This is a closer look at the aftermath of First Manassas as it applies to the wounding and death of one 4th Alabama soldier. James E. H. Bailey was a private in the 4th Alabama Regiment and a close boyhood friend of William Cowan McClellan of the 9th Alabama. The McClellans lived in eastern Limestone County AL, about a mile or two from the Madison County line. Jim was wounded twice during the battle, and it later became difficult to ascertain his true condition as he was moved to several hospitals after the battle. The 9th Alabama did not make it to the battle, but arrived on the battlefield the following day. They went to the site where the 4th Alabama had dropped their packs to go into battle along Matthews Hill. William attempted to find out what had happened to Jim and to report that information back home to his family. At the same time, word was already making its way back to Limestone and Madison County by other soldiers' letters, and by the 4th Alabama soldiers who had been discharged or sent home to heal from their wounds. The following excerpts are from William's letters home and his sister, Matilda's, response.

7/22/1861 [WCM]: "The North Ala troops bore the brount of the battle and nobly did they fight. Though the gallant Col. Jones and one hundred of his Regiment [4th Alabama] were killed. They were cut to pieces worse than any five Regiments put to gether. Many of my acquaintances were killed and wounded- among them James Bailey badly wounded- [Lt.] R[obert N.] Hu[gh]es killed- Peter Fletcher's little finger grazed with a ball."

7/29/1861 [WCM]: "Jim Bailey I understand is mortally wounded."

8/7/1861 [WCM]: "James Bailey I understand will die. William Lowe it is thought will recover. They are at the culpeper courthouse 20 miles from here."

8/12/1861 [WCM]: "Tell Mrs Cartwright that I have just heard from Jim Bailey he is mending and thought to be intirely out of danger. This letter will be taken to Athens by a gentleman who has a discharge by the name of Strange a member of Houstons company."

8/18/61 [WCM]: "Poor Jim Bailey died a few days ago. He like many others sealed his devotion to his country with his lifes blood. Jim Bailey was the first boy I ever [k]new- with him is associated many of the most pleasant memories of my youth. But it is some consolation to know Jim sold his life dearly. I have benn told by men who saw him that he fought desperatley until he fell wounded upon the field. When down weltering in his own blood he was observed to [have] raised him self in a sitting position while he waived his hat to his comrades around him and told the[m] to stand by there country’s flag. Jim died at culpeper court house on the Richmond and Manassas R. R. about 30 miles from here. I would have gone to see him had I not been surrounded by Bristling Bayonets. Tell Mrs. Cartwright I console deeply with her in her bereavement, and if it pleases god to let me live through this war I will bring the remains of her idolised son home to his native state."

8/31/1861 [sister, Matilda at home]: "We all had heard repeatedly of Jim Bailey's death but Mr. Strange almost convinced us to hope he still lived to reap the rewards of his gallantry so justly merited. Mrs Cartwright has named her babe Effie Bailey the latter for Jim."

9/6/61 [WCM] " I have just received Bob's letter of the 31st August. I was very glad to hear from home that you all are well also glad to hear of the doubt of Jim Bailey's death. Though his friends in the 4 all say there is no doubt about him being dead."

9/9/61 [Matilda]: "Bart Lowe says Jim Baily requested to be brought home to die, and when that couldnt be done he wanted to be intered in his native land He was told later that couldnt be done this time of year. He then said he had fought like a man and would die like a man; and made no more requests. Leslie Moore arrives in Richmond this week. A good many of the 4th Ala Regt are at home- Bob Lowe has Typhoid Fever, Peter Fisher is at home on furlough. Write very soon to your sister Matilda. "

3/20/62 [WCM]: "We crossed the Rappahannock and Rapidan Rivers the latter is 12 miles back. The general opinion is we will make a stand at this place [Culpeper]. This is where the Lynchburg & Charlottesville R. Road intersect. I saw Jim Baileys grave at Culpeper he was interred with five hundred other Soldiers in a nice plank fence grave yard & all of them have nice toomb stones, on Jim’s I found this inscription "

J. H. Bailey
4 Ala Reg Vol
died August 12, 61

While William McClellan survived the war, he never made it back to reclaim Jim's body for his parents.

James E. H. Bailey (1835 -1861) was the son of Martha Vaughan Bailey and Elijah Bailey. As a widow she had later married Hezekiah Bradley Cartwright- father of Lt. Hezekiah John C. Cartwright and Matthew Thomas C. Cartwright- both members of Company F in the 9th Alabama. James lived in Madison County Alabama in 1860 and served with the 4th Alabama Regiment. He was wounded in his right side and fingers at the first Battle of Manassas. Treated at Manassas, he was transferred to a hospital in Winchester, Virginia, sent back to Manassas, and as his conditioned worsened, to the General Hospital at Culpeper. He later died from his wounds, and was buried at the hospital in Culpeper. All of the soldiers who were buried there were later re-buried in a mass grave in Fairview Cemetery in Culpeper. All of the wooden grave markers, like William McClellan had seen, had fallen down by the end of the war. While the records of the hospital were complete, individual recognition of the soldiers' graves was impossible, hence the mass burial.

A complete listing of the soldiers buried there and their details can be found in: "A Death Roster of the Confederate General Hospital at Culpeper, One of 567 Confederate soldiers who died at Culpeper, Virginia." Robert A. Hodge, Fredericksburg, 1977.