Captain Thomas Collins
Hey Kull Family,
I was recently surfing the web for my great uncle Capt Thomas B. Collins name and he poped up under the Kull Family tree.Being the much talked about family hero, I have heard many stories about Tom over the years. I thought I would share a few with you.
Tom was college educated and played the violin. As the Civil War was breaking out, Tom sent his personal servant Bill with $400 to North Carolina to live the remainder of his life under the care of a friend. Tom road in several battles suffering two wounds and eventual capture. Upon escape, Tom turned spy for the Confederat Secret Service where he was recruited by Capt. Bennett Young and became a key player in the St.Albans, Vermont raid of 1864ยท(I encourage a look at that action)
After the Canadian trial and acquittal, Tom went into self imposed exile in Belgium where he studied medicine. His last letter home included a New Years resolution saying he wanted to right some of the wrongs committed in the war. The story goes that after a battle, Tom was tasked with delivering seven Union solders to a POW holding area. When he returned many hours before schedule he was asked about the fait of the prisoners. “They tried to escape”. I will let imagination fill in the details of the story.
Tom moved to Paris, France to practice medicine and there succumbed to what was believed to be tuberculosis.He was put in a pickle barrel and shipped back to American. Tom is buried in the Richmond Kentucky cemetery. He was twenty seven years old.
Great work