The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-07-19
GALLANT SOLDIER
OF GEN. BULGER PRESENTED TO DEPART
 MENT.
Memory of Distinguished Soldier and Public Man to Be Perpetuated
 in Department of ', History.

seventh Alabama Veteran Association composed of the survivors of the E7th Ala bama. a regiment of which General Bull ger was one of the organizers and one of l the commuters. The handsome portrait | was painted. by Miss Henry Bulger, the \ granddaughter of General Buiger It rep l resents him late In life as he will be best remembered by this generation. The face | one of strength and character Is clean | shaven except as to the chin.
 | General Bulger was one of the most re- markable public men of the State. having been a resident of Alabama for 77 years. | At the time of his death in 1900 he was 1 4 years of age.
 It was said of him that braver man l never led a regiment. In the official pres- Thomas Q. Burton of Opei.ka, commander | of the 47th Alabama Veteran Association. Captain Burton's letter is as follows; Opelika, Ala, July IT, 1903 Hon. Thomas M. Owen. Keeper ot the Archives. etc.. Montgomery. Ala: Dear Sir-In behalf of the 47th Alabama l Veteran Association, and as its com- I mander 1t is my privilege as we'll as my | pleasure to present through you to the | State. for preservation In her archives, | the oil portrait of General M. J. Bulger l which is sent to your address by express | In making this presentation deem It not l inappropriate to give a short sketch of | ments. At-
 General Michael J. Bulger was born in Columbia, s. C., February i3 1906. He moved to Montgomery, Ala, in 1923 and | lived there for number of years. In 1884 he moved to the Creek Nation, and | in 1S3S he became a citizen of Tallapoosa County where he made his home for the remainder of his life.
 He was much in political life, being all ways sent by his party to State conven- tions in ante bellum days, and serving as member of the Legislature almost reg ularfy until the commencement of the war between the States.
 He was member of the Secession Con- vention and opposed secession most stren- uously both by voice and vote, finally re- fusing to sign the ordinance when passed, doing all this at the risk of his life. as have often heard him say. and telling his opponents that in the war which would in his opinion, result from secession, that he would be found fighting at the front for his country while some of them would seek safety by remaining at home.
 By his exertions the filth Alabama was raised, and failing to be elected Colonel, he went out a captain of company A, and at the battle of Cedar Run was grievous- ly wounded both in the leg and the arm, never fully recovering the use of his arm. These wounds necessitated a long absence from his command, and while incapacitat- i'd for field service he served his County In the Legislature.
 On his return to his regiment he was promoted to be Lieutenant Colonel
 At the battle of Gettysburg he lead his regiment in the charge on Little Round Top Mountain. When Laws Brigade of which. the filth Alabama was a member, reached its farthest point of advance and l halted, seeking such shelter as the ground afforded, saw General Bulgcr go In iron. l.kf h 7io nariV . treme right and advancing toward the enemy, peer out from under the branches of a post oak as if he were reconnoiter- | ing their position. 1t was here that he l received mimic ball in his right breast and staggering, fell at the foot of tho oak. and later was captured by the en- emy. The first Federal to approach him was captain who demanded his sur render. Upon learning the rank of his would be captor, General Bulger abso- tlutely refused to surrender to any one under his own rank, and Federal Colo nel had to be brought up to receive it. The kind treatment he received at the hands of the Federals no doubt was a great factor in his recovery from this al most fatal wound. He was exchanged in the spring of 1864 and was given his well earned promotion to the Coloneloy of his regiment. His wound proving trouble some, he was sent home on leave of ab-
 
 again served as State Senator. He did not return to his command on account of disability caused by his wounds, and was at home when the war ended.
 In 1867 the Union League was about to take Tallapoosa County, numerous repre- sentative c.tizes of the County having Joined it. In these troublesome times of reconstruction. it took a man with the courage of his convictions to publicly op- pose this movement, but General Bulger was equal to the emergency, and taking the stump in opposition was largely in- strumentaI In breaking 1t up.
 He remained quietly at home until 1880 when he again served his country in the legislature. This was his last appearance in public life, age and infirmities com polling him to lead less active life, though he continued to take a lively in- terest in all public matters. He died at the residence of his son. Hon. T. l.. Bull ger. at Dadeville, Ala, December IA. 1900. at the ripe age of 94.
 Thus passed away a man who was in many respects remarkable, a patriotic statesman and a soldier without reproach. who at the age of 56 when most men are willing to plead the limitations of age, volunteered to go to inc front in defense of his country, and when. on account of disabling wounds, he could not serve at the front, gave the State the benefit Of his wise counsels in her legislative halls. In presenting this pEtrait' therefore. of our honored commander and deceased comrade. we feel that we not only honor his memory. but that the State is honored in having in it's department of Archives and History the portrait of one of its foremost citizens and bravest soldiers.
 Yours truly,
 ]. Q. Burton, Commander filth Alabama Veteran As
 sociation.
 It has been denied that General Bulger was entitled to the title of General. There has been more or less controversy on this question which is settled by the follow ing paragraph from the seventh volume of Confederate Military History, page 5Ol: His wound having not entirely healed he was granted a leave of absence, and while at Richmond, at the office of Gen eral Winters. Assistant Secretary of War, that gentleman handed him a commits sion as Brigadier General Colonel Bulger asked him to keep it until his return to the army. but before he returned from