Washington Independents and the Virginia Mountain Boys, respectively. The Glade Springs Rifles were formed by former strong Unionists, George Graham and James L. Cole. The Goodson Rifle Guards began as a Militia Group in late April, 1861. The Goodson Rifle Guards took the name of the nearby town of Goodson, Virginia, currently Bristol, Virginia. They would distinguish themselves under the command of Captain John F. Terry. The many companies of the 37th would come together under the command of Col. Samuel Vance Fulkerson, a 38 year old veteran of the Mexican War. Fulkerson, a native of Abingdon, Virginia, would leave a successful law practice to join his Washington County warriors under the command of Thomas Stonewall Jackson. Fulkerson and his boys from Washington County would quickly distinguish themselves in the Mountain Campaigns and become a favorite of Stonewall Jackson. Sadly, Jackson would lose his beloved commander of the 37th. Fulkerson fell fatally wounded at the battle of Gaines Mill and is buried at Sinking Springs Cemetery, Abingdon, Virginia.
The 37th's first taste of armed conflict would be at Laurel Hill, Virginia where they would experience their first casualty. The first of the 37th to fall victim to a Yankee bullet would be Private Robert Oney. He would die while standing Guard Duty. Oney would never again see Washington County. He was buried in an unmarked grave in the mountains of what is known today as West Virginia. After the Mountain Campaigns, the 37th would join Jackson's Foot Cavalry at Winchester, Virginia. Fulkerson would lead his 37th in the 7 Days Battles. Gaines Mill would bring an end to the 7 Days Battles and Fulkerson's life July 1862. Titus V. Williams would be promoted to the rank of Col. and become the Commander of the 37th Virginia. Captain Terry would advance to the rank of Lt. Col. The War would rage on and the 37th would be in the thick of it...Cedar Creek, Sharpsburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Sayler's Creek, and finally, Appomattox's Courthouse.
Of the 1,489 men and officers of the 37th Virginia at the onset of the Civil War, only 17 were left to be surrendered. Of those 17, 7 men were in The Goodson Rifles, Company A.
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