HOME ON FURLOUGH

CHAPTER XIII

MY command returned to Orange Court House and went into winter quarters. I got my first furlough here and had the great pleasure of returning home to meet the dear ones there once more. One who has never experienced it can not possibly conceive of the joy that comes on an occasion like this. Home! How sweet it sounded after the experiences I had passed through since leaving it three years before. My heart fairly leaped with joy and I could scarcely sleep at nights for the thoughts of it. The train could not carry me fast enough-it was too slow-and whenever it stopped it seemed it would never start again. I had been promoted some time before this to the position of lieutenant in my company, and served to the end of the war in this office. I felt keenly the responsibility resting on me as a commissioned officer and endeavored to discharge my duties to the best of my ability. I was proficient in the drill tactics, but there were other duties far above this that I was anxious to meet with credit to myself and to the satisfaction of those who had reposed confidence in me by promoting me to the office. I esteemed the honor and resolved to do my best, and as I look back now I see many things I might have done dif (Page 113) ferently and better. I had been promoted over others whom I considered probably more entitled to it than myself. However, that was not for me to decide. I got me a new suit of Confederate gray and with my gold bar on the collar to mark my rank, and my sword, I looked as much like an officer as any of them and assumed the duties as if to the manor born. After losing my old horse at Falling Waters I had no further use for the commissary department. It was a hard, thankless place to fill anyway. There was more honor in my new office, and on the whole I was well pleased with the change.

I have a stepsister living in Victoria, Tex. She was Mary H. Fleming and is now Mrs. Mary H. Anderson. She married Capt. Anderson of St Louis, Mo. He was an officer on Gen. Cockran's staff during the war and his command was paroled at Gainesville, Ala. at the surrender. Here he met my sister, courted her and took her with him to St Louis as his bride. She was as dear to me in many respects as my own sisters. I loved her dearly and kept up a correspondence with her during the war. Quite recently she sent me an old letter written to her from Culpepper Court House, soon after our return from the disastrous field of Gettysburg, and as this old letter bears directly on the theme I have in hand I wish to insert it at this point. It would have come in more appropriately a little earlier, but (Page 114) that does not matter. How this old letter has been preserved by her all these years I cannot say. I am truly grateful and thankful to her for keeping it. It certainly carries me back just fifty years and I can hear myself talk about those things that were right then present be-fore me. I copy it with little alteration.

Camp Near Culpepper, Va.

July 27, 1863.

Dear Sister:

Your long looked for letter has been received. Since its reception I have had no opportunity for answering it until we reached this place. I have a thousand things to write you, about our trip into Pennsylvania, but it would take too much space and time to write it. We have just experienced the severest campaign of the war. The marching has been awful. On our march back from Gettysburg it rained on us a great deal and as a natural consequence we had any quantity of mud and water to encounter. I shall never forget two nights in particular. One was the night we crossed South Mountain in Maryland, the other the night before recrossing the Potomac. The night we crossed the mountain is one never to be forgotten by those of Gen. Lee's army on this retreat from Gettysburg. The road over the mountain was barely wide enough to allow one wagon to pass at a time. All night long weary soldiers were moving (Page 115) along this narrow pass stumbling over rocks, or plunging in the mud; many times compelled to feel their way so intense was the darkness.1 The infantry were cursing the mud and rocks and the artillerymen and wagoners were cursing their horses. It was an awful night but no worse in my opinion than the one previous to the recrossing the river. It is useless to attempt a description of this night march, or in fact our march from the time we left Hamilton's Crossing. It has been severe from the start to finish and may not yet be ended. Our army is now stationed in and around Culpepper Court House quietly awaiting the movements of the enemy. Co. A is all right and in excellent spirits, I mean those that are left. We lost twelve (12) of the company at Gettysburg, killed, wounded, and missing. Tom Roberson is among the missing, He, I believe, is the only one you are acquainted with. John Moore and Bernice Smith and the rest of your acquaintances in the company are well. Bernice was not in the fight as he was left behind sick. I was sorry to learn you were unwell and hope the waters of Bladen Springs will soon restore you: If we remain here I think there will be another battle soon. Our movements no doubt will be governed by those of the enemy. If he moves to an attack I am sure we will not seek to avoid it, but should he move on our flank we of course will seek to circumvent him. (Page 116) Dear sister you have no idea how anxious I am for a furlough. I wish to see you all so much. If they only grant me a sixty-day furlough I will agree to return at its expiration and never again ask for another. I would give anything to see Kate and your dear self. But it seems I am destined to see the end of the war or perish before I shall see my dear home again. Don't conclude I am low spirited-by no means. I am at times a little blue but it soon passes off and I am resigned to my fate. You will no doubt observe when you see this that it is not written on the nice paper you sent me. I know you will excuse me for using that to write a letter to Miss Mary Britton. She sent me a very pretty silk tobacco sack (or bag) and of course I had to acknowledge its reception and thank her for it and none of my paper was so nice as that you sent so I used yours that way. My love to all,

Your brother,

W. F. Fulton,

Culpepper, Va.

You see I was anxious for a furlough and I have already mentioned the fact that I got it, but it was only for thirty (30) days instead of sixty. When I reached Montgomery, Ala. on my way home I went into a barbershop and had a good shave and shampoo, the first shave I think in three years. It made a great change in my looks and feelings. On my arrival at (Page 117) the old homestead every one seemed as glad to see me as I was to see them and there was great rejoicing all around. Finally the time to return came, and with great reluctance I shook hands with the loved ones and turned my face again towards dear old Virginia. I say, "Dear Virginia", as indeed it had become dear to me. I found her people the kindest and most hospitable I had ever met. Always ready to extend a helping hand to a soldier in distress and never weary in well doing. Her people had enough to exhaust the patience of Job. Overrun by both armies, maltreated in a thousand ways, yet their kindness and generosity knew no end. God bless old Virginia is my prayer. (Page 118)

Family Record and War Reminiscences
by William Frierson Fulton, Jr.
Livingston, AL, 1919
Transcribed by James W. Martin