotcangara Nation, 1828 diane New Member member is offline Joined: Aug 2009 Gender: Female Posts: 2 Re: Cholera deaths in Black Hawk War « Reply #2 on Aug 4, 2009, 7:21pm » That's great! Thanks Larry. I am thrilled with any leads. I did some more digging on the Cholera plague and found that on July 4 1832 a steamer "arrived in Detriot with several companies of soldiers under the command of General Winfield Scott ". They were on route to the war but the Asiatic cholera had broken out on board and then the disease was spread onshore. Another site said the Irish immigrants brought the disease to New York City where it was passed to the troops. Also that "federal soldiers from the east were recruited " to fight in the Black Hawk war. So it is entirely possible that my Philadelphia Palmer was fighting or attempting to fight in this war. I would greatly appreciate anything you find on any Palmers in the war. I did run across a Capt Palmer but I doubt that was my Palmer. I have been unable to find his wifes' name or their marriage in the Philadelphia area , so I am really drawing straws with this soldier. Thanks again for the reply- Diane Link to Post - Back to Top   Logged majmchenry New Member member is offline Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 18 Re: Cholera deaths in Black Hawk War « Reply #3 on Aug 9, 2009, 7:18pm » Actually, the Illinois Militia Rolls have been digitized and they are available online via the secretary of states of states office. You are correct, Whitneys Black Hawk War, have not been digitized, this is unfortunate, because it holds a plethora of information on the war that is extremely valuble to the serious researcher. I purchased a copy a few years back and paid $130.00 dollars for the set, it has assisted me greatly. « Last Edit: Aug 10, 2009, 10:58am by majmchenry » Link to Post - Back to Top   Logged Larry Koschkee Full Member member is offline Joined: Mar 2002 Gender: Male Posts: 586 Re: Cholera deaths in Black Hawk War « Reply #4 on Aug 10, 2009, 3:42pm » Illinois Militia Muster Rolls digitized...OK. Just as recent as last month I talked to the Northern Illinois Library and Illinois State Historical Society and they advised the rolls are not digitized. Link to Post - Back to Top   Logged Larry W. Koschkee "We must turn away from white man councils and go down the Red Path of life to TAWAPAHA (victory)." - Big Walker, Hotcangara Nation, 1828 gorentz Junior Member member is offline Joined: Apr 2004 Gender: Male Posts: 52 Location: Battle Creek, MI Re: Cholera deaths in Black Hawk War « Reply #5 on Sept 3, 2009, 6:36pm » Aug 9, 2009, 7:18pm, majmchenry wrote: You are correct, Whitneys Black Hawk War, have not been digitized... The first two of Whitney's volumes are online at archive.org. The OCR job is not particularly good, but I find it handy just the same. I wish the 3rd one would find its way there, too, as well as the separately printed index. Link to Post - Back to Top   Logged John Gorentz gorentz Junior Member member is offline Joined: Apr 2004 Gender: Male Posts: 52 Location: Battle Creek, MI Re: Cholera deaths in Black Hawk War « Reply #6 on Sept 3, 2009, 6:48pm » Aug 1, 2009, 7:43am, diane wrote: Secondly, where can I find listings of soldiers not from Illinois who served in the war? And/or a list of those who died from cholera while serving. Diane, the Allen County Public Library in Ft Wayne has a large set of microfilm records of men who served in the various Indian wars. It has been several years since I used them, and I was looking for names of those who served in the Michigan militia during the BHW, so didn't pay much attention to soldiers in the regular army, if they were indeed listed there, too. Since then I've come up with names of several Michigan men who probably served in the regular army when they still lived back east, but I haven't gone to check those records yet. There is probably a set of these microfilms in Salt Lake City, too. The Library of Michigan has a very small subset of them, I'm not sure why. If you were looking for a fairly complete list of Michigan militia men, you'd now go to Le Roy Barnett's book (published in 2003). Link to Post - Back to Top   Logged John Gorentz majmchenry New Member member is offline Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 18 Re: Cholera deaths in Black Hawk War « Reply #7 on Nov 25, 2009, 5:59pm » Aug 10, 2009, 3:42pm, Larry Koschkee wrote: Illinois Militia Muster Rolls digitized...OK. Just as recent as last month I talked to the Northern Illinois Library and Illinois State Historical Society and they