James F. Elliott was an artist residing at Brighton (Washington County), Iowa when he enlisted with Company H of the 7th Iowa Volunteer Infantry on July 15, 1861. His regiment's first major action was the Battle of Belmont, Missouri and during this engagement Elliott was detached on nurse duty in the hospital at Mound City, Illinois. He participated in the Battle of Fort Donelson(Tennessee) and was later wounded during the Battle of Pittsburgh (Shiloh) in April 1862. In March 1863 while the 7th Iowa was at Corinth (Mississippi) Private Elliott was detailed to the secret service. In November 1864 he re-enlisted with his regiment and rejoined them at Prospect, Tennessee where they soon departed on the march to Atlanta. On November 25, 1864 while on forage detail near Milledgeville, Georgia he was captured and taken to the stockade at Macon, Georgia. Following several unsuccessful attempts to tunnel out of the prison with fellow inmates, Private Elliott was transferred to Andersonville Prison. At least one military document indicates he escaped on April 17, 1865. He was mustered out of the service July 12, 1865. Private Elliott's sister Melcenia Elliott was commissioned in October 1862 as an army nurse and was assigned to hospitals in Jackson and Memphis, Tennessee, then was recommissioned in 1863 to work at the Benton Barracks hospital at St. Louis. In the fall of 1863 she became matron of the Refugee Home of St. Louis and after a year there served several months as the matron of the Soldiers' Orphans' Home at Farmington, Iowa. She was released from U.S. service on August 7, 1864.
From the description of James F. Elliott papers, 1861-1927 1861-1865. (State Historical Society of Iowa, Library). WorldCat record id: 678093822
