Gard Palm

March 1, 2022

Although the Civil War is now long past, it is fitting to recognize Perry County, Pennsylvania, boys who marched away to battlefields. Many returned. Some did not. Let’s give our respect to all.

This month’s soldier, Captain Gard Palm (1839-1922) of western Perry County, served with two different units during the war and afterward was an integral part of many events for veterans.

At the age of sixteen according to family tradition, he began teaching in one-room schools. Decades later, an early student Lloyd Kistler recalled that he was having difficulty understanding the concept of adding large sums. As he recalled, “When Captain Palm became my teacher, instead of saying ‘carry one,’ and ‘carry two,’” he showed me the principle involved. I was happy.

In August of 1862, however, Captain Palm left the schoolroom and enlisted in the nine months 133rd PA Regiment in 1862 as a private. He fought in the battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville.

But Captain Palm was not finished. In the fall of 1864, he captained Company F—Perry County men—for the 208th PA Regiment. Remarkably, four companies of the regiment were made up of Perry County men. For months, the men stood guard, built roads, and spent time in camp.

Then everything changed on March 25, 1865. At Petersburg, VA, the Confederates broke out of a siege by Union troops and captured nearby Fort Steadman. Only a few hours later, they were driven back by Union troops, including the 208th PA Regiment.

Lloyd Kistler recalled the captain’s actions. “As quite a number were getting hit, we dropped to the ground. Pretty soon Captain Palm…said, ‘Ten men from each company volunteer for the skirmish line.’ I said to Corporal James Rhea, ‘Will you go, we are young fellows?’ He sprang to his feet and I did the same, and Captain Palm said we should get behind trees and stumps and fire.”

Afterwards, Gard returned to the classroom while taking part in veterans’ reunions, GAR events, and Memorial Day activities. In 1886, Captain Palm said to the newly formed Elias Rice GAR Post of Landisburg, “Those who gave service, or health, or blood, or life, to u uphold our flag always deserve kind remembrance and support.”