East Tennessee State University
Archives of Appalachia
Box 70295
Johnson City, Tennessee 37614
E-mail: archives@etsu.edu
Telephone: (423) 439-4338
INTRODUCTION
Title: The James W. McKee Collection: Two Confederate Army Soldier Diaries
Collection Number: Accession No. 148
Physical Description: 0.5 linear foot; [2 volumes (copies)]
Creator: James W. McKee
Repository: Archives of Appalachia, East Tennessee State University
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Provenance: The James W. McKee Collection was photocopied from typed transcripts loaned by James W. McKee on January 17, 1982. The originals are in private hands.
Access: The collection is open for research.
Processing Information: The Archives of Appalachia staff completed processing the collection.
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
James W. McKee is a professor of history at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee. McKee received his B.A. in 1962, M.A. in 1964, and Ph.D. in 1966 at Mississippi State University. McKee has been at ETSU since 1965. His specialty is the old South. The McKee Collection consists of copies of two diaries of Confederate army' soldiers. A brief biographical sketch of their authors follows:
Finley Patterson Curtis was born in Wilkes County, North Carolina on May 21, 1841 and was sworn into the Confederate Army in May of 1861. As a musician in a Confederate brass band, Curtis saw little fighting, but he was wounded at the battle of Chancellorsville. His diary ends with an account of his furlough at home.
Rufus A. Spainhour lived in Wilkes County, North Carolina and was sworn into the Confederate Army on May 27, 1861. He served the full term of the war. Spainhour returned to North Carolina after the war and in later years managed the school book department of his son's general store in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
The James W. McKee Collection includes diaries of two Confederate soldiers, Finley Patterson Curtis and Rufus A. Spainhour. Curtis' diary is a detailed account of his service from 1861-1864 and is divided into four books. Spainhour's diary is a condensed version of the original by Curtis' son, F.P. Curtis, Jr. Both men served in the Confederate Army with the First and Second North Carolina Regiments in the Virginia theater. Curtis' commanders were General Stephen Dodson Ramseur and Brigadier General (?) Warren. Spainhour's commanders included Generals Jubal A. Early, James B. Gordon, Robert E. Lee, G.H. Stewart and (?) Thurston and Brigadier Generals Theophilus Hunter Holmes and Stephen Dodson Ramseur. Spainhour's diary is the more colorful; he covers several notable events (e.g.. Gettysburg, the siege of Washington, and Appomattox and includes sober reflections on the realities of war.
The collection consists of one series containing two photocopy reproductions. Each diary is placed in its own folder. A summary of each diary, including units, commanders, and battles follows. A question mark (?) used in the typescript indicates doubt concerning whether the word was copied correctly from the handwritten diary.
Important subjects covered in the collection include:
Curtis, Finley P. (Finley Patterson), 1841-1922
Spainhour, Rufus A.
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Personal narratives, Confederate
Curtis P. Finley
Curtis' Commanders:
Curtis' Battles:
1862:
1. June 15 - Near Richmond, (Va.)
2. June 26 - Mechanicsville Pike, (Va.)
3. July 1 - Malvern Hill, (Va.)
4. December 13 - Fredericksburg, (Va.)1863:
5. May - Chancellorsville (Va.)
6. Refer to troop movements for more information1864:
7. February 6 - Moulter's Ford (Va.)
8. May 5 - Chancellorsville (Va.)
9. May 6 - Chancellorsville (Va.)
10. May 10 - Spotsylvania Courthouse (Va.)
11. May 12 - Spotsylvania Courthouse (Va.)
12. May 29 - Near Mechanicsville (Va.)
13. July 18 - Snicker's Gap (Va.)
14. July 24 - Newton (Va.)
Rufus A. Spainhour
Spainhour's Units:
1. Company B. First Regiment of North Carolina
2. Second Regiment of North Carolina*
3. Army of Northern Virginia
*May 15 1864 - 1st and 2nd regiments combined to form Second regiment of North Carolina.
Spainhour's Commanders:
1. General Jubal A. Early
2. Major General John B. Gordon
3. Brig. General Theophilus H. Holmes
4. General Robert E. Lee
5. Brig. General Stephen D. Ramseur
6. Brig. General George H. Steuart
7. Commander Thurston
Spainhour's Battles:
1. June 15, 1862 Near Richmond, Va.
2. June 26, 1862 Mechanicsville Pike, Va.
3. June 27, 1862 Cold Harbor, Va.
4. July 1, 1862 Malvern Hill, Va.
5. Sept. 14, 1862 Gap In South Mountains
6. Sept. 17, 1862 Sharpsburg, Md.
7. Sept. 20, 1862 Shepherdstown, WVa.
8. Dec. 13, 1862 Fredericksburg, Va.
9. May 1863 Chancellorsville, Va.
10. July 1-3, 1863 Gettysburg, Penn.
11. Oct. 1863 Warrenton, Va.
12. Nov. 27, 1863 Germania Ford
13. Feb. 1864 Germania Ford
14. March 1864 Near Richmond, Va.
15. May 5, 1864 Turnpike near Old Wilderness Tavern (Va.)
16. May 6, 1864 Turnpike near Old Wilderness Tavern (Va.)
17. May 10, 1864 Spotsylvania, VA and Chancellorsville, Va.
18. May 12, 1864 Spotsylvania, VA and Chancellorsville, Va.
19. July 4, 1864 Harper's Ferry, WVa.
20. July 9, 1864 Fredericktown, Ma.
21. July 10, 1864 Outside Washington
22. July 18, 1864 Snickers Ferry, Va.
23. July 24, 1864 Kernstown, Va.
24. Sept. 19, 1864 Winchester, Va.
25. Sept. 22, 1864 Fisher's Hill, Va.
26. Oct. 19, 1864 Ceder Creek Hill, Va.
27. April 2, 1865 Petersburg, Va.
28. April 6, 1865 Near Farmville, Va.
29. April 9, 1865 Near Appomattox Court House
30. April 9, 1865 Lee Surrendered to Grant
MTC 11/00