This collection contains 21 letters, arranged in nine folders by year, mostly written by James C. Chowning to his mother and sisters, during the Civil War and afterwards. They describe his training with the Tennessee Volunteers in the Confederate Army, and military operations of those troops. These letters provide a somewhat detailed description of training in the camps, of rumors among the troops, and his opinion of political events. A few letters were written from admirers to his sisters. Most of the letters are handwritten, some with a typescript.

Correspondence - (9) file folders

• May 29, 1861
• June 19, 1861 - [original and typescript]
• September 6, 1861
• September 6, 1861
• October 12, 1861 - [original faded]
• October 12, 1861

• January 24, 1862
• May 16, 1862
• July 16, 1862 - [original and typescript]
• July 30, 1862 - [original faded]
• November 20, 1862

• 1866

• May 12, 1867 -[original and typescript]
• May 22, 1867 - [original faded]

• February 18, 1868

• April 29, 1869
• September 27, 1869
• October 12, 1869

• February 22, 1870

• June 10, 1871

• June 19, 1884