James was about 16 when he was standing with his master’s horse “an' a ball kilt de hoss an’ he fell over dead” and then he said he “cried like it might be my brudder”. His mater’s name was Sam Murry Sandell and according to the narrative he joined the Quitman Guards. A small book titled Quitman Guards, published in 1866, says Sandell was mustered into Company E. of the Sixteenth Mississippi Regiment on April 21, 1861.

James went to war with Sandell and kept his "boots shinin’ so yer could see yer face in ‘em. I brung him water an’ fed an’ cared for his hoss an’ put his saddle on de hoss fer him. Old Mis’sus tol’ me to be good to him an’ I was.”

James said he was excited to go to war even though he did not really understand what it was. He talked about his master being wounded and this is corroborated in the Quitman Guards book. He was separated from “Marse Murry”, and he said “Dey left me behin’ an’ Col’ Stockdale an’ Mr. Sam Matthews brung me home”.

"Marse Murry died an’ Old Missus run de place”. This was before the war ended because James was not yet free. James and Sam Murry Sandell were likely close. James told of a story where Sandell whipped him (with his clothes on) because he would not feed the mule. James said he needed to be whipped. He also said, “I played in de yard wid de little chulluns’ bofe white an’ black”. These were likely his master’s kids as James said there was no overseer and that Sandell did not have many slaves. Sandell was a private soldier too, which all indicates he was a typical small Southern farmer.

The 90-year-old James Cornelius lived within miles of his childhood home drawing a small Confederate pension. He spoke of his wartime experience without a hint of the “martial manhood” Kevin Levin likes to use to disparage black service in the Confederacy. Like draftees on both sides, he did not choose to serve. He described seeing Jefferson Davis on horseback with pride. Southerners embrace the history of men like James and are told they do so for nefarious reasons.