Fullerton Letter, c1895 - Wayne Co. WV

(Submitter note: This letter written as an open letter to his children ca 1895, by
Francis Marion Fullerton, son of Calvary Fullerton and Elizabeth
Wilkinson, b 1 Feb 1844 in Wayne Co, Va (WV).  “Frank” died May 5 1927
in Lawrence Co, Ohio.  He married Elizabeth Keyser, daughter of Thomas
Jefferson, Sr. and  Sarah Jane Hackworth Keyser. This letter  was
copied in 1968 from the original, which has now disappeared.  copied
by peg schreiber)


Francis Marion Fullerton, Co B, 5th West Virginia and Co A 1st West
Virginia Veteran Volunteers Infantry, United States of America.

Enlisted July 13, 1861, Discharged July 21, 1865 (4 years-8 days) 
Participated in 42 skirmishes, battles and general engagements.  The
general engagements or battles in which I was engaged were:McDowell,
Cross Keys, Cedar Mountain, Berryville, Cedar Oak and Trouts Hill.

In all the battles of 4 years service, I was fortunate in escaping with
a slight wound or two-never was inside of a hospital or a prisoner of
war.  I will not dwell at length on any one particular narrow escape
but I had them at different times and places and now, more than 30
years after the close of the war, I look back and wonder how it could
be possible that I ever lived through the 4 years from “61 to “65.

Nothing but God’s mercy was able to save me through the civil warfare. 
I can only thank the Supreme Ruler that I was spared to see the end of
the struggle between the North and South and that all men are free and
equal politically and that now the two contending sections-the North
and the South, have settled all differences of opinion of the great
disturbing question-slavery.  The Union was saved.

This nation of American people cemented together with the blood of the
best men of the North and South, stands today in the front rank of all
civilized nations of the world as the proudest, richest, best educated,
best clothed and best fed nation on top of God’s green earth.

My most earnest desire is that my family of children may all grow up
and be useful men and women and that I may be permitted to enjoy the
blessings of this life as seemeth best to the one who is the architect
of our present and future existence and when called from this earth, my
prayer is that we will meet in one eternal reunion of joy.

Submitted by Peg Schreiber <mrschreiber@dmv.com>

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