The Shells of Pigeon Creek Genealogy Web Site
The ancestors, descendants, and cousins of the Shells of Pigeon Creek, Alabama.
Notes for James Asbury Bailey
James Asbury Bailey was an interesting early citizen. He was a teacher, philosopher, and student. He lived in this community (Wren) over a hundred years ago and helped blaze the way for many descendants to follow. During the Civil War, James Asbury Bailey was Orderly Sergeant in Company L of the 24th Mississippi Volunteers Regiment, CSA. He delivered the centennial speech at Cotton Gin Port in 1876.
A History of Monroe County Mississippi. 1988.
Savannah, GA.
Dec. 7, 1861
Dear Mother:
I write you a letter for the first time. I have not recd any letter from you or from Wm. I am at Savannah, Georgia. We went from Aberdeen to Marine Station, Miss. about two months and there were ordered to Pensacola, Florada, where we remained a few days, and then we were ordered to Savannah, Ga. My health has been first rate except a bad bold I had a Marine Station, Mip. We stayed a few days at Pensacola, Fla. the weather was warm there tho papers gave an account of a snowstorm 2 Dec. in Richmond, Va. that day we were in Pensacola I saw two boys in the water fishing and brui ing about like it was summer time. Pensacola is a pretty little city. The Navy yard is abut five miles from the city. I went to it a grand affair, very large houses enough canon Balls here to fill a great big house. There are the Prettyest sheats of water there I ever saw the best harber in the confederacy. We went by Mobile before we got to Pensacola Beautiful sheats of water there, from Pensacola we went to Montgomery, Ala. hospital of the state a large city as big as about ten of Aberdeen Pensacola is as big as about two of Aberdeen. I have not triled over Savannah much. I see at a distance the monument of Pulaskie who fell here in the Revolution of 1776.
Our Boys have had the Measles I think about thirty of them. One died J.H. Parrish, a son of Lee Parrish on the other side of the River. We have sent several sick home & left one in Mobile W.H.H. Hobbs Nine at Pensacola and two in Montgomery, Ala. and have 2 or 3 in the hospital here. We ran off the R. Road between Mobile & Pensacola we had on the cars at the time Six hundred men I suppose about one hundered and fifteen jumped off and fell off together about fifteen got hurt one ceriously and died 3 smartly injured the ballance slightly. I was in the foremost cars and did not fall off and consequently was not hurt. They have been fighting some at Pensacola a few days before we got there. I saw a great many balls, shells, & that the yankies shot at our works they burnt up a great many houses at the Navy Yard or more in Warrenton which joins that by the Navy Yard. I saw none of the Houses that I thought belonged to the Navy Yard that ere burnt. We were camped at Pensacola where the yankeys would have thrown their Bumbs and balls up on us. But they were not fighting while we were there. Our men shot six Balls at them the day before we arrived and Nineteen guns were shot the day we left we were about three miles from the place returning when I heard the Guns. I smelt the Powder as the wind blowed toward us The Yankies have Eighteen large ships in sight of Savannah. I do not know whether we will fight any here or not there are a great many ships ("ships" stricken. "Troops" written above) here & more comeng one Regt from Mip. I company was on the car Seven have arrived this morning of Col. Davis Regt. Nothing more but I remain yours
J.A. Bailey
Direct your letters
Savannah, Ga.
24th Regt Mis. Volunteers
Care Capt. Coopwood
***
Transcription of Etta Haney Roman's transcription of a transcription of this letter found in Evans Memorial Library in Aberdeen, MS. All spelling, grammatical, punctuation, and transcription errors have been preserved. Notation at top of first transcription reads "Copied from Bailey collection".
Notes in the handwriting of Nellie Josephine Logan Haney on reverse side of recipes for "Aunt Lallie's Sogrum Custard" and "Chili Sause" (see "Nellie Logan"):
"Married 1863 on crutches. Wounded in Battle of Chicmanga (Chickamauga), GA -Civil War. Ma's daddy."
Some of J.A. Bailey's surveying tools are in the Evans Memorial Library in Aberdeen, MS.
Obituary on newspaper clipping found in Elizabeth Jane Bailey Bible:
On Saturday the twenty-fourth of August, with a large congregation of relatives and friends, I heard an eloquent funeral sermon from Rev. Amos Kendall, of Aberdeen, over the remains of James A. Bailey Jr., who 'passed over the dark river' on the twenty-fourth. Mr. Bailey was ready for the summons; he had asked Mr. Kendall's services several days before to preach his funeral sermon and requested that his friends should sing 'In the Sweet Bye and Bye' at his burial. He had been ill a long time and suffered greatly but now we trust and hope, in the language of the text, that he is safe at home 'in a house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens." (Another line follows which is illegible.)
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