advised the rolls are not digitized. The Illinois Militia muster rolls are available through the Illinois Secretary of States Office web site Link to Post - Back to Top   Logged majmchenry New Member member is offline Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 18 Re: Cholera deaths in Black Hawk War « Reply #8 on Nov 25, 2009, 6:03pm » Aug 10, 2009, 3:42pm, Larry Koschkee wrote: Illinois Militia Muster Rolls digitized...OK. Just as recent as last month I talked to the Northern Illinois Library and Illinois State Historical Society and they advised the rolls are not digitized. Heres a link http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/databases.html Link to Post - Back to Top   Logged majmchenry New Member member is offline Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 18 Re: Cholera deaths in Black Hawk War « Reply #9 on Nov 25, 2009, 6:09pm » My guess is that is the soldier died of Cholera, he may have with Scotts troops and not militia, the records (to be found in Whitneys Black Hawk War) contain a lot of information on this subject. GStevens « Last Edit: Nov 25, 2009, 6:09pm by majmchenry » Link to Post - Back to Top   Logged majmchenry New Member member is offline Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 18 Re: Cholera deaths in Black Hawk War « Reply #10 on Nov 25, 2009, 6:14pm » Aug 4, 2009, 7:21pm, diane wrote: That's great! Thanks Larry. I am thrilled with any leads. I did some more digging on the Cholera plague and found that on July 4 1832 a steamer "arrived in Detriot with several companies of soldiers under the command of General Winfield Scott ". They were on route to the war but the Asiatic cholera had broken out on board and then the disease was spread onshore. Another site said the Irish immigrants brought the disease to New York City where it was passed to the troops. Also that "federal soldiers from the east were recruited " to fight in the Black Hawk war. So it is entirely possible that my Philadelphia Palmer was fighting or attempting to fight in this war. I would greatly appreciate anything you find on any Palmers in the war. I did run across a Capt Palmer but I doubt that was my Palmer. I have been unable to find his wifes' name or their marriage in the Philadelphia area , so I am really drawing straws with this soldier. Thanks again for the reply- Diane General Atkinson with the regulars had gone down to Prairie Du Chien in the steamboat Warrior; the volunteers had marched down by land. Here they met Gen. Scott, who had been ordered from the East to take the chief command in this war. In eighteen days Gen. Scott had transported a regular force from Fortress Monroe on the Chesapeake Bay to Chicago. On their route up the lakes they were dreadfully afflicted with the Asiatic cholera, then a new and strange disease making its first appearance on the continent of America. It suddenly broke out among his troops at Detroit, about forty miles from which place two hundred and eight men were landed under the command of Colonel (now General) Twiggs, of whom it is said only nine survived. The main body under Gen. Scott came on to Chicago, but were attacked with the same disease at Mackinaw and by the time they arrived at Chicago the contagion was general; and within thirty days, ninety more were carried to their graves. Gen. Scott stayed at Chicago about a month, and reached the Mississippi at Rock Island some time in August 1832; but not until the decisive affair at the Bad Axe had terminated the war. GStevens Link to Post - Back to Top   Logged Forum Jump--------------------» Home--------------------» Black Hawk War--------------------- Black Hawk War General Discussion- Black Hawk War Articles--------------------» Battles of the Black Hawk War--------------------- Sycamore Creek (Stillman's Run)- Pecatonica (Bloody Pond)- Wisconsin Heights- Bad Axe- Other Battles and Skirmishes--------------------» Winnebago War of 1827--------------------- Winnebego War of 1827 Discussion--------------------» Native American Tribes of the Black Hawk War--------------------- Native American Tribes of the Black Hawk War--------------------» American Armed Forces of the Black Hawk War--------------------- Illinois Militia- Michigan Territory (Wisconsin) Militia- U.S. Regular Army- Forts of the Black Hawk War- Indiana Militia--------------------» Old Lead Region Historical Society--------------------- Old Lead Region Historical Society- Distaff Discussion--------------------» Open Discussion--------------------- Open Discussion

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