Wayne County, NC - Civil War Record of Richard Thomas Fulghum ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Richard Thomas Fulghum was born in 1841, in Nash County, North Carolina. He was the son of James Fulghum (b: 1814, in Wayne County, North Carolina) and Abigail (unknown last name) (b: in 1818, North Carolina). Richard was also the Grandson of Jacob Fulghum (b: in 1764, in Wayne County, North Carolina) and Elizabeth Smith (b: April 13, 1775, married September 10, 1795, in Wayne County, North Carolina). Richard T. Fulghum enlisted in the 1st Regiment, North Carolina Cavalry, 9th Regiment Volunteers. The unit was organized at Camp Beauregard, Ridgeway, North Carolina, in August 1861. The 1st North Carolina Cavalry was part of J.E.B. Stuart's command. The Brigade was commanded by Brigadier General Wade Hampton, who sometimes was known as a "giant in grey." General Hampton was known as a crack shot with his revolver and an expert with a saber. Hampton was not a West Point graduate, but appeared to be a natural born soldier and leader. Records indicate he was also the largest slave owner in South Carolina. His enemies hesitated to meet him in face to face action during the Civil War because of his reputation as a fierce fighter. Several of his horses were killed in battle. During this time, Richard Fulghum rose in rank to Regimental Sergeant Major of the 1st North Carolina Cavalry. His unit fought in military actions at Frayser's Farm, Malvern Hill, Fairfax Court House, Sharpsburg, Dumfries, Brandy Station, Aldie, Upperville, Carlisle, Mine Run, The Wilderness, Todd's Tavern, Reams' Station, and Five Forks. Following Stuart's raid in Dover, Pennsylvania, on July 1, 1863, the army halted in Dillsburg with captured wagons and prisoners. It was there that General Hampton received word of the federal army's location at Gettysburg. On July 3, 1863, General Hampton engaged federal forces which included General George Armstrong Custer and his 7th Michigan Wolverines. At one point, in hand to hand fighting, Hampton shot three federal troopers from their horses and ran a fourth through with his sword. Seeing one of his men surrounded, General Hampton charged to the troopers assistance knocking a federal from his horse. Already wounded from fighting the day before, Hampton became involved in a duel with several of Custer's Wolverines. General Hampton received a sabor wound to the head, but managed to kill several more federal soldiers before being shot in the arm and receiving a shrapnel wound to his side. The General's horse, Beauregard, was killed in the action and Hampton lay wounded on the battlefield. Sgt. Major Fulghum arrived at the scene and realized that General Hampton was in danger of being captured by Union forces. Fulghum quickly carried the General from the field. Hampton was carried back to Virginia in the same ambulance with Major General John Bell Hood. On September 3, 1963, Hampton was promoted to Major General and later assumed command of Stuart's army after his death. West Point Graduate, Colonel Lawrence S. Baker, was promoted to Brigadier General and was put in command of Hampton's brigade following the July 3rd battle. For his part in this action, Sergeant Major Richard T. Fulghum was promoted to Lieutenant and became aide-de-camp for General Baker. During the Civil War, Fulghum progressed to the rank of major. After conclusion of the war, Richard settled in Wayne County, North Carolina. On September 21, 1867, he married Elizabeth Collier (b: October 31, 1843, in New Bern, North Carolina), daughter of G. W. Collier and Caroline E. Collier. Fulghum was employed for a time by the Wilmington & Weldon Railroad (forerunner of the present day CSX Railroad). This railway broght prosperity to eastern North Carolina and helped in the creation of towns like Mount Olive, Calypso, Dudley, Faison, Bowdens, Warsaw, Magnolia, and Wallace. When completed, the railroad was 161 miles in length and ran from Wilmington to Weldon. At Weldon, it connected with lines running to Portsmough, Petersburg and Richmond. After his time with the railroad, Richard Fulghum became a merchant in Goldsboro. From there, he moved to Raleigh taking a job with the editorial staff of the News & Observer. According to records, the News & Observer had 3,600 morning subscribers and 14,000 weekly subscribers. Fulghum later became the editor of the Greensboro Patriot in Greensboro, North Carolina. Richard and Elizabeth were the parents of George Collier Fulghum; Richard Hampton Fulghum; Caroline Fulghum; Elizabeth Collier Fulghum; Susan Collier Fulghum; and Alexander Andrews Fulghum. Richard Fulghum died on September 5, 1885, in Goldsboro, North Carolina. Richard was buried at Willow Dale, in Goldsboro. __________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Dan Fulghum ___________________________________________________________________