John L. Bullis
Encyclopedia
John Lapham Bullis was a much-decorated American soldier and later an entrepreneur.
He was born at Macedon, New York
, the eldest of the seven children of Dr. Abram R. and Lydia P. (Lapham) Bullis. Although brought up as a Quaker, he did not attend services regularly.
Bullis served in the Civil War
, Indian Wars
, and Spanish-American War
.
In the 1870s and 1880s Bullis used his knowledge of West Texas
to make very shrewd investments in land. In 1886 Bullis was a pertner in the Shafter Silver Mine in Presidio County, Texas
with famed Colonel William R. Shafter and rancher John A. Spencer. These investments made him a very wealthy man.
Bullis was wounded and captured at the Battle of Harper's Ferry (Septewmber 12-15, 1862).
During the Battle of Gettysburg
(July 1–3, 1863), he was wounded and captured again. He then was imprisoned for 10 months at the brutal Libby Prison
in Virginia until he was exchanged for a Confederate soldier in the spring of 1864.
In 1864 he was commissioned and appointed a captain in the 118th USCT
Infantry. The United States Colored Troops were a unit composed of runaway and freed black slaves who had volunteered to fight against the Confederacy. Their officers and most senior non-commissioned officers were white; they had to volunteer for the assignment and received a promotion. Distinguished enlisted men or experienced non-commissioned officers were offered subaltern ranks (ensign, Lieutenant, or captain), and officers were granted promortions to field rank (major, lieutenant-colonel, or colonel).
In 1866, he was mustered out of the Army after failing to acquire a Regular commission in the drastically-reduced postwar Army.
In 1873, Bullis was re-assigned to command the Seminole-Negro Indian Scouts at Fort Clark, Texas
.
From 1873-1876 and 1878-1879 he served under General Ranald S. Mackenzie
, where he received citations for bravery.
From 1882 to 1888 he served at Fort Supply
in the Indian Territory
.
In 1886, he served under General Nelson A. Miles
on his campaign to capture Geronimo
.
From 1888 to 1893 Bullis served as an Indian Agent to the Apaches on the San Carlos Reservation. From 1893 to 1897 he was stationed in Santa Fe
, New Mexico Territory
, where he served as an Indian Agent to the Pueblo
es and Jicarilla
Apache
s.
Bullis was promoted to major in 1897 and served as a Paymaster at Fort Sam Houston
.
In 1898-1899 Bullis served in the Spanish-American War
in Cuba.
In 1904, he was promoted to Brigadier-General by President Theodore Roosevelt
.
driving a herd of 75 stolen horses towards Mexico. The horses were presumed stolen because some had bridles and were shod and the others weren't. Although outnumbered, they decided to track and apprehend the horse thieves. On the afternoon of April 26, they caught up with the band at Eagle's Nest Crossing just before the Pecos River
. They surprised the band and recovered the horses. The band soon recovered and set out after the scouts. There was a pitched battle in which Sergeant Ward had his carbine's buttstock shattered by bullets. Low on ammunition and outnumbered, the scouts had to retreat and leave the horses behind. Bullis, on foot after his horse reared him off, was saved by Sergeant Ward, who picked him up on horseback at a trot. Bullis recommended Sergeant Ward, Trumpeter Payne, and Private Factor for the Medal of Honor, which they received on May 28, 1875.
Bullis was at Fort Sam Houston watching a boxing match in the fort's gymnasium on the evening of May 25, 1911 when he became ill. He died in the Post Hospital at Fort Sam Houston from an apoplexic
stroke
on May 26, 1911.
John Lapham Bullis was buried in a plot at the San Antonio National Cemetery
. He was later followed by his second wife Josephine (Withers) Bullis in 1934 and his eldest daughter Lydia L. Bullis in 1973.
In 1891 he married Josephine Withers (September 8, 1865 - December 3, 1934) of San Antonio, Texas. They had three daughters.
Octavia married William (Sumner Teall) Halcomb (b. March 12, 1893 - d. September 30, 1974), an officer in the US Army, on (date?). They had a son.
