JAMES H. SMITH, b 15 June 1837 in Talladega Co., Alabama to Stephen Smith and Nancy Whatley Smith.

His war record is interspersed chronologically with the letters he sent home.

Oct 22 1861 Enlisted at Talladega, Ala. by Lt. Col. McClellan “for 3 yrs. or the war.”
Dec 1861 Sick in hospital at Auburn, Ala.
May 1862 Letter from near Corinth, Miss. as follows:

Camp of the 25th Ala. Vols. Near Corinth Miss. May the 20th 1862

Mr. S. & Nancy W. Smith
My Dear Beloved Parents. I this afternoon have time to answer your kind
letters under dates of 10th & 11th inst. Which I read with a degree of pleasure
and pain. I was glad to hear that you was in good health to go there with the
rest of my friends and relatives in Hillabee. I am sorry to hear of the trouble
that you all seem to see about the loss of mine & Jacks presence in the family
circle of Home. I would to God that this cruel war would close this evening
then we could return back to our former vocations in life. We could then once
more enjoy the rights of freemen and the peaceful presence of dear sympathizing
friends. Oh just one hours quiet conversation with either or both of you would
afford a balm for my aching heart and weary soul. A few days since I was fully
persuaded that the war would come to a close very soon. But I am at present
fully persuaded to believe it will last several months yet. It really seems
that no proposition will satisfy the Bloodthirsty Yankies. All they desire is
to Subjugate or exterminate the South. They cant do neither, they can starve us
to death. This they are now doing very fast. We the Soldiers of the Boasting
Confederacy are now the Subjects of almost starvation. Our rations has again &
again been curtailed until we are living half of our time on nothing but Bread
without shortning and Rye Tea. The Soldiers will either disband or the Grave
yards filled up with starved soldiers.
This may in all probability be the last letter that I shall ever write to
you for the whole force at Corinth is now ordered to go and attack the enemy in
his strong fortifications. The force of the enemy is said to be 160 000
Thousand. We will leave this evening at 6 o’clock P.M. Tonight we will camp
within a short distance of the formidable Enemy early Thursday morning we will
make the attack I or Brother H. J. (His brother, Hiram John Smith) or some of
the rest of our dear fellow soldiers may fall. The God who knows all things can
alone tell the result. If I should be among the slain I am fully impressed with
the hope that All will be well with me in the world to come. Let us put our
trust in him who can alone save our lives and permit us once more to commune
together on Earth.
Poppa I shall send you Fifty Dollars as soon as I can see a safe
opportunity. I want you to use the money that I send Home to the best advantage
for us both. If I should never return all my effects is yours. If you should
lack for any of the common nesissaries of life you are at liberty to use all or
a portion of my money. When I return I will once more consent to be Poppas &
Mothers Boy. I will stay with you whilst we live.
If you have got any salt on hand I would advise you not to use it to any
degree of extravigance. It is now selling for $300.00 per sack. And in fact you
would do well to live more saving in every particular. I view that famine is
now staring the people of the South in the face and even now thousands of
persons are suffering for the lack of proper food for their sustainance. I am
indeed sorry that (you) have been compelled to have to follow the plow. I wish
it was so that you could hire a plow Boy for the space of one month or more. I
am fearful that you will not be able to follow the plow regularly when the
weather becomes to be very warm. I don’t want you to overdo yourself try to
cultivate your crop with as little plowing as will possibly do. Have the Girls
to help hoe when it is necessary. Tell them not to gripe at the task it is
altogether Honorable.
I hope you not be troubled as to the safety of me and Jack in the
approaching Battle. I trust that the God of Battles will save us from Harm.
Capt. Ed Turner [Edwin C. Turner] has abandoned H Company again just as we was about to [several
words lost here due to paper deteriorating and missing] has rendered himself
very unpopular ---- come Back to the company nomore I dont think.
I have not heard from Wilson Smith since the 5th Inst. W. McClellan is
also gone to the Hospital. G. H. Russell is not able to go into the Big fight.
Jeptha W. Roberts is improved in health and remarkable to say he is strictly a
moral man. J. C. Price is still allright. I shall look for you to send me those
good things to Eat if you can get an opportunity But dont put yourself to too
much trouble. You will pleas send me my course Lennin Pants By the first
passing.
Tell Brother M. L. (his brother, Miles L. Smith) that I will write to him
on my return from the Battle field. Tell Miles not to dispose of Carmachial. I
want him in case I ever get back home. Give my Respects to Mr. Geo. W. Price &
family also to E. Russell & wife. Send Martin & family to Mr. W. A. Dickinson
W. H. Hobbs & family and Especially to Miles & family [word lost]. Mrs. W. T.
Whatley, Wesley W. Ballard and family and all the meritorious People of
Hillabee besides.
Poppa I want you to use a portion of the money that I have sent home in
Buying Paper Ink Envelopes & pens for the Girls & Taylor (his youngest brother,
William Taylor Smith) to write to us.
As I have now about exhausted my little stock of news I will close for the
present.
Write soon and often fail not [words possibly lost] --- will probably
forever remain.
Your Loving Son as ever J. H.

June 1862 Absent with leave
July-Aug 1862 Sick, Okalona, Miss.
Oct. 1862 Captured near Springfield, Ky.
Oct. Nov. 1862 Sick in Kentucky, place unknown
Nov. 18, 1862 Prisoner of War paroled by the 1st Div., 14th Army Corps, Dept.
of the Cumberland, Gallatin, Tenn.
Oct. 1863 Furloughed for 10 days by order of General Bragg
Nov. 1863 Captured at Missionary Ridge, Tenn.
Dec. 5 1863 Exchanged at Louisville, Ky.
June 25, 1864 Letter from Rock Island Prison Hospital, Ill. as follows:

(Letter addressed to Stephen Smith, Bowdon P O, Talladega, Co., Ala.)

Hospital Prison
Rock Island, Illinois
June the 25, 1864

To Mr. Stephen Smith

My Dear Father

Once more I seat myself to write you a few lines. I have long been anxiously
expecting to receive a letter from you but alas my fond hopes have been
blighted. The last letter I received from you was dated April the 22nd. I have
wrote to you once a month ever since I have been in Prison. I have been an
inmate of this hospital ever since the 6th of May. I cannot say that my health
has improved materially. The disias which I am suffering with seems quite
stubborn (It being chronic Diarrhea). I have but little expectation of ever
being able to reach home But I have a burning hope of meeting all my friends in
a world where there will be no wars to separate us. I would here say to you not
to let my condition trouble you I receive good attention in this Hospital.
Hiram J. Smith was well when I last heard from him. Say to Mrs. M. A. Fain that
her husband Died of Chronic Diarrhea and acute Rheumatism at 9 o’clock on the
night of the 7th Inst. He told me a few days prior to his death that all was
well with him. I want you to write to me as often as you can while I am in
prison give me all the news of a private nature that you can.

Say to Dr. J. H. to write to me you can give him my address Tell Bro. M. L. to
do likewise. Direct your letter to J. H. Smith Prisoner of War Barrack 17 Rock
Island Ill.

Your son as ever
J. H. Smith

Dec. 15 1864 Captured at Nashville, Tenn.
July 5, 1865 Released from Hospital at Camp Douglas, Chicago, Ill.
James Smith died in Mississippi on the journey home.