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James W. Blackmore, son of W. M. and Rachel Barry Blackmore, was born March 9, 1843, in Gallatin, Tenn., where he answered to the last roll call on the morning of May 11, 1914. Early in 1861 he enlisted in Company I, 2d Tennessee Infantry, of which regiment Gen. W. B. Bate was first colonel. Comrade Blackmore served with his regiment four years to a day, first being ordered to Virginia. After participating in the various manuvers of the army before the battle of Manassas, in which the regiment was engaged, it was ordered to join the Army of Tennessee at Corinth, Miss., and got there in time to do gallant fighting at Shiloh.

To tell the story of Comrade Blackburn's army service would be to give the story of the Army of Tennessee through Richmond and Perryville, Ky., Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, the entire Georgia campaign from Dalton to Atlanta, the advance and retreat of General Hood, the transfer to North Carolina of the remnant of the army, and its final surrender at Greensboro under Gen. Joseph E. Johnston. Througout these campaigns his record as a gallant soldier and true gentleman was without spot or blemish. A great part of his service was as ordnance sergeant of his regiment, from which he was promoted to brigade ordnance officer with the rank of lieutenant of artillery just before the surrender.

It is not my purpose to speak of the matchless citizenship of my friend and comrade from the time he returned to Galatin to take up duties that confronted him till his death. His history would be but that of the upbuilding of his native town and State and has been told by those with whom he was associated in his noble work. As friend and comrade I knew and loved him, and during the close intimacy of our army service I never hear him utter a word that would have caused a lady to blush. Partaking in the same mess, however short the ration, the same gentle courtesy and propriety were observed by him as would be accorded a guest and his table at home.