William S. Halcomb retired from the Army with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.
, in West Texas
for his services. They can be seen on display at the Witte Museum
in San Antonio, Texas.
On April 7, 1882 Bullis received the thanks of the Texas Legislature in a special Joint Resolution "..in behalf of the people of the frontier of this State, in repelling the depredations of Indians and other enemies of the frontier of Texas."
In 1890, Bullis received overdue brevet citations for gallant service for the fights at Remolino (Coahuila, Mexico) (1873), Eagle's Nest Crossing (Pecos River, Texas)(1875), Saragosa (Coahuila, Mexico) (1876), and Burro Mountains (Coahuila, Mexico) (1881).
In 1917, a post was named Camp Bullis
in his honor.
He was born at Macedon, New York
Macedon, New York
Macedon may refer to two municipalities in Wayne County, New York in the United States:*Macedon , New York*Macedon , New York, located entirely within the town...
, the eldest of the seven children of Dr. Abram R. and Lydia P. (Lapham) Bullis. Although brought up as a Quaker, he did not attend services regularly.
Bullis served in the Civil War
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
, Indian Wars
Indian Wars
American Indian Wars is the name used in the United States to describe a series of conflicts between American settlers or the federal government and the native peoples of North America before and after the American Revolutionary War. The wars resulted from the arrival of European colonizers who...
, and Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
.
In the 1870s and 1880s Bullis used his knowledge of West Texas
West Texas
West Texas is a vernacular term applied to a region in the southwestern quadrant of the United States that primarily encompasses the arid and semi-arid lands in the western portion of the state of Texas....
to make very shrewd investments in land. In 1886 Bullis was a pertner in the Shafter Silver Mine in Presidio County, Texas
Presidio County, Texas
Presidio County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 7,304. Its county seat is Marfa. Presidio County is in the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas and is named for the ancient border settlement of Presidio del Norte.-Geography:Presidio County is triangular in...
with famed Colonel William R. Shafter and rancher John A. Spencer. These investments made him a very wealthy man.
Civil War
On August 8, 1862, John L. Bullis enlisted as a private in the 126th New York Volunteer Infantry regiment. He was quickly promoted to corporal.Bullis was wounded and captured at the Battle of Harper's Ferry (Septewmber 12-15, 1862).
During the Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
(July 1–3, 1863), he was wounded and captured again. He then was imprisoned for 10 months at the brutal Libby Prison
Libby Prison
Libby Prison was a Confederate Prison at Richmond, Virginia, during the American Civil War. It gained an infamous reputation for the harsh conditions under which prisoners from the Union Army were kept.- Overview :...
in Virginia until he was exchanged for a Confederate soldier in the spring of 1864.
In 1864 he was commissioned and appointed a captain in the 118th USCT
United States Colored Troops
The United States Colored Troops were regiments of the United States Army during the American Civil War that were composed of African American soldiers. First recruited in 1863, by the end of the Civil War, the men of the 175 regiments of the USCT constituted approximately one-tenth of the Union...
Infantry. The United States Colored Troops were a unit composed of runaway and freed black slaves who had volunteered to fight against the Confederacy. Their officers and most senior non-commissioned officers were white; they had to volunteer for the assignment and received a promotion. Distinguished enlisted men or experienced non-commissioned officers were offered subaltern ranks (ensign, Lieutenant, or captain), and officers were granted promortions to field rank (major, lieutenant-colonel, or colonel).
In 1866, he was mustered out of the Army after failing to acquire a Regular commission in the drastically-reduced postwar Army.
Indian Wars
In 1867, he received an offer of a commission as a Lieutenant in the 41st (Colored) Infantry, an all-black regiment. In 1869, there was a downsizing of the Corps of Infantry from 45 regiments to 25 and he was reassigned as a Lieutenant in the 24th (Colored) Infantry.In 1873, Bullis was re-assigned to command the Seminole-Negro Indian Scouts at Fort Clark, Texas
Fort Clark, Texas
Fort Clark was a frontier fort that later became the headquarters for the 2nd Cavalry Division.-Founding:The land that became Fort Clark was owned by Samuel A. Maverick at the time its potential for military development was recognized by William H.C. Whiting and William F. Smith in 1849...
.
From 1873-1876 and 1878-1879 he served under General Ranald S. Mackenzie
Ranald S. Mackenzie
Ranald Slidell Mackenzie was a career United States Army officer and general in the Union Army during the American Civil War, described by General Ulysses S. Grant as its most promising young officer...
, where he received citations for bravery.
From 1882 to 1888 he served at Fort Supply
Fort Supply
Fort Supply was a United States Army post established on November 18, 1868, in Indian Territory to protect the Southern Plains...
in the Indian Territory
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...
.
In 1886, he served under General Nelson A. Miles
Nelson A. Miles
Nelson Appleton Miles was a United States soldier who served in the American Civil War, Indian Wars, and the Spanish-American War.-Early life:Miles was born in Westminster, Massachusetts, on his family's farm...
on his campaign to capture Geronimo
Geronimo
Geronimo was a prominent Native American leader of the Chiricahua Apache who fought against Mexico and the United States for their expansion into Apache tribal lands for several decades during the Apache Wars. Allegedly, "Geronimo" was the name given to him during a Mexican incident...
.
From 1888 to 1893 Bullis served as an Indian Agent to the Apaches on the San Carlos Reservation. From 1893 to 1897 he was stationed in Santa Fe
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
, New Mexico Territory
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, where he served as an Indian Agent to the Pueblo
Pueblo
Pueblo is a term used to describe modern communities of Native Americans in the Southwestern United States of America. The first Spanish explorers of the Southwest used this term to describe the communities housed in apartment-like structures built of stone, adobe mud, and other local material...
es and Jicarilla
Jicarilla Apache
Jicarilla Apache refers to the members of the Jicarilla Apache Nation currently living in New Mexico and speaking a Southern Athabaskan language...
Apache
Apache
Apache is the collective term for several culturally related groups of Native Americans in the United States originally from the Southwest United States. These indigenous peoples of North America speak a Southern Athabaskan language, which is related linguistically to the languages of Athabaskan...
s.
Bullis was promoted to major in 1897 and served as a Paymaster at Fort Sam Houston
Fort Sam Houston
Fort Sam Houston is a U.S. Army post in San Antonio, Texas.Known colloquially as "Fort Sam," it is named for the first President of the Republic of Texas, Sam Houston....
.
In 1898-1899 Bullis served in the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
in Cuba.
In 1904, he was promoted to Brigadier-General by President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
.
Eagle's Nest Crossing (April, 1875)
On April 5, Lieutenant Bullis and three scouts (Sergeant John Ward, Trumpeter Issac Payne, and Private Pompey Factor) went out on patrol to intercept a band of raiders who had attacked a stage coach. On April 18, Bullis and his men came upon a band of 25-30 Lipan ApacheApache
Apache is the collective term for several culturally related groups of Native Americans in the United States originally from the Southwest United States. These indigenous peoples of North America speak a Southern Athabaskan language, which is related linguistically to the languages of Athabaskan...
driving a herd of 75 stolen horses towards Mexico. The horses were presumed stolen because some had bridles and were shod and the others weren't. Although outnumbered, they decided to track and apprehend the horse thieves. On the afternoon of April 26, they caught up with the band at Eagle's Nest Crossing just before the Pecos River
Pecos River
The headwaters of the Pecos River are located north of Pecos, New Mexico, United States, at an elevation of over 12,000 feet on the western slope of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range in Mora County. The river flows for through the eastern portion of that state and neighboring Texas before it...
. They surprised the band and recovered the horses. The band soon recovered and set out after the scouts. There was a pitched battle in which Sergeant Ward had his carbine's buttstock shattered by bullets. Low on ammunition and outnumbered, the scouts had to retreat and leave the horses behind. Bullis, on foot after his horse reared him off, was saved by Sergeant Ward, who picked him up on horseback at a trot. Bullis recommended Sergeant Ward, Trumpeter Payne, and Private Factor for the Medal of Honor, which they received on May 28, 1875.
