Delaware County NY Genealogy and History Site

Rev. A.H. Fullerton, who is at present stopping with Mr. A.P. Vail, was formerly Chaplain of the 144th N.Y. Volunteers, a regiment raised in Delaware county, and in which he enlisted as a private in the ranks, refusing the captaincy of a company though earnestly solicited to take it. How he came to be Chaplain is a very romantic story, and is told in this wise: The regiment was quartered at Delhi and upon one occasion the Rev. D. Pettingill failed to keep an appointment to preach. One of the officers thereupon told the Colonel in command that he knew a private who could preach, having heard him in his church at Masonville. Fullerton was called upon and given one minute to prepare himself. He is a very eloquent man, and the circumstances of the case seem to have inspired him, as he preached with wondrous power, and perfectly charmed and captivated the regiment, which with loud acclaim demanded that he be made Chaplain of the 144th. At the request of the regiment a special Presbyterian Synod was convened at Deposit and the young man was ordained, and from that day until the breaking up of the regiment he ministered to it in spiritual matters in an acceptable manner. --- Rondout Freeman.