Richard K. Hulse

Richard K. Hulse (February 7,1828-1915) was an American soldier and lawyer. He was a Union First Lieutenant who served in the American Civil War.
Biography
Richard was born on February 7, 1828 in Brazetta, Ohio to Henry K. and Rhoda Rowley Hurse. He got his education in Trumbell County schools, as well as 'Farmington Academy'. He learned to be a blacksmith in 1847. On July 4,1849 , he married Hannah Payton, and they soon moved to settle in Kinsman,Ohio and proceeded to raise seven children. On August 15,1862, He enlisted in the '125 Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment' just as it was starting up. He was 34 at the time it was starting, and was muscular at the respective height of 5 feet 6 inches due to his years blacksmithing. January 1, 1863 was the day when he was promoted to First Sergeant of Company B. Once training completed, the 125th were sent to Franklin, Tennessee. In February, they were able to take Franklin from the Confederate Army. After that, the Federals were the occupation force. During a storm, the bridge over the Harpeth River which was used to establish a line of communication with the rest of the brigade, was washed away. Hulse volunteered himself to swim a horse with a line attached across the river at night.
His first major battle was at Battle of Chickamauga in September 1863, where the 125th was under the command of George Henry Thomas on 'Snodgrass Hill'. Due to their courage at 'Chickamauga', the 125th was branded the sobriquet 'Opdycke Tigers' , named after their colonel Emerson Opdycke.
Hulse was next involved in the Battle of Chattanooga and survived. After, he was put in charge of Company B during the 'Battle of Missionary Hill'. He was later promoted to Second Lieutenant on April 3, 1864, and then was promoted to 'First Lieutenant' the following 19th of July.
He next commanded Company K during the Atlanta Campaign and the battles of Franklin and Nashville. At Nashville, he moved though heavy gunfire to capture a Confederate cannon, then with assistance turned it around and fired several times on retreating enemy troops with their own weapon. He commanded Company C until the end of the war. In 1865 he was promoted to Captain.
On September 25,1865, he was mustered out of service in Victoria, Texas. He returned to Kinsman and studied law under his former commanding officer Judge 'Albert Yeomans'. Admitted to the bar in 1869, he practiced until 1902. A Freemason and lifelong member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and he also served as vice principal of the Kinsman branch of the Mahoning Valley Historical Society.
Magazine References
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*Civil War Times, May 2007 ISSN 1546-9980. (Leesburg, VA: Weider History Group). Section: A Buckeye Blacksmith Heads South With Sherman: 21
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