Bost family.

Jacob Bost (1815-?) married Frances Mosteller (1822-?) on September 22, 1838, in Lincolntown, NC. Their first four children, including the sons whose letters are included in this collection, were born in North Carolina. In about 1847, they moved to Fayette County, Tennessee, and in about 1853, they moved to what was then Prairie County in Arkansas. It was from this home that James, Silas and George each enlisted in the Confederate army. James (1839-1863) and Silas (1840-1863) enlisted on June 14, 1861, and served in Company I of the 5th Arkansas Infantry Regiment. They were both killed in September 1863 in the Battle of Chickamauga. George enlisted on October 10, 1861, and served in Company B of the 4th Arkansas Infantry Battalion. He was killed on November 30, 1864, at the Battle of Franklin in Tennessee. Their letters relate experiences of battle, illness, injury, capture, and day to day camp life. Each man also expresses his devotion to the Southern cause, as well as his deep faith in God.