Col. William D. Bulger, one of the best known attorneys in Alabama and a prominent member of the Birmingham bar, is a native of Tallapoosa county, Ala., where he was born March 1, 1844 [1843 a/c tombstone], and where he secured his primary education. He then went to Dadeville, Ala., where he worked for five years in a printing office and then went to Marrysville, Tenn., where he attended school, until the spring of 1861, when he entered the Confederate service, enlisting in a company organized by Capt. Thrasher, while was assigned to the Thirty-eighth Tennessee infantry, and on the reorganization of that regiment, in the summer of the same year, private Bulger, was made commissary, and served in that capacity for about a year. He then resigned and enlisted as a private soldier, in the Forty-seventh Alabama regiment, which was organized by his father, M. J. Bulger, who soon became its colonel. He served in this regiment until the battle of Chickamauga, where he was wounded, and after partially recovering, he was assigned to detailed duty at Mobile, Ala. And commissioned lieutenant-colonel of the Third Alabama reserves, which rank he held at the close of the war. He was in the battles of Cedar Run, Second Manassas, Chantilly Farm, Fredericksburg, Sharpsburg or Antietan, Gettysbufg and Chickamauga. He was wounded in the right hip at Sharpsburg, and in the knee at Chickamauga.

At the close of the war, Col. Bulger returned to this native county, and located at Dadeville, where he at once commenced the study of law, and in March, 1866, was
admitted to the bar. He at once opened an office in Dadeville, and soon built up a lucrative practice remaining there until 1888, when he removed to Birmingham, Ala. where he has a large practice. He was elected to represent Tallapoosa county in the lower house in 1870, and served
one term.

Col. Bulger was married in December, 1866, to Miss Amanda Crabb, daughter of James B. Crabb, of McConough, Ga., and to this union were born ten children, of whom six now survive.

Col. Bulger's father is Michael J. Bulger, who is a native of South Carolina, born in Richland district, that state. He came to Alabama about 1820, locating in Tallapoosa county, where he now resides. He has served repeatedly in both houses of the Alabama legislature, and early in 1862, organized the Forty-seventh Alabama regiment, of which he was afterward made colonel, and served all through the war, receiving three wounds, while in service. He married Elizabeth M. Bozeman, a native of Alabama and to them were born four children, two of whom now survive, viz.: Col. W. D. Bulger of Birmingham, and Thomas L. Bulger of Tallapoosa county, Ala. ["Memorial Record of Alabama," Volume 2, published by Brant & Fuller in Madison, WI (1893), page 249]