Whakaotihia te rerenga e whai ake nei: I whānau a Palmer ki Buffalo, i Niu Ioka. I uru a Innis hei tama waiata i tana whare karakia tae noa ki tana urunga ki te ope taua. I uru ia ki te United States Military Academy i te tau 1842. I puta ia i te akomanga o te tau 1846 a ka tohua hei rangatira tuarua i te 2nd U.S. Mounted Rifles. I uru ia ki te Pakanga o Mexico me Amerika hei rangatira tuatahi, a, i whakahuatia mo te maia me te ratonga whakahirahira i nga Pakanga o Contreras me
Ko Churubusco. Ko tana toa i whakaatuhia i te Pakanga o Chapultepec i whakawhiwhia ki a ia he whakatairanga brevet ki te rangatira rangatira. I te Poutu-te-rangi 1855 i whakatairangahia a Palmer ki te taumata rangatira o te 2nd US Cavalry.