Life After the Army
Bullis retired from the Army in 1905 with the rank of Brigadier General.Bullis was at Fort Sam Houston watching a boxing match in the fort's gymnasium on the evening of May 25, 1911 when he became ill. He died in the Post Hospital at Fort Sam Houston from an apoplexic
Apoplexy
Apoplexy is a medical term, which can be used to describe 'bleeding' in a stroke . Without further specification, it is rather outdated in use. Today it is used only for specific conditions, such as pituitary apoplexy and ovarian apoplexy. In common speech, it is used non-medically to mean a state...
stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
on May 26, 1911.
John Lapham Bullis was buried in a plot at the San Antonio National Cemetery
San Antonio National Cemetery
San Antonio National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery in the city of San Antonio in Bexar County, Texas. It encompasses , and as of the end of 2005, had 3,163 interments.- History :...
. He was later followed by his second wife Josephine (Withers) Bullis in 1934 and his eldest daughter Lydia L. Bullis in 1973.
Family
In 1872, Bullis married Alice Rodríguez (?-1887) of San Antonio, Texas. She died in 1887 and they had no children.In 1891 he married Josephine Withers (September 8, 1865 - December 3, 1934) of San Antonio, Texas. They had three daughters.
- Lydia P. Bullis (born September 7 (elder twin), 1892 Fort Bayard, New Mexico Territory - died September 20, 1973 San Antonio, TX)
- Anita Withers Bullis (born September 8 (younger twin), 1892 Fort Bayard, New Mexico Territory - died October 2, 1944 San Antonio, TX) Anita was buried in San Fernando Cemetery #1 (Cemeterio de San Fernando), San Antonio, TexasSan Antonio, TexasSan Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
. - Octavia M. Bullis (born April 5, 1894, Santa Fe, New Mexico Territory - died June 30, 1975 San Antonio, TX) Octavia was buried in her husband William's plot in San Antonio National CemeterySan Antonio National CemeterySan Antonio National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery in the city of San Antonio in Bexar County, Texas. It encompasses , and as of the end of 2005, had 3,163 interments.- History :...
.
Octavia married William (Sumner Teall) Halcomb (b. March 12, 1893 - d. September 30, 1974), an officer in the US Army, on (date?). They had a son.
- William Sumner Halcomb (born October 28, 1927)
William S. Halcomb retired from the Army with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.
Awards
In 1881, Bullis received a pair of engraved presentation swords (one gold and one silver) from the grateful citizens of Kinney CountyKinney County, Texas
Kinney County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 3,379. Its seat is Brackettville. Kinney County is named for Henry Lawrence Kinney, an early settler.-Geography:...
, in West Texas
West Texas
West Texas is a vernacular term applied to a region in the southwestern quadrant of the United States that primarily encompasses the arid and semi-arid lands in the western portion of the state of Texas....
for his services. They can be seen on display at the Witte Museum
Witte Museum
The Witte Museum, established in 1926 under the charter of the San Antonio Museum Association, is located adjacent to Brackenridge Park in San Antonio, Texas, on the banks of the source of the San Antonio River. It is dedicated to the history, science, and culture of the region. Nearby is the San...
in San Antonio, Texas.
On April 7, 1882 Bullis received the thanks of the Texas Legislature in a special Joint Resolution "..in behalf of the people of the frontier of this State, in repelling the depredations of Indians and other enemies of the frontier of Texas."
In 1890, Bullis received overdue brevet citations for gallant service for the fights at Remolino (Coahuila, Mexico) (1873), Eagle's Nest Crossing (Pecos River, Texas)(1875), Saragosa (Coahuila, Mexico) (1876), and Burro Mountains (Coahuila, Mexico) (1881).
In 1917, a post was named Camp Bullis
Camp Bullis
Camp Bullis Military Training Reservation is a U.S. Army training camp located in Bexar County, Texas, just northwest of San Antonio, USA. The camp is named for Brigadier General John Lapham Bullis ,...
in his honor.