Edward A. Fulton letters

Collection

Identifier: MSS 0218

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection of correspondence consists of thirty-nine letters written primarily between 1860 and 1863. The majority of the letters were written by Edward A. Fulton to his mother, Mary Fulton, of Wilmington, Delaware, during the Civil War.

This correspondence began in 1860 when Fulton was traveling through Europe. Later, in 1862, Fulton enlisted in the Union Army and joined the 72nd Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. He wrote to his mother from various camps in Virginia, describing battles fought near Harper's Ferry and Winchester. Also included are letters Fulton wrote in 1862 and 1863, when he spent over six months in a military hospital in Sharpsburg, Maryland, after injuring and almost losing his leg. In addition to Edward Fulton's letters to his mother, the collection also includes letters to Edward from his sisters, Anna Fulton and Sarah Fulton, with two with poems by Sarah. Several letters from the 1870s were written by Sade Fulton Wright to her mother, Mary Fulton. The collection contains a few incidental items, such as a poem written after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and two certificates from the Improved Order of Red Men, Wilmington, Delaware.

Dates

Creation: 1860-1877
Creation: Majority of material found within 1860-1863

Creator

Fulton, Edward A. (Person)

Language of Materials

Materials entirely in English.

Access Information

The collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Use of materials from this collection beyond the exceptions provided for in the Fair Use and Educational Use clauses of the U.S. Copyright Law may violate federal law. Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. Please contact Special Collections Department, University of Delaware Library, https://library.udel.edu/static/purl.php?askspec

Biographical Note

Edward A. Fulton served in the Union Army from 1861 to 1863.

After traveling through Europe, Fulton joined the 1st Delaware Volunteer Regiment. In 1861, the regiment traveled to Aberdeen, Maryland, where they were assigned to guard the railroad bridges over the Susquehanna River. In 1862, Fulton joined the 72nd Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. Fulton's background in engineering and topography led to his assignment to travel around and become acquainted with the "Location of Batteries and the roads to and from Them" (Letter, May 1, 1862). Fulton subsequently became responsible for guiding reinforcement troops to the batteries in need of support.

In 1862, Fulton was injured and spent the following six months in a military hospital in Sharpsburg, Maryland. After recuperating from injuries which nearly cost him his leg, Fulton was discharged on a Surgeon's Certificate on May 1, 1863. Fulton's mother Mary and sisters Sarah and Anna were residents of Wilmington, Delaware, during Fulton's period of service. The location of Fulton's other sister, Sade Fulton Wright, is not known.

Biographical information derived from the collection.

Extent

.3 linear foot (43 items)

Additional Description

Abstract

This collection of correspondence consists of thirty-nine letters written primarily between 1860 and 1863. The majority of the letters were written by Union Army soldier Edward A. Fulton to his mother, Mary Fulton, of Wilmington, Delaware.

Arrangement

Letters are arranged in chronological order.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Purchase, 1985

Materials Available in Alternative Format

A digital copy of material in this collection is available at the University of Delaware Digital Institutional Repository. Transcriptions of the letters on the digital site were produced by the staff of the University of Delaware Library Preservation Department.

Jack F. Fallin also produced lightly annotated transcripts of several letters for his article, " A Family War," published in the Journal of the Maryland Genealogical Society, August 2011, pages 229-291.