Item No. 6355213

This certificate of discharge for disability was written out for Private Michael McMullen of the 10th Massachusetts Infantry on June 17, 1862, and was endorsement signed by Brigadier General Innis Palmer on its reverse. McMullen’s regiment had been heavily engaged at the Battle of Seven Pines two weeks earlier, though the certificate states that McMullen, who had been a 44-year-old factory operative when he enlisted in 1861, had been suffering from a “broken constitution” and had been unfit for duty for many weeks. It is signed first by Lieutenant James H. Wetherell of the 10th Massachusetts, then by the regiment’s surgeon Cyrus N. Chamberlain, who concluded that McMullen’s condition would make him “useless as a soldier, hereafter an encumbrance to his company.” At the bottom it is signed by Lieutenant Colonel Jefford M. Decker, commanding the regiment.

The document is docketed on the reverse with the signature of Brigadier General Ennis Palmer, commanding the 3rd Brigade. Also signed by brigade surgeons David Prince and Charles O’Leary; as well as Frank H. Hamilton, medical director of the 4th Corps; and Lieutenant Colonel Charles C. Suydam of General Erasmus D. Keyes’s staff (commander of 4th Corps).

It is in excellent condition with flat creases at the original folds. Measures 8” x 10”.

From The Union Army, vol. 8
Palmer, Innis N., brigadier-general, was born in Buffalo, N. Y. March 30, 1824. He was graduated at the United States military academy in 1846 and served throughout the Mexican war, where he was wounded at Chapultepec, won the brevets of 1st lieutenant and captain for gallantry at Contreras, Churubusco and Chapultepec, and took part in the assault on and capture of the City of Mexico. He was afterwards on frontier and recruiting duty, and was promoted major, April 5, 1861, having attained the intervening grades.  He served from April to July, 1861, in the defenses of Washington, and in the Manassas campaign he commanded the battalion of United States cavalry at the battle of Bull Run, winning promotion to brevet lieutenant-colonel by gallantry there. He was transferred to the 5th cavalry in Aug., 1861, was commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers on Sept. 23, and commanded a brigade in the 4th army corps of the Army of the Potomac during the Virginia Peninsular campaign being engaged at Yorktown, Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, and in the Seven Days' battles. He was subsequently engaged in organizing and forwarding to the field New Jersey and Delaware troops and in superintending camps of drafted men at Philadelphia, Pa., in 1862; commanded then the 1st division of the 18th army corps in North Carolina from Jan. to July, 1863, the Department of North Carolina, February to March, the District of Pamlico, the 18th army corps and the defenses of New Berne, N. C., March, 1863, to April, 1864, and then the districts of North Carolina and Beaufort, N. C., successively until June, 1865. He was promoted lieutenant-colonel and transferred to the 2nd cavalry, Sept. 23, 1863, and on March 13, 1865, was brevetted brigadier-general in the regular army and major-general of volunteers. He was promoted colonel in June, 1868, and commanded his regiment at various posts until retired at his own request in March, 1879. He died in Chevy Chase, Md., Sept. 10, 1900.