This green and gold historical marker is located in the parking lot of the visitor's center. It is…read morenot an official state marker and indicates that it is "privately funded and erected in honor of R.C.Gatlin."
The marker reads, "Richard Caswell Gatlin, January 18 1890 - September 8, 1896. Kinston Native, West Point Graduate, US Army Officer, Confederate General. Born at Red House Plantation two miles west of Kinston. Grandson of North Carolina's first State governor, Richard Caswell. Served in the Black Hawk War 1832, Indian Territory 1832-1839, 2nd Seminole War 1839-1842 and Mexican War 1845-1848 where he was wounded and decorated for meritorious service at the Battle of Monterrey. Commanded US Army posts in Florida, Arkansas, Nebraska, Utah and New Mexico before resigning to service his home state during the Civil War. Commanded Confederate Department of North Carolina 1861-1862 and was NC State Adjutant General 1863-1865. Kinston/Lenoir County's first West Point graduate and only Confederate General. Buried in Fort Smith National Cemetery, Arkansas."
Online, there is more information. "Richard Caswell Gatlin, soldier, Confederate officer, and farmer, was born at Kinston, Lenoir County. His father was John S. Gatlin, the son of John Gatlin who was one of the early settlers of Kinston; his mother was Susannah Caswell, the youngest child of Governor Richard Caswell."
"While on a visit to Fort Smith, Ark., he was captured by Arkansas State forces on 23 Apr. 1861 when the state was on the verge of secession. After his parole, he resigned his commission in the U.S. Army and offered his services to North Carolina. He was first made adjutant general of the state, with the rank of major general of militia; later he received the rank of colonel of infantry in the regular Confederate Army and was given command of the Southern Department, in charge of coastal defense, with headquarters at Wilmington."
"After the war Gatlin moved to Arkansas where he engaged in farming in Sebastian County until 1881, when he moved again to Fort Smith. He died at Mount Nebo, Yell County, Ark., at the age of eighty-seven, and was buried in the National Cemetery at Fort Smith."
[Review 15465 overall, 969 of 2021, number 3009 in North Carolina.]