Submitted by Charles F. Fuller; Researched and written by Cheri Todd Molter
James M. Fuller was born at Rockingham, North Carolina. On March 25, 1862, Fuller was an eighteen-year-old farmer who joined the Confederate army as a substitute at Winston, NC. Fuller mustered in the army at Camp Mangum, Raleigh, on April 14, 1862. He served in Company F (North State Boys) of the 45th NC Regiment.
In 1862, Fuller was listed as present and accounted for from May through August. However, on September 19th, he was hospitalized due to illness. According to his military records, he was marked as “Absent, sick in hospital in Petersburg” for both September and October.
Fuller returned and served with his company in November of that year and was marked “present” until he was wounded at Gettysburg in July 1863 and hospitalized a few days later. In recognition for his courage at Gettysburg, Fuller was included on the Roll of Honor.
In September 1863, Fuller returned and was listed as present in the muster rolls until May 1864. On May 9, 1864, he was hospitalized due to illness at Liberty, Virginia. Once recovered, Fuller returned to serve.
According to the September/October 1864 muster record, Fuller was “absent” and in the “hospital sick.” By November, he had returned and continued to serve with his company until, according to his military records, he “[d]eserted [on] Feb. 26, 1865.”
The following is a scan of the entry in the family Bible that mentions James: James Fuller