Abram Fulkerson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Abram Fulkerson
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 9th district |
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| In office March 4, 1881 – March 3, 1883 |
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| Preceded by | James Buchanan Richmond |
| Succeeded by | Henry Bowen |
| Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from the Washington County, Virginia district |
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| In office December 6, 1871 – November 30, 1875 Serving with A. C. Cummings,
Seldon Longley |
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| Preceded by | George Graham |
| Succeeded by | Isaac C. Fowler |
| Member of the Virginia Senate from the Washington County, Virginia district |
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| In office December 5, 1877 – December 7, 1881 |
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| Preceded by | James S. Greever |
| Succeeded by | David F. Bailey |
| Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from the Washington County, Virginia district |
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| In office December 2, 1885 – December 7, 1887 Serving with John A. Buchanan
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| Preceded by | Daniel Trigg |
| Succeeded by | S. P. Edmonson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 13, 1834 Washington County, Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | December 17, 1902 (aged 68) Bristol, Virginia, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Selina Johnson |
| Profession | Politician, Lawyer |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Confederate States |
| Branch/service |  Tennessee Militia Confederate States Army |
| Rank |  Colonel (CSA) |
| Unit | 19th Tennessee Infantry 63rd Tennessee Infantry |
| Commands | 63rd Tennessee Infantry |
| Battles/wars | Battle of Shiloh, Battle of Chickamauga, Battle of Petersburg II, Immortal 600 |
Abram Fulkerson (born May 13, 1834 – died December 17, 1902) was an important figure during the American Civil War. He served as an officer for the Confederate side. After the war, he became a Virginia lawyer and politician. He even helped start a political group called the Virginia Readjuster Party. Abram Fulkerson served in different parts of the Virginia government. He was also a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Later in his life, he wrote about his experiences during the war and when he was a prisoner.
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Early Life and Family History
Abram Fulkerson was born on May 13, 1834, in Washington County, Virginia. He was the youngest son of Abram Fulkerson Sr. and Margaret Laughlin Vance. His family was proud of their military background. His grandfather, James Fulkerson, was a Captain in the Virginia Militia during the American Revolution. He fought in the Battle of Kings Mountain.
Abram's father, Abram Fulkerson Sr., was also a captain. He served in the War of 1812. Abram Jr. had several brothers and sisters. One of his older brothers, Samuel Vance Fulkerson, also served in the military.
Abram Jr. went to the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in 1857. One of his teachers there was Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson. After graduating, Abram taught school for a few years in Virginia and Tennessee.
Serving in the Civil War
In June 1861, Abram Fulkerson joined the Confederate army. He started as a Captain. He put together a group of men from Tennessee. This group became Company K of the 19th Tennessee Infantry Regiment. Fulkerson was later promoted to Major in this regiment.
He was wounded in his leg at the Battle of Shiloh. His horse was also shot during this battle. After he recovered, he was moved to the 63rd Tennessee Infantry. He became a Lieutenant Colonel. On February 12, 1864, he was made a full Colonel by President Jefferson Davis.
In January 1862, Abram Fulkerson married Selina Johnson. They got married just before the Union Army moved into Clarksville, Tennessee. His brother, Samuel Vance Fulkerson, was killed in action in 1862. Another brother, Isaac Fulkerson, was also a captain in the Confederate army. Abram Fulkerson helped defend an important area called the Cumberland Gap twice during the war.
Becoming a Prisoner of War
During his time with the 63rd Tennessee, Fulkerson was wounded two more times. He was hit in the left arm at the Battle of Chickamauga. He was wounded again at the Battle of Petersburg II. He was captured on June 17, 1864. After his capture, he was sent to a prisoner of war (POW) camp at Fort Delaware.
In 1892, Fulkerson wrote about his experiences as a prisoner. While he was a POW, he became part of a group known as the Immortal Six Hundred. These were 600 Confederate officers. They were taken to Morris Island in South Carolina. The Union Army used them as human shields for six weeks. This was to try and stop Confederate cannons from firing at Fort Sumter. None of the 600 were killed by the cannons, but 14 died from sickness.
After Morris Island, Fulkerson was moved to Fort Pulaski. There, prisoners were given very little food for 42 days. This was in response to how Union prisoners were treated at Andersonville. The men were crowded into cold, damp rooms. They were given small amounts of moldy cornmeal and sour pickles. Some men even ate rats or stray cats to survive. Thirteen men died there from diseases.
At Fort Pulaski, the prisoners formed a group to help the sick. Fulkerson was chosen as its president. In March 1865, Fulkerson was sent back to Fort Delaware. He was finally released on July 25, 1865. This was months after General Robert E. Lee surrendered.
After the war, Fulkerson's horse, "Zollicoffer," was returned to him. Fulkerson called him "Old Bob." He kept the horse for the rest of its life. When "Old Bob" died, former Confederate soldiers held a military funeral for him.
Life as a Lawyer and Politician
After the war, Fulkerson studied law. He became a lawyer in 1866 in a town called Goodson, which is now Bristol, Virginia. People said he was a very good speaker. Many local citizens would go to court just to hear him talk.
Fulkerson was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. He served from 1871 to 1875. Then, he served in the State Senate of Virginia from 1877 to 1881.
Later, voters chose Fulkerson to represent Virginia's 9th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. He served from 1881 to 1883. He helped create the Readjuster Party. This party focused on dealing with Virginia's state debt after the Civil War. After this, he rejoined the Democratic Party.
Fulkerson decided not to run for Congress again. He went back to being a lawyer. However, he was elected to the State House of Delegates again in 1888.
After leaving politics, Fulkerson wrote a book about his time as a prisoner. He also attended a big Democratic Party meeting in 1896.
Death and Legacy
Abram Fulkerson passed away in Bristol, Virginia, on December 17, 1902. He was 68 years old. He was buried in East Hill Cemetery.
The Virginia Military Institute keeps many of the Fulkerson family's old papers. A group called the Sons of Confederate Veterans has a camp named after him in Colorado. Today, one of his relatives, Joe Adkins, sometimes dresses up as Fulkerson for Civil War reenactments.
See Also
- List of United States Congressmen from Virginia
