Samuel McCulloch Jr. facts for kids
Samuel McCulloch Jr. (born October 11, 1810 – died November 2, 1893) was a free Black soldier. He is known as one of the first Texian soldiers to be hurt in the Texas Revolution. This happened during the Battle of Goliad on October 10, 1835.
However, another soldier named Richard Andrews was actually the first to be wounded. He was hurt at the Battle of Gonzales on October 2. Richard Andrews was also the first soldier killed in the revolution, at the Battle of Concepción on October 28.
Early Life
Samuel McCulloch Jr. was born in Alabama on October 11, 1810. His father, Samuel McCulloch Sr., was white and had three daughters. Records do not mention Samuel's mother.
In 1815, his family moved to Montgomery, Alabama. They later moved to Jackson County, Texas in 1835. This new home was by the Lavaca River. Just five months after arriving in Texas, the Texas Revolution began. Samuel Jr. decided to join the fight.
Fighting in the Texas Revolution
Samuel McCulloch Jr. joined a group called the Matagorda Volunteer Company. George M. Collinsworth was their leader. Even though Samuel had only lived in Texas for a short time, he was ready to help.
He fought bravely in the Battle of Goliad. Samuel tried to rush into the officers' living area. During this action, he was shot in the shoulder. This made him one of the very first soldiers wounded in the Texas Revolution. The bullet badly damaged his shoulder.
For the next year, Samuel could not fight because of his injury. Even after it healed, the wound bothered him for the rest of his life. By April 1836, Samuel was able to go home. However, his family had to leave their home. The Mexican Army was moving north, and the Texan fighters were retreating. On July 8, 1836, a doctor finally removed the musket ball from Samuel's shoulder.
Life in the New Republic
After the revolution, Samuel McCulloch Jr. faced a new challenge. The new country, the Republic of Texas, had laws that made it hard for free Black people to live there. The Texas Constitution of 1836 said that people of African and Native American descent could not be citizens.
Samuel asked the Congress of the Republic of Texas for special permission to stay. In April, his request was approved. He also received land for his service in the Texas army, just like other soldiers.
In August 1837, Samuel married Mary Vess. They had four sons together. They lived most of their lives near Von Ormy, a town south of San Antonio.
In 1840, Samuel and his sisters were given special permission to stay in Texas. This was an exemption from a law called the Ashworth Act. They lived in Texas for the rest of their lives.
