Assistance Request (Lieut. William D. Fuller)

[DrPaulSem]

Hello All,

I am a retired school principal and an author writing my first book about the Civil War. I am doing extensive research on some of the officers at the Battle of Gettysburg and, at times, run into dead ends where I cannot find any more information.

I am currently trying to find out more about Lieut. William D. Fuller. He received a promotion for his service at Gettysburg, but he was never on the field of battle and instead guarding trains. It seems, according to Cullum's Register, that he was also under arrest for Court Martial after the war while serving in the west.

I'm looking for more information (and the sources) on William Fuller.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

My Best,
Paul Semendinger, Ed.D.
Wyckoff, NJ

 

[Tom Elmore]

Can you identify Fuller's regiment?

 

[Nathan Stuart]

This could be a reference to Lt. William Duncan Fuller, who temporarily commanded the 3rd U.S. Artillery, Battery C, not engaged at Gettysburg.

 

[Story]

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

1) Welcome to the party.

2) Can you give us a list of what sources & resources you've investigated already, so we don't duplicate your efforts?

 

[Story]

This could be a reference to Lt. William Duncan Fuller, who temporarily commanded the 3rd U.S. Artillery, Battery C, not engaged at Gettysburg.

Indeedly doodley.

Maj William Duncan Fuller (1837-1886) - Find a...

Age 49. Died suddenly. Engaged in farming pursuits at Upperville, Virginia. West Point class 1861. Received brevet of Major, July 3, 1863 for gallantry at the battle of Gettysburg.

www.findagrave.com

 

[Story]

PS - tripped over this, be a good illustration for your work

https://historical.ha.com/itm/military-and-patriotic/civil-war/1861-west-point-diploma-for-william-d-fuller-company-c-3rd-us-artillery-present-at-the-fight-for-brinkerhoff-s-ridge-ge/a/6074-52643.s

PS - URL for what I believe is the maximum resolution

https://dyn1.heritagestatic.com/lf?set=path[7/1/6/7/7167774]&call=url[file:product.chain]

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Lt. William D. Fuller took over command of Battery C, 3rd U.S. Artillery, on June 6, '63, at Falmouth, VA.

His compiled report of the battery's activities covering the period of the Gettysburg Campaign (June 3 - Aug. 1, '63) is found at:

'OR': Vol. XXVII, Pt. 1, at pp 1035-37

His reported description (at p. 1035) of the battery's movements during the relevant time of the battle of Gettysburg is noted as follows:-

..."On the succeeding morning, July 1, we marched for York, Pa. On arriving within a few miles of that town, we were ordered back to Manchester.
On the night of July 3, the battery marched for Emmitsburg, Md., arriving there on July 4,"...

Hence no engagement of the battery at Gettysburg.

 

[rpkennedy]

Fuller did win a brevet to major at Gettysburg but it has to have been for the campaign and not July 3 (as the brevet states) since Battery C, 3rd US was with Colonel Pennock Huey's brigade in Maryland. Fuller and the battery were engaged during the rest of the campaign (5th-Smithburg, 8th-Boonsboro, 10th & 11th-Jones' Crossroads/Keedysville) but I don't see anything particularly dramatic on that list. I wonder if he had someone looking out for him, Kilpatrick perhaps.

Ryan

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Fuller did win a brevet to major at Gettysburg but it has to have been for the campaign and not July 3 (as the brevet states) since Battery C, 3rd US was with Colonel Pennock Huey's brigade in Maryland.

Was wondering about the timing of the brevet award. That would make sense.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Fuller's Civil War Service record can be viewed in Vol. 2 of Cullum's 'Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of West Point' (see website link below). The relevant reference is No. 1957 at page 564.

Biographical register of the officers and graduates of the U. S. Military academy, from 1802 to 1867. Rev. ed., with a supplement continuing the register of graduates to January 1, 1879 : Cullum, George W. (George Washington), 1809-1892 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

 

[DrPaulSem]

THANK YOU TO ALL!
Does anyone know why he was Court Martialed?

 

[GELongstreet]

Fuller's entry in Cullum's Register gets more expanded in a later edition right over here. The mentioned USMA obituary, while short, is right over here (page 87 [83] if it shouldn't load directly).

 

[GELongstreet]

The Class of 1861 by Ralph Kirshner mentions his two legal troubles in a brief entry:

The American Soldier, 1866-1916 by John A. Haymond has the following entry:

And from the U.S. Army and Navy Journal, January 12, 1867:

 

[DrPaulSem]

The Class of 1861 by Ralph Kirshner mentions his two legal troubles in a brief entry:

View attachment 504441

The American Soldier, 1866-1916 by John A. Haymond has the following entry:

View attachment 504445

And from the U.S. Army and Navy Journal, January 12, 1867:

View attachment 504446

Amazing. THANK YOU, GREATLY.

 

[rpkennedy]

The Class of 1861 by Ralph Kirshner mentions his two legal troubles in a brief entry:

View attachment 504441

The American Soldier, 1866-1916 by John A. Haymond has the following entry:

View attachment 504445

And from the U.S. Army and Navy Journal, January 12, 1867:

View attachment 504446

Great find. Fuller had some anger issues.

Ryan

 

[Story]

OP also has a thread going here, so anyone else rendering assistance doesn't duplicate their efforts.

Assistance Requested (Lieut. William D. Fuller) | Gettysburg

Hello All, I am a retired school principal and an author writing my first book about the Civil War. I am doing extensive research on some of the officers at the Battle of gettysburg and, at times, run into dead ends where I cannot find any more information. I am currently trying to find out...

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