This is what I have so far on Col. Palmer and Capt. Bowman:

Goodspeed does not give an exact date when Palmer and Bowman worked together against the horsethieves, only that it was "early in the war".

The Col. Palmer that it mentions was Ratcliff Boone Palmer who commanded the 73rd Enrolled Missouri Militia Cav. and according to the 1890 Special census for Wright Co. Mo. he served with this Militia from 2/7/1862 to 1864. In the Book "History and Families of Wright County" it mentions that the decsendants of Col. Palmer has his old war letters.

James R. Bowman was the Confederate Captain " who served under Van Dorn" and was a "former business parner of Col. Palmer". According to Goodspeed's History of Phelps County page 980, he served 6 months in the M.S.G. and in the book "Sterling Price's Lieutenants; A Guide to the Officer's and organizations of the Missouri State Guard by Peterson, McGhee, Linlberg and Daleen page 327(2nd book), it states that he was a Captain in Company F, 1st Cav. Reg., 7th Div. of the M.S.G. In some of my notes I have him listed as serving in Co. P, 15th Missouri Cav. C.S.A but I don't remember the source of this information. I think it was sent to me by Jerry Ponder years ago.

Robert Caudle
caudle@tds.net