His name does not appear on any roster of the regiment that I could locate.

The last surviving muster roll for Company E is that for the bi-monthly period November & December, 1862. As there is no record in the files under his name, it would appear he enlisted in the regiment at some later date.

A BING search ‘Alabama Confederate Soldier J. R. Bailey’ yields this hit. It would seem the reference to his name would indicate he is listed in the roster of the book on the 17th Alabama referenced therein.

The Civil War in Alabama - Research Online
www.researchonline.net/alcw/index/index16.htm
Bailey, J R: 17th Alabama Regiment E Bailey, J S: 25th Alabama Regiment G ... Alabama Civil War Soldiers Index Hardback $75.00 : Check out: Ordering via EMAIL

http://www.bing.com/search?q=Alabama+Confederate+Soldier++J.+R.+Bailey&pc=cosp&ptag=ACF1A9377EE&conlogo=CT3210127&first=9&FORM=PERE