This collection contains two diaries written by James A Branch and two letters he received from his family, which detail his life during and after the American Civil War.

The first diary is an 1865 account written in a repurposed 1864 Denton & Wood pocket diary. Branch describes daily life as a soldier: he records such activities as meals, guard duty, purchases, books read, correspondence, and sermons. A characteristic entry is one written on September 20, 1865:

Feel dull stupid gloomy. Have so much cold can hardly breathe. Early is reported leaving the valley stupendous achievements are on foot, and I feel anxious for the results. My God grant a happy tune rid of all our troubles.

This is perhaps the sadest day of all the year to the Southern heart a most memorable day! One that decided the fate of R and the Confederacy May God grant not for over. How many here made poor by this step necessarily taken by our beloved chief May it prove for the better though we cannot see through the void as yet Just now our eyes were made to witness and our ears to hear negrew troops marching down our street cursing all white